The possibilities of glow discharge cathode sputtering for laser atomic-fluorescence analysis of microelectronics materials

Abstract

Some parameters of a laboratory-made glow discharge cathode sputtering atomizer have been studied in the quasi-continuous and pulse modes. The sputtering and diffusion coefficients and the density of atomic vapour have been determined. The possibilities of increasing the depth resolution in depth profiling down to tens of ångströms are shown for the specific case of determining sodium in refractory metal targets in the technological processes of microelectronics. Optimization of the analysis conditions and the use of a non-dispersive system for registration of the fluorescence signal enabled a detection limit of sodium to be obtained at a level of 24 μg g when etching an amount of molybdenum corresponding to a mean layer thickness of 1 nm.