Thin Ni/Al Metal Films Characterization Using a High-Frequency Electromagnetic Field

Abstract

The paper presents methods of obtaining and studying new materials - thin metal films of the Ni/Al system. The technique and main parameters of the resistive method of thermal evaporation of the alloy using a vacuum universal station are briefly presented. Samples of thin films of various thicknesses were obtained. The thickness of the material was determined both using a scanning electron microscope and a developed eddy-current gage system operating under a hardware-software complex. In the course of the research, the limit the film thickness gauging capabilities of the developed gage system was established (400 nm). The ability of the gage system to detect differences in the thickness of the same film was shown using the developed method. Also, the possibility of determining the thickness of an undoubtedly unknown thin film by an eddy-current transducer signal amplitude has been demonstrated.