Determination of the phase composition of thin-film structures for microelectronics using Auger spectra

The potentialities of Auger spectroscopy for determining the phase composition of thin films and interfaces are analyzed using objects of microelectronics. Procedures for determining the number of phases, phase identity, and phase concentration are considered. Methods of applied mathematical statistics are used in analysis of Auger spectra obtained in ion profilation, reflecting changes in the chemical state of the analyzed element over depth. The problem of overlapping of spectra of different elements is considered as a special case. The thin-film objects considered allow consistent data to be obtained when their phase composition is determined by different Auger lines using various methods of mathematical statistics, thus testifying to the reliability of the procedures used and the data obtained. To analyze samples that can be damaged by an electron beam provision is made for the use of electron loss (reflection) spectra.