ANALYTICAL INFORMATION
Survey Scan - The position of the peaks in the AES spectrum obtained in a survey scan identifies the elemental composition of the uppermost 20 Å of the analyzed surface.
Multiplex Scan - A higher resolution analysis of the Auger spectrum in the region around a characteristic peak is used for determination of the atomic concentration of the elements identified in the survey scans and, in some cases, chemical state information.
Quantitation - The AES analysis results can be quantified without standards by using the area under the peaks in the AES spectrum and corrections based on elemental sensitivity factors.
Mapping and Line Scans - These are imaging techniques that measure the lateral distribution of elements on the surface. The electron beam is scanned across the sample surface, either along a fixed line (line scan) or across a given area (mapping) while the AES signal is analyzed for specific energy channels. The AES signal intensity is a function of the relative concentration of the element(s) corresponding to the selected energy channel(s). Spatial resolution is approximately 0.3 µm.
Depth Profile - Material is removed from the surface by sputtering with an energetic ion beam concurrent with successive AES analyses. This process measures the elemental distribution as a function of depth into the sample. Depth resolution of < 100 Å is possible.
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
Microscopic particle identification
Passive oxide film thickness
Contamination on integrated circuits
Quantitation of light element surface films
Mapping spatial distribution of surface constituents
