Multi-technique composition, coverage and band gap analysis of ALD-grown ultra thin films

Combining XPS, ISS and REELS in one instrument provides the ideal system for quality control and experimentation of atomic layer depositions (ALD). In a recently published application note we investigate a series of samples consisting of thin layers of HfO2 deposited by increasing numbers of atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycles.

This experiment shows how Thermo Scientific™ Nexsa XPS System is able to quantify an amount of deposited hafnium, measure its thickness, its surface coverage and measure the band gap of the semiconductor material by combining three surface analysis techniques. This application note demonstrates how:

  • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provides compositional and overlayer thickness measurements;
  • Ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) extracts spectral information from just the top monolayer of a sample;
  • Reflected electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) analyzes a key property of high-k dielectric materials, the band gap.

The Nexsa XPS System provides a complete picture of properties vital to the development of ultra-thin film materials for semiconductor applications.