Thin film structural analysis using variable-period x-ray standing waves

Gibson, Joshua S.; Syres, Karen L.; Buckley, Matthew; Lee, Tien-Lin; Thakur, Pardeep K.; Jones, Robert G.

Abstract

Variable period X-ray standing wave (VPXSW) studies have been carried out using 3 keV X-rays and photoelectron detection. Two model surfaces have been used, a native SiO2 layer (20 Å thick) on bulk silicon, and a purpose built multilayer surface comprising a chloroform/water marker layer (12 Å thick) on an ionic liquid spacer layer (211 Å thick) deposited on a SiO2/Si substrate at 90 K. By using photoelectron detection, both chemical and elemental sensitivity were achieved. The surfaces were modelled using dynamic X-ray scattering for X-ray intensity, and attenuation of photoelectrons transmitted through the layers, to produce simulations which accurately reproduced the experimental VPXSW measurements. VPXSW measurements made using the substrate, spacer layer and marker layer photoelectron signatures produced consistent structural values. This work demonstrates that VPXSW can be used to determine chemically specific layer thicknesses within thick (≲ 300 Å) surface structures composed of the light elements B, C, N, O, F and Cl with an accuracy of 10 to 15 Å, perpendicular to the surface. PACS number(s) 68.49.Uv, 61.10.Kw, 68.35.-p, 68.35.Ct

Citation

Gibson, J. S., Syres, K. L., Buckley, M., Lee, T.-L., Thakur, P. K., & Jones, R. G. (2018). Thin film structural analysis using variable-period x-ray standing waves. Physical Review B, 98(16), Article 165402. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.98.165402

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 1, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Oct 1, 2018
• Publication Date: Oct 15, 2018
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 5, 2018
• Journal: Physical Review B
• Print ISSN: 2469-9950
• Electronic ISSN: 2469-9969
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 98
• Issue: 16
• Article Number: 165402
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.98.165402
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1148362
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.98.165402
• Additional Information: ©2018 American Physical Society
• Contract Date: Oct 5, 2018