Analysis of a Sputtered Si Surface for Ar Sputter Gas Supply Purity Monitoring

For sputter depth profiling often sample erosion by Ar+ ions is used. Only a high purity of the sputter gas and a low contamination level of the ion gun avoids misleading depth profile measurements results. Here a new measurement procedure is presented, which monitors these parameters. A Si sample is sputtered inside the instrument and then the surface concentration of the elements Ar, C, N and O is measured. Results of such measurements of an XPS microprobe PHI Quantum 2000, which were recorded over a period of 10 years, are presented.