E42.08 - Ion Beam Sputtering

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Information on interface composition is frequently obtained by measuring surface composition while the specimen material is gradually removed by ion bombardment (see Guide E 1127 and Practice E 1162). In this way, interfaces are revealed and characterized by the measurement of composition versus depth to obtain a sputter-depth profile. The shape of such interface profiles contains information about the physical and chemical properties of the interface region. In order to accurately and unambiguously describe this interface region and to determine its width (see Guide E 1438), it is necessary to define the shape of the entire interface profile with a single analytic function.
Although no general physical model currently exists for describing the shape of interface sputter-depth profiles, interface profiles do have a sigmoidal shape characteristic of the cumulative logistic distribution. Use of such a logistic function is physically plausible and is superior to other functions (for example, polynomials) that have heretofore been used for interface profile analysis in that it contains the minimum number of parameters for describing interface shapes.
Many attempts have been made to characterize interface profiles with general functions (such as polynomials or error functions) but these have suffered from instabilities and an inability to handle poorly structured data. Choice of the logistic function along with a specifically written least-squares procedure (described in Appendix X1) can provide statistically evaluated parameters that describe the width, asymmetry, and depth of interface profiles in a reproducible and unambiguous way.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers a systematic method for analyzing sputter-depth-profile interface data and for accurately characterizing the shape of the interface region. Interface profile data are described with an appropriate analytic function; the parameters of this function define the interface width, its asymmetry, and its depth from the original surface. The use of this practice is recommended in order that the shapes of composition profiles of interfaces acquired with different instruments and techniques on different materials can be unambiguously compared and interpreted.  
1.2 This practice is intended to be used to describe the shape of depth profile data obtained at an interface between two dissimilar materials for that case in which the measured concentration of the outer material goes from 100 to 0% and the inner material goes from 0 to 100%.  
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Ion beams are utilized in surface analysis in two ways. First, they can generate signals from the specimen, for example, in SIMS and ISS. Second, they can remove material from the specimen surface while a surface analytical technique determines the composition of the freshly exposed surface. This process is called sputter depth profiling. Ideally, this guide requires reporting all characteristics of the ion beam that can possibly affect the results so that the measurement can be reproduced.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the information needed to characterize ion beams used in surface analysis.  
1.2 This guide does not cover all information required to perform a sputter depth profile (see referenced documents), specify any properties of the specimen except its surface normal, and discuss the rationale for choosing a particular set of ion beam parameters (1,7). This guide does assume that the ion flux has a unique direction, that is, is an ion beam, rather than a wide spectrum of velocity vectors more typical of a plasma.  
1.3  This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the preferred procedure for acquiring and post-processing of sputter crater depth measurements. This guide is limited to stylus-type surface profilometers equipped with a stage, stylus, associated scan and sensing electronics, video system for sample and scan alignment, and computerized system.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the preferred procedure for acquiring and post-processing of sputter crater depth measurements. This guide is limited to stylus-type surface profilometers equipped with a stage, stylus, associated scan and sensing electronics, video system for sample and scan alignment, and computerized system.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SCOPE
1.1 This practice describes a simple and approximate method for determining the shape and current density of ion beams. The practice is limited to ion beams of diameter greater than 0.5 mm of the type used for sputtering of solid surfaces to obtain sputter depth profiles. It is assumed that the ion-beam current density is symmetrical about the beam axis.  
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the information needed to characterize ion beams used in surface analysis.  
1.2 This guide does not cover all information required to perform a sputter depth profile (see referenced documents), specify any properties of the specimen except its surface normal, and discuss the rationale for choosing a particular set of ion beam parameters (1).  This guide does assume that the ion flux has a unique direction, that is, is an ion beam, rather than a wide spectrum of velocity vectors more typical of a plasma.  
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers a systematic method for analyzing sputter-depth-profile interface data and for accurately characterizing the shape of the interface region. Interface profile data are described with an appropriate analytic function; the parameters of this function define the interface width, its asymmetry, and its depth from the original surface. The use of this practice is recommended in order that the shapes of composition profiles of interfaces acquired with different instruments and techniques on different materials can be unambiguously compared and interpreted.  
1.2 This practice is intended to be used to describe the shape of depth profile data obtained at an interface between two dissimilar materials for that case in which the measured concentration of the outer material goes from 100 to 0% and the inner material goes from 0 to 100%.  
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Ion beams are utilized in surface analysis in two ways. First, they can generate signals from the specimen, for example, in SIMS and ISS. Second, they can remove material from the specimen surface while a surface analytical technique determines the composition of the freshly exposed surface. This process is called sputter depth profiling. Ideally, this guide requires reporting all characteristics of the ion beam that can possibly affect the results so that the measurement can be reproduced.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the information needed to characterize ion beams used in surface analysis.  
1.2 This guide does not cover all information required to perform a sputter depth profile (see referenced documents), specify any properties of the specimen except its surface normal, and discuss the rationale for choosing a particular set of ion beam parameters (1,7). This guide does assume that the ion flux has a unique direction, that is, is an ion beam, rather than a wide spectrum of velocity vectors more typical of a plasma.  
1.3  This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
WITHDRAWN RATIONALE
This guide covers the information needed to characterize ion beams used in surface analysis.
Formerly under the jurisdiction of Committee E42 on Surface Analysis, this guide was withdrawn in January 2020 in accordance with Section 10.6.3 of the Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committees, which requires that standards shall be updated by the end of the eighth year since the last approval date.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Information on interface composition is frequently obtained by measuring surface composition while the specimen material is gradually removed by ion bombardment (see Guide E1127 and Practice E1162). In this way, interfaces are revealed and characterized by the measurement of composition versus depth to obtain a sputter-depth profile. The shape of such interface profiles contains information about the physical and chemical properties of the interface region. In order to accurately and unambiguously describe this interface region and to determine its width (see Guide E1438), it is helpful to define the shape of the entire interface profile with a single analytic function.
Interfaces in depth profiles from one semi-infinite medium to another generally have a sigmoidal shape characteristic of the cumulative logistic distribution. Use of such a logistic function is physically appropriate and is superior to other functions (for example, polynomials) that have heretofore been used for interface-profile analysis in that it contains the minimum number of parameters for describing interface shapes.
Measurements of variations in signal intensity or surface composition as a function of position on a surface give information on the shape of a step or topographic feature on a surface or on the sharpness of an interface at a phase boundary. The shapes of steps or other features on a surface can give information on the lateral resolution of a surface-analysis technique if the sample being measured has sufficiently sharp edges (see ISO 18516). Similarly, the shapes of compositional variations across a surface can give information on the physical and chemical properties of the interface region (for example, the extent of mixing or diffusion across the interface). It is convenient in these applications to describe the measured linescan profile with an appropriate analytic function.
Although the logistic distribution is not the only function that could be used to describe measure...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice describes a systematic method for analyzing depth-profile and linescan data and for accurately characterizing the shape of an interface region or topographic feature. The profile data are described with an appropriate analytic function, and the parameters of this function define the position, width, and any asymmetry of the interface or feature. The use of this practice is recommended in order that the shapes of composition profiles of interfaces or of linescans of topographic features acquired with different instruments or techniques can be unambiguously compared and interpreted.
1.2 This practice is intended to be used for two purposes. First, it can be used to describe the shape of depth-profiles obtained at an interface between two dissimilar materials that might be measured by common surface-analysis techniques such as Auger electron spectroscopy, secondary-ion mass spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Second, it can be used to describe the shape of linescans across a detectable topographic feature such as a step or a feature on a surface that might be measured by a surface-analysis technique, scanning electron microscopy, or scanning probe microscopy. The practice is particularly valuable for determining the position and width of an interface in a depth profile or of a feature on a surface and in assessments of the width as an indication of the sharpness of the interface or feature (a characteristic of the material system being measured) or of the achieved depth resolution of the profile or the lateral resolution of the linescan (a characteristic of the particular analytical technique and instrumentation).
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of t...