Thin Film Analysis
Thin film analysis covers a range of possible scenarios which strongly influence the choice of technique:
- Film thickness can range from a few Å (10-10m), through the µm range (10-6m) up to mm (10-3m).
- Measurement sensitivity varies between techniques, from the at% range down to parts-per-billion.
- The lateral analytical area could be unlimited in size or could be very restricted.
Films can generally be analyzed in two ways: vertically, from the top down or bottom up; or horizontally as a cross-section.
Top-down analysis at the surface provides roughness, morphology, and surface composition and contaminant information. Subsequent sputtering can uncover additional information, such as thickness, composition, and dopant and contaminant levels. Cross-sectional analyses can reveal thickness, grain size, and crystallinity.