Profiling of patterned metal layers by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

✍ Scribed by Melody Bi; Antonio M Ruiz; Igor Gornushkin; Ben W Smith; James D Winefordner

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 304 KB
• Volume: 158
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0169-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/s0169-4332(00)00027-1

✦ Synopsis

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry LA-ICP-MS was used for profiling patterned thin metal layers on a polymerrsilicon substrate. The parameters of the laser and ICP-MS operating conditions have been studied and optimized for this purpose. A new laser ablation chamber was designed and built to achieve the best spatial resolution. The results of the profiling by LA-ICP-MS were compared to those obtained from a laser ablation optical emission spectrometry Ž . LA-OES instrument, which measured the emission of the plasma at the sample surface, and thus, eliminated the time delay caused by the sample transport into the ICP-MS system. Emission spectra gave better spatial resolution than mass spectra. Ž However, LA-ICP-MS provided much better sensitivity and was able to profile thin metal layers on the order of a few . nanometers on the silicon surface. A lateral spatial resolution of 45 mm was achieved.