ASTM E1634-02

Standard Guide for Performing Sputter Crater Depth Measurements

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.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Apr-2002
• ICS: 71.040.50 - Physicochemical methods of analysis
• Technical Committee: E42 - Surface Analysis
• Drafting Committee: E42.08 - Ion Beam Sputtering

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E1634-94(1999) - Standard Guide for Performing Sputter Crater Depth Measurements
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2002
• Replaced By: ASTM E1634-02(2007) - Standard Guide for Performing Sputter Crater Depth Measurements
• Effective Date: 01-Jun-2007
• Referred By: ASTM E2735-14(2020) - Standard Guide for Selection of Calibrations Needed for X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Experiments
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2002
• Referred By: ASTM E1127-08(2015) - Standard Guide for Depth Profiling in Auger Electron Spectroscopy
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2002

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E 1634 – 02
Standard Guide for
1
Performing Sputter Crater Depth Measurements
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1634; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope a crater with features, for example, lines, holes, etc., produced
using an unrastered ion beam). Note the x- and y-position with
1.1 This guide covers the preferred procedure for acquiring
respect to the rastered ion beam and sample geometry or
and post-processing of sputter crater depth measurements.This
suitable device feature(s).
guide is limited to stylus-type surface profilometers equipped
5.2 Place the sample on the profilometer stage surface. If
with a stage, stylus, associated scan and sensing electronics,
2
sample has an area of less than 1 cm , mount the sample onto
video system for sample and scan alignment, and computerized
another larger flat surface to prevent sample movement when
system.
profilometry is performed. The system should be reasonably
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
leveled; for details on instrumental adjustments, see manufac-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
turer’s operational manual(s). Keep the environment as dust-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
free as possible and dust-off the sample surface with clean
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
air/gas jet before performing the measurement.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
5.3 Pre-select surface profilometer operational settings;
2. Referenced Documents computerized models are commonly used. Most surface pro-
filometers commonly permit selection of the following param-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2
eters:
E 673 Terminology Relating to Surface Analysis
5.3.1 Stylus type (for example, diamond stylus),
E 1162 Practice for Reporting Sputter Depth Profile Data in
2
5.3.2 Stylus radius (for example, 5 µm; various stylus radii
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry
are available depending upon desired resolution of measure-
3. Terminology
ment, and to a certain degree the strength of the stylus tip for
varying hardness of materials),
3.1 Definitions:
5.3.3 Stylus force (that is, force exerted on the analytical
3.1.1 Terms used in surface analysis are defined in Termi-
sample during operation, for example, 15 mg; this is an
nology E 673.
important variable when profiling sample with high hardness
4. Significance and Use
levels; damage to the stylus may occur, and hence damage to
the instrumentation or errors in profilometry measurements, or
4.1 Sputter crater depth measurements are performed in
both, may result),
order to determine a sputter rate (depth/time) for each matrix
5.3.4 Scan speed (for example, 50 µm/s; this value is
sputtered during a sputter depth profile or similar in-depth type
dependent upon permissible noise levels, accuracy, etc., and is
analyses. From sputter rate values, a linear depth scale can be
typically determined experimentally),
calculated and displayed for the sputter depth profile.
5.3.5 Scan length (one typically uses twice the crater size to
4.2 Data obtained from surface profilometry are useful in
allow for scanning over the level areas about the sputtered
monitoring instrumental parameters (for example, raster size,
crater, and
shape, and any irregularities in topography of the sputtered
5.3.6 Number of scans for signal averaging (for example,
crater) used for depth profiles.
three repetitive scans averaged to improve the signal-to-noise
5. General Procedure
ratio).
5.4 Lower the stylus in an area outside the sputtered crater,
5.1 Upon completing a sputter depth profile, mark the crater
atadistancefromthecrateredgeofapproximatelyone-halfthe
for future identification (one can mark the exterior corner(s) of
actual crater size, and in a reasonably smooth area to traverse
theentirecraterlength.Thescanpathistypicallychosenacross
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E42 on Surface
the center of the sputtered crater in one direction with a
Analysis and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E42.08 on Ion Beam
Sputtering.
Current edition approved April 10, 2002. Published May 2002.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.06.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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E 1634
repetitive measurement in the perpendicular direction, noting
the symmetry with respect to the previously marked crater
directions (see 5.1).
6. Interpretation of Results
6.1 In genera
...