SIGNAL SAMPLING DEPTH-INDUCED SKEW EFFECT IN SIMS DEPTH PROFILING

The effect of signal sampling depth in SIMS on profile was not reported We have found that the maximum sampling depth in SIMS is considerably bigger than the mean penetration range of primary ions and can skew the profile of secondary ion counts for implanted samples on the more deeper direction from the surface. The effect of maximum sampling depth is true not only for implanted samples but also for the samples in the middle of which there is an other impurity-rich layer. The action principle of signal sampling depth effect and the method of decreasing the error produced by the effect are discussed in this paper