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Title: Accurate determination of the thickness or mass per unit area of thin foils and single-crystal wafers for x-ray attenuation measurements

Abstract

The determination of the local mass per unit area m/A={integral}{rho}dt and the thickness of a specimen is an important aspect of its characterization and is often required for material quality control in fabrication. We discuss common methods which have been used to determine the local thickness of thin specimens. We then propose an x-ray technique which is capable of determining the local thickness and the x-ray absorption profile of a foil or wafer to high accuracy. This technique provides an accurate integration of the column density which is not affected by the presence of voids and internal defects in the material. The technique is best suited to specimens with thickness substantially greater than the dimensions of the surface and void structure. We also show that the attenuation of an x-ray beam by a nonuniform specimen is significantly different from that calculated by using a simple linear average of the mass per unit area and quantify this effect. For much thinner specimens or in the presence of a very structured surface profile we propose a complementary technique capable of attaining high accuracy by the use of a secondary standard. The technique is demonstrated by absolute measurements of the x-ray mass attenuationmore » coefficient of copper and silver.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20643969
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Review of Scientific Instruments
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 75; Journal Issue: 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1781383; (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0034-6748
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; ACCURACY; ATTENUATION; COPPER; DENSITY; ENERGY ABSORPTION; FABRICATION; FOILS; MASS; MEASURING METHODS; MONOCRYSTALS; QUALITY CONTROL; SILVER; STANDARDS; THICKNESS

Citation Formats

Tran, C Q, Chantler, C T, Barnea, Z, and Jonge, M.D. de. Accurate determination of the thickness or mass per unit area of thin foils and single-crystal wafers for x-ray attenuation measurements. United States: N. p., 2004. Web. doi:10.1063/1.1781383.
Tran, C Q, Chantler, C T, Barnea, Z, & Jonge, M.D. de. Accurate determination of the thickness or mass per unit area of thin foils and single-crystal wafers for x-ray attenuation measurements. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1781383
Tran, C Q, Chantler, C T, Barnea, Z, and Jonge, M.D. de. 2004. "Accurate determination of the thickness or mass per unit area of thin foils and single-crystal wafers for x-ray attenuation measurements". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1781383.
@article{osti_20643969,
title = {Accurate determination of the thickness or mass per unit area of thin foils and single-crystal wafers for x-ray attenuation measurements},
author = {Tran, C Q and Chantler, C T and Barnea, Z and Jonge, M.D. de},
abstractNote = {The determination of the local mass per unit area m/A={integral}{rho}dt and the thickness of a specimen is an important aspect of its characterization and is often required for material quality control in fabrication. We discuss common methods which have been used to determine the local thickness of thin specimens. We then propose an x-ray technique which is capable of determining the local thickness and the x-ray absorption profile of a foil or wafer to high accuracy. This technique provides an accurate integration of the column density which is not affected by the presence of voids and internal defects in the material. The technique is best suited to specimens with thickness substantially greater than the dimensions of the surface and void structure. We also show that the attenuation of an x-ray beam by a nonuniform specimen is significantly different from that calculated by using a simple linear average of the mass per unit area and quantify this effect. For much thinner specimens or in the presence of a very structured surface profile we propose a complementary technique capable of attaining high accuracy by the use of a secondary standard. The technique is demonstrated by absolute measurements of the x-ray mass attenuation coefficient of copper and silver.},
doi = {10.1063/1.1781383},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20643969}, journal = {Review of Scientific Instruments},
issn = {0034-6748},
number = 9,
volume = 75,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2004},
month = {Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2004}
}