Materials analysis with nuclear microprobes: Superconductors and buried conductors

Conference · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5914364

Barbour, J. C.; Doyle, B. L.

Nuclear microprobe analysis (NMA) is a unique form of microbeam analysis in that it combines high lateral resolution with the high depth resolution techniques of conventional ion beam analysis (IBA) to nondestructively determine sample composition in three dimensions. By using depth sensitive IBA techniques (e.g., Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), Enhanced Backscattering Spectrometry (EBS) or Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD)), NMA finds its greatest utility in analyses requiring the following information: (1) 1--100 ppM sensitivity, (2) nondestructive three-dimensional depth profiling, and (3) quantitative light element analysis (e.g., the first two rows of the periodic table). This paper demonstrates the continuing evolution of NMA capabilities through two examples. First, the unique capabilities afforded NMA are shown in a simple yet accurate method to measure both oxygen and metal atom concentrations in Y-Ba-Cu-O alloys with micro-area ion beam analysis. Second, a NMA of buried tungsten lines in a silicon wafer demonstrates the complementary nature of information determined by NMA and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). 9 refs., 2 figs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5914364
• Report Number(s): SAND-89-0633C; CONF-890748-5; ON: DE89008580
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420500* -- Engineering-- Materials Testing
ALLOYS
BARIUM ALLOYS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER OXIDES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
MATERIALS TESTING
MICROANALYSIS
MICROSCOPY
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESOLUTION
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM ALLOYS