Experimental comparison between atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry on thin heterogeneous rubber films

Journal Article · · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.586711· OSTI ID:6336875

Extrand, C W; Heslot, F ^[1]; Toulhoat, H ^[2]

---

1. College de France, Paris (France)
2. Institut Francais du Petrole, Rueil Malmaison (France)

Thin heterogeneous films of natural rubber (NR) have been spun cast on smooth silicon wafers. An average thickness of the layers was measured with ellipsometry and the local topography with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The films were discontinuous at a scale of less than 30 nm. Nevertheless, estimates of an average film thickness from AFM agreed with those measured by ellipsometry. Previous workers have studied thin films with AFM and compared their findings with measurements from ellipsometry. Mate et al. examined thin polymer films of perfluoro-poly propylene oxide that were continuous up to 13 nm. Thicknesses from ellipsometry and AFM were proportional with an offset of 3--5 nm, which the authors have attributed to either liquid coating on the AFM tip or deformation of the liquid near the tip. 9 refs., 4 figs.

• OSTI ID: 6336875
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States) Vol. 11:1; ISSN 0734-211X; ISSN JVTBD9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360602 -- Other Materials-- Structure & Phase Studies
440800* -- Miscellaneous Instrumentation-- (1990-)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
ALKENES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIMENSIONS
ELASTOMERS
ELLIPSOMETRY
EVALUATION
FILMS
HYDROCARBONS
MEASURING METHODS
MICROSCOPY
NATURAL RUBBER
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
POLYMERS
PROPYLENE
RUBBERS
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS
TOPOGRAPHY