AUGER-ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY DEPTH PROFILING OF NI-CR MULTILAYERS BY SPUTTERING WITH N-2+ IONS

Depth profiles of Ni/Cr multilayer sandwich samples composed of 14 alternating layers (of individual thickness 11.5 nm) have been obtained by Auger electron spectroscopy in combination with sputtering by either 1 keV N2+ ions or 1 keV Ar+ ions. Each yields a similar depth resolution which follows a z 1 2 law with sputter depth z in both cases. The relative amount of implanted primary ions is found to be inversely proportional to the sputtering rate. It can be used as a measure of instantaneous surface composition and for a normalization of the sputtering time to obtain a true (linear) depth scale. © 1979.