APPLICATION OF COMPUTER-PROGRAMS TO MATRIX CORRECTIONS IN THE SURFACE-ANALYSIS OF AMORPHOUS FILMS

The computer programs AQUA and QUAX have been developed to enable the rapid quantification of surface analysis by AES and XPS. The compilation of library files of basic elemental data to enable the computer programs to perform matrix calculations automatically is discussed. The benefits of this system of programs in investigating the effects of using different methods of calculation of parameters such as attenuation length (AL) or backscattering factor on the calculated matrix factor and the final composition are demonstrated. Carrying through this range of calculations with the AQUA and QUAX computer surface analysis systems is shown to speed up the process of quantitative surface analysis by AES and XPS. In this investigation matrix factors and surface compositions have been calculated for a number of materials including films of amorphous silicon carbide and amorphous silicon nitride with a range of compositions. For the amorphous silicon carbide system, AES and XPS quantification with a range of methods for AL correction gave good agreement provided an SiC standard was used.