Infrared analysis of thin layers by attenuated total reflection spectroscopy

Interests in infrared spectroscopy (IRS) have been stimulated by the increasing need for non-destructive surface characterization providing structural and chemical informations about the new materials used in microelectronic devices. Standard infrared spectroscopy of thin layers is limited because of its lack of sensitivity. The use of optical configurations such as the attenuated total reflection (ATR) allows to characterize nanometric layers. This paper will present the results of a study conducted for a better understanding of the capabilities and limitations of this technique. A theoretical analysis based on a perturbation method is used to elucidate the results of ATR measurements performed on silicon oxide layers of different thickness on silicon substrates. This analysis shows that the absorbance ATR spectrum in p polarization is the image of the layer energy loss function, under specific conditions. The exact ATR spectrum simulation using a matrix formalism showed that the straightforward interpretation in terms of the layer dielectric function is limited to a very narrow layer thickness range. The fitting process of the ATR spectrum is evaluated for the interpretation of experimental spectra obtained for the growth of chemical silicon oxide layers.