Quantitative analysis of a-Si C :H thin films

The composition of a-Si1yxCx:H films, deposited by magnetron sputtering, was measured by AES Auger Electron Spectroscopy., RBS Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry.using both, protons and a-particles, ERDA Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis. and FTIR spectroscopy. The results obtained by all three methods show agreement in CCrCSi ratio within the experimental error. However, the AES somewhat underestimates the silicon concentrations, which is discussed as a consequence of chemical bonding and matrix effects. The hydrogen concentrations obtained by ERDA are typically about 30% higher than those estimated by FTIR, possibly due to the presence of non-bonded hydrogen in the film. q1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.