Auger Electron Spectroscopy

Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES)1–6 is an essential tool for analyzing failed IC’s where surface characterization is required. It provides elemental identification and, in some cases, chemical information about substances in highly localized areas in very near-surface regions of materials, thin films, or film interfaces. AES provides excellent spatial resolution, as low as 200 Angstroms diameter. It provides surface analysis of the uppermost 20–50 Angstroms of the sample surface. It has moderate sensitivity with detection limits in the 0.1–1.0% range. Depth profiling can be achieved by specimen sputtering.