The Theory of Concentration Depth Profiling by Sputter Etching

Concentration depth profiling by controlled erosion of surface layers by sputtering is generally hampered by distorting effects due to recoil mixing and radiation enhanced migration. Emphasis is placed here on recoil mixing where we distinguish between two different collisional relocation processes: primary recoil mixing, on the one hand, and cascade recoil mixing on the other. In spite of the higher average energy/range of primary recoils, cascade recoils are the dominating cause for recoil mixing; this is by virtue of their much higher number [1].