VAMAS interlaboratory study on organic depth profiling. Part I: Preliminary report

We present preliminary results of a VAMAS interlaboratory study on organic depth profiling, TWA2, sub-project A3(d). A layered organic system was used to assess the repeatability and comparability of organic depth profiling. Nineteen respondents have provided sufficient data to demonstrate that the coefficients of variation for depth resolution, sputtering yield and relative secondary ion intensities are typically 5-10%. This can be as good as 2-3% with modern instruments, when using a stable sputtering ion current and careful procedures, which approaches the limits set by the samples themselves. The respondents have also demonstrated three methods to improve the quality of depth profiling for this system, namely, sample rotation, cooling to at least -80 degrees C and grazing incidence angles for the sputtering ion. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.