Measurement of sputtering yields and damage in C60SIMS depth profiling of model organic materials

Sputter-depth profiles of model organic thin films on silicon using C-60 primary ions have been employed to measure sputtering yields and depth resolution parameters. We demonstrate that some materials (polylactide, Irganox 1010) have a constant and high sputtering yield, which varies linearly with the primary ion energy, whereas another material (Alq(3)) has lower, fluence-dependent sputtering yields. Analysis of multi-layered organic thin films reveals that the depth resolution is a function of both primary ion energy and depth, and the sputtering yield depends on the history of sputtering. We also show that similar to 30% of repeat units are damaged in the steady-state regime during polylactide sputtering. (c) Crown Copyright 2006. Reproduced with the permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.