Ion beam analysis of rough thin films

The influence of surface roughness on Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) spectra has been studied experimentally and by computer simulation with the SIMNRA code. Rough thin films are described by a distribution of film thicknesses, while rough substrates are approximated by a distribution of local inclination angles. Correlation effects of surface roughness are neglected. Rough film effects can be calculated for RBS including non-Rutherford scattering, nuclear reaction analysis and elastic recoil detection analysis. The results of simulation calculations show good agreement with experimental data. For thin films of high Z elements on rough substrates additionally plural scattering plays an important role. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.