Quantitative SIMS analysis of SiGe composition with low energy O2 + beams

This work explored quantitative analyses of SiGe films on either Si bulk or SOI wafers with low energy SIMS by assuming a constant ratio between the secondary ion yields of Si+ and Ge+ inside SiGe films. SiGe samples with Ge contents ranging from 15 to 65% have been analyzed with a 1 keV O2 + beam at normal incidence. For comparison, the samples were also analyzed with RBS and/or AES. The Ge content as measured with SIMS, based on a single SiGe/Si or SiGe/SOI standard, exhibited good agreement with the corresponding RBS and AES data. It was concluded that SIMS was capable of providing accurate characterization of the SiGe composition with the Ge content up to 65%.