Abstract Combination of a pulsed glow discharge (PGD) source with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) enables for fast multielemental transient signals detection of solid samples. Such instrument is ideal for depth profiling of layered materials with depth resolution down to the low nm range. In this work, depth profile capabilities of radiofrequency (rf) PGD-TOFMS system have been investigated when dealing with thin layers (GexNi100-x/Ni/NdyNi100-y with total thicknesses between 15 nm and 75 nm) deposited on two substrates with different electrical properties (non-conductive glasses and silicon wafers). Attention has been paid towards the selection of the different PGD operational parameters aiming at achieving best instrument performance for each substrate in terms of depth resolution of the thin coating layers. Particularly, the applied pulse width has proven to have a direct influence in the temporal regions (prepeak, plateau and afterglow) responsible of the analytical signals detected by TOFMS. Experimental results showed that shorter pulses (0.16 ms was finally selected) and periods (1.32 ms) allowed for better depth profile resolution of the layers deposited onto the glass substrate. However, such selection for the nonconductive substrate hindered obtaining analytical information from the prepeak and plateau regions. On the other hand, the effect of pulse width on depth resolution was not so critical when coatings were deposited onto the silicon wafer.

中文翻译：

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脉冲射频辉光放电飞行时间质谱：导电和非导电基板上多层膜的深度剖面分析

摘要 脉冲辉光放电 (PGD) 源与飞行时间质谱 (TOFMS) 的组合能够实现固体样品的快速多元素瞬态信号检测。这种仪器非常适用于深度分辨率低至低纳米范围的层状材料的深度分析。在这项工作中，研究了射频 (rf) PGD-TOFMS 系统在处理薄层（总厚度在 15 nm 到 75 nm 之间的 GexNi100-x/Ni/NdyNi100-y）时的深度剖面能力电气特性（非导电玻璃和硅片）。已关注不同 PGD 操作参数的选择，旨在在薄涂层的深度分辨率方面为每个基板实现最佳仪器性能。特别，已证明施加的脉冲宽度对负责 TOFMS 检测到的分析信号的时间区域（前峰、平台和余辉）有直接影响。实验结果表明，较短的脉冲（最终选择了 0.16 毫秒）和周期（1.32 毫秒）允许沉积在玻璃基板上的层具有更好的深度剖面分辨率。然而，对非导电基板的这种选择阻碍了从峰前和平台区域获得分析信息。另一方面，当涂层沉积在硅片上时，脉冲宽度对深度分辨率的影响并不那么重要。最终选择了 16 毫秒）和周期（1.32 毫秒）允许沉积在玻璃基板上的层具有更好的深度剖面分辨率。然而，对非导电基板的这种选择阻碍了从峰前和平台区域获得分析信息。另一方面，当涂层沉积在硅片上时，脉冲宽度对深度分辨率的影响并不那么重要。最终选择了 16 毫秒）和周期（1.32 毫秒）允许沉积在玻璃基板上的层具有更好的深度剖面分辨率。然而，对非导电基板的这种选择阻碍了从峰前和平台区域获得分析信息。另一方面，当涂层沉积在硅片上时，脉冲宽度对深度分辨率的影响并不那么重要。