Determination of gases in thin solid films by inert gas fusion method

Determination of oxygen, nitrogen etc. in thin solid films by inert gas fusion method has been studied. Samples with silicon substrate, which are usually difficult to analyse, could be determined with good accuracy by using suitable bath materials. Moreover, it has been recognized that silicon itself can act as a bath material. It has been proved that the use of tin of five times the amount of sample for Fe-Ta-C-Al thin solid films, 0.5 g of Cu along with Sn for Al thin solid films, and 0.4 g of Ni for alpha-Al2O3 thin solid films each comprising silicon substrate were suitable as bath materials. In order to deduce the gas content in the thin solid film, a calculating method that subtracts the effect of silicon substrate has been devised. It was confirmed that the oxygen content calculated by this method agreed well with the analytical value of oxygen by direct determination of oxygen content in Fe-Ta-C-Al thin solid film sample mechanically separated from silicon substrate. Moreover, it was confirmed that the precision of this method was satisfactory for the determination of oxygen in alpha-Al2O3 sample.