Determination of the ion sputtering-induced in-depth distribution by means of elastic peak electron spectroscopy

Elastic peak depth profiling was carried out on an Mo/Si multilayer system using a rotating specimen, grazing angle of incidence (86 degrees with respect to the surface normal) and 0.5 keV Ar ion energy. The depth profiling was simulated by dynamic TRIM (T-DYN) code. The T-DYN code provided the in-depth distribution of the elements in any moment of the depth profiling process. Direct Monte Carlo calculation was developed to calculate the intensity of the elastic peak emitted from the distribution determined by the T-DYN code. Good agreement was found between the calculated and measured elastic peak depth profiles, proving that the Monte Carlo routine developed is readily applicable to inhomogeneous layers and the mixing of the Mo/Si layer is web described by the T-DYN code. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.