Fluorescence-based photoelectron features in Auger spectra

The use of energetic (greater than or equal to 10 keV) electron beams in Anger electron spectroscopy is becoming more and more standard practice because of their superior focusability and an accompanying reduction in charging problems when inspecting thin (<1 mu m) insulating Layers on conductive substrates, Such beams, hen-ever, have a much greater probability to excite (x-ray) fluorescence, which, in turn, may liberate characteristic photoelectrons. The occurrence of thus-formed spurious peaks in Auger spectra is not generally acknowledged as a possible or probable artefact that mag lead to erroneous assignments, A series of measurements has been made, mainly on silicon technology-based materials, to establish the importance of this phenomenon From an analysis of the data, a crude estimate of the occurrence probability and magnitude of fluorescence-induced photoelectron excitation can be given. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.