Mathematical Model for Evaluation of Surface Analysis Data by Total Reflection

R.D. PÉREZ; H. J. SÁNCHEZ; M. RUBIO; C. A. PÉREZ

X-RAY SPECTROMETRY

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Lugar: LOndres; Año: 1999 vol. 28 p. 342 - 345

0049-8246

The general problem of an electromagnetic wave moving through a stratified medium appears naturally in all the techniques associated with surface analysis by total reflection. It is a consequence of the theoretical models that describe that describe the physical processes involved in these techniques. This problem has been extensively studied owing to its importance in optics. The mentioned techniques are known as grazing incidence x-ray fluorescence (GIXRF) and grazing exit x-ray fluorescence (GEXRF). In this work, the electric field in a stratified medium was calculated using basic mathematical tools. The model uses a matrix approach to take advantage of well-known mathematical results (such as Hessenberg?s matrix properties). In this way, the model optimizes and facilitates the data analysis in GIXRF measurements and GEXRF experiments. The simplicity of the formalism admits approximations of the electric field, which allow a better understanding of the experimental data in both techniques. The model was used to analyze experimental data on silicon wafers with