Surface Analysis by Total-Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence

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

RADIATION PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY (OXFORD)

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 1996 vol. 48 p. 325 - 329

0969-806X

This work shows the feasibility of surface analysis though the detection of characteristic fluorescent radiation in the total-reflection regime. A theoretical formalism to correlate surface parameters with X-ray fluorescence intensities from multiple-layer samples was developed. Experimental measurements were performed in the Microanalysis Station of the Frascati National Laboratory, Italy. The samples were Si wafers with surface layers of different thicknesses of Cr. The angular dependence of the Kα fluorescent intensity emitted by Cr was recorded with a Si(Li) detector, and the obtained data were fitted to the correspondent theoretical expression. Our results agreed very well with the values measured during sample fabrication. Diffusion processes of the surface layer into the substrates were also considered. They were analysed assuming a middle layer between the surface layer and the substrate.