Papers by Keyword: Detection Limits

Abstract: The concentration of nitrogen and phosphorous in SiC bulk material and epitaxial layers was investigated using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The advantage of TOF-SIMS of acquiring a complete mass spectrum in a single run was used to identify the most sensitive atomic ion or ionic cluster for the selected element to be monitored. For the investigation of N with its intrinsic low ionization yield the use of a Cs containing cluster ion is necessary. Selection of a CNCs2 + cluster allows to reach a detection limit of about cN,min » 5×1016 cm-3. In the case of P the elemental ion was used. However, the adjacent mass of 30SiH influences the P peak as well as its background and has to be suppressed. This can be achieved by limiting the residual gas re-adsorption during the measurement resulting in a detection limit of about cP,min » 5×1015 cm-3. These measurement parameters were used to investigate a single crystal SiC bulk sample grown by the modified Lely method with intentional P doping and an N doped epitaxial SiC layer sample.