| Abstract: | EPMA analysis of thin PVD and CVD layers Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) is an X‐ray spectroscopic method for determining the chemical composition of solid substances in the near‐surface region. It has a high detection sensitivity, a high spatial resolution, an adjustable depth of analysis and is easy and accurate to quantify. Less well known is the fact that the EPMA is also able to analyze the chemical composition and layer thicknesses of thin multi‐layer systems non‐destructively and with only one single measurement. In particular, it is possible to determine, for example, the composition and thickness of a layer buried under one or more other layers. Conversely, with a known film thickness, the density of thin layers can be determined, a quantity that is generally difficult to access with thin layers. The following article describes the physical basics of EPMA analysis and compares them with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X‐ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), which are also widely used. The principle of so‐called thin film analysis for multilayer systems is explained, and the possibilities and limitations of this method are illustrated by a number of industrial application examples. |
