Discovering thickness of a thin film.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around methods for determining the thickness of thin films of zinc oxide, with a focus on practical measurement techniques. Participants explore various approaches, including ellipsometry and x-ray diffraction, while addressing challenges related to film variance and resolution.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant mentions using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for measuring film thickness but finds it taxing due to high throughput.
  • Another suggests ellipsometry for very thin and semi-transparent films, but notes that it may not be effective due to high variance in the films.
  • A participant challenges the effectiveness of ellipsometry, stating that the variance makes it difficult to determine the correct harmonic for thickness without SEM.
  • One participant proposes using x-ray diffraction (XRD) to measure thickness on the nano-scale, questioning its appropriateness for the specific case.
  • A later reply inquires about the fundamental formulas for using XRD to measure film thickness and asks what factors this measurement depends on, noting a desired resolution of around 10nm.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the effectiveness of various measurement techniques, particularly ellipsometry and x-ray diffraction. There is no consensus on a single best method, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the most suitable approach for measuring film thickness.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in their current methods, including high variance in film properties and the need for precision in measurements. The discussion does not resolve the mathematical or technical details necessary for applying the suggested methods.

darker4308
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Hi guys, long time reader new poster.

I am looking for ways to determine the thickness of some thin films of zinc oxide I have been producing. Conventionally I use SEM cross section, but the throughput of films has made this a little taxing. I've tried also weighing the substrates before and after coating and that seems a little imprecise. We do not have a film growth monitor.

Does anyone have any other idea for measuring film thickness.
 
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It depends on the thickness.

If it is very thin and semi-transparent (at least to visible light), then you can you ellipsometry.

Zz.
 
We tried that, but the variance in the films is so high that we can't decide what harmonic is correct for the thickness value without doing an SEM which defeats the purpose.
 
We use x-ray diffraction to measure the thickness of layers on the nano-scale. I'm not sure if that would be appropriate in your case.
 
I am curious I've taken material science at a graduate level, but we all we ever used XRD for was identification and grain size. Is there a fundamental formula that you can point me towards so I can measure film thickness, and also what do this depend on ?

My films range from about 10nm to 400 nm or so, and we would really like a method to be able to get close to 10nm resolution.
 

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