Automatic spike correction using UNIFIT 2020

The improvement of the software UNIFIT 2020 from an analysis processing software for photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) only to a powerful tool for XPS, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and Raman spectroscopy requires new additional programme routines. Particularly, the implementation of the analysis of Raman spectra needs a well-working automatic spike correction. The application of the modified discrete Laplace operator method allows for a perfect localization and correction of the spikes and finally a successful peak fit of the spectra. The theoretical basis is described. Test spectra allow for the evaluation of the presented method. A comparison of the original and spike-corrected real measurements demonstrates the high quality of the method used

Ion beam sputtering of silicon: Energy distributions of sputtered and scattered ions

The properties of sputtered and scattered ions are studied for ion beam sputtering of Si by bombardment with noble gas ions. The energy distributions in dependence on ion beam parameters (ion energy: 0.5-1 keV; ion species: Ne, Ar, Xe) and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, polar emission angle, and scattering angle) are measured by means of energy-selective mass spectrometry. The presence of anisotropic effects due to direct sputtering and scattering is discussed and correlated with process parameters. The experimental results are compared to calculations based on a simple elastic binary collision model and to simulations using the Monte-Carlo code sdtrimsp. The influence of the contribution of implanted primary ions on energy distributions of sputtered and scattered particles is studied in simulations. It is found that a 10% variation of the target composition leads to detectable but small differences in the energy distributions of scattered ions. Comparison with previously reported data for other ion/target configurations confirms the presence of similar trends and anisotropic effects: The number of high-energy sputtered ions increases with increasing energy of incident ions and decreasing scattering angle. The effect of the ion/target mass ratio is additionally investigated. Small differences are observed with the change of the primary ion species: The closer the mass ratio to unity, the higher the average energy of sputtered ions. The presence of peaks, assigned to different mechanisms of direct scattering, strongly depends on the ion/target mass ratio

Automatic spike correction using UNIFIT 2020

The improvement of the software UNIFIT 2020 from an analysis processing software for photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) only to a powerful tool for XPS, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and Raman spectroscopy requires new additional programme routines. Particularly, the implementation of the analysis of Raman spectra needs a well-working automatic spike correction. The application of the modified discrete Laplace operator method allows for a perfect localization and correction of the spikes and finally a successful peak fit of the spectra. The theoretical basis is described. Test spectra allow for the evaluation of the presented method. A comparison of the original and spike-corrected real measurements demonstrates the high quality of the method used

Plasmadiagnostics in the Plume of a Radiofrequency Ion Thruster

Within recent research activities, we have developed and tested an Advanced Electric Propulsion Diagnostics (AEPD) platform which allows for simultaneous in-situ measurements of various properties characterizing electric propulsion systems, such as ion beam current densities, ion energy distribution and ion beam composition, grid temperature, curvature and erosion. Currently, an extension of the diagnostic instrumentation by means of a measurement probe based on emission spectroscopy is built up and tested. Progress in developing the emission spectrocopic set-up and first measurements in the plume of the radiofrequency ion thruster ISQ40RF, which has been designed and built at the institute, are reported

Ion beam sputter deposition of

$$\hbox {SiO}_2$$ thin films were grown by ion beam sputter deposition using oxygen ions under systematic variation of ion energy and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, polar emission angle, scattering angle). The $$\hbox {SiO}_{{2}}$$ thin films were characterized with respect to film thickness, growth rate, surface roughness, crystallinity, mass density, and optical properties. The growth rates show an over-cosine, forward-tilted angular distribution. It is increasing with increasing ion energy and increasing ion incidence angle. The films were found to be amorphous with a root mean square roughness between 0.34 nm and 0.54 nm. The mass density increases slightly with increasing ion energy. Optical properties vary only slightly. At small scattering angles, the index of refraction is increasing with decreasing ion energy or increasing ion incidence angle. At large scattering angles, it is vice versa, i.e., the index of refraction is decreasing with decreasing ion energy or increasing ion incidence angle. The data are compared and discussed with previous studies of the ion beam sputter deposition of $$\hbox {SiO}_2$$ thin films using Ar or Xe ions (Mateev et al. in Eur Phys J B 91:45, 2018)

Correlation of process parameters and properties of TiO

The correlation between process parameters and properties of TiO2 films grown by ion beam sputter deposition from a ceramic target was investigated. TiO2 films were grown under systematic variation of ion beam parameters (ion species, ion energy) and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, polar emission angle) and characterized with respect to film thickness, growth rate, structural properties, surface topography, composition, optical properties, and mass density. Systematic variations of film properties with the scattering geometry, namely the scattering angle, have been revealed. There are also considerable differences in film properties when changing the process gas from Ar to Xe. Similar systematics were reported for TiO2 films grown by reactive ion beam sputter deposition from a metal target [C. Bundesmann et al., Appl. Surf. Sci. 421, 331 (2017)]. However, there are some deviations from the previously reported data, for instance, in growth rate, mass density and optical properties

Ion beam sputter deposition of TiO

TiO2 thin films were grown by ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD) using oxygen ions, with the ion energy and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, polar emission angle, and scattering angle) being varied systematically. Metallic Ti and ceramic TiO2 served as target materials. The thin films were characterized concerning thickness, growth rate, surface topography, structural properties, mass density, and optical properties. It was found that the scattering geometry has the main impact on the film properties. Target material, ion energy, and ion incidence angle have only a marginal influence. Former studies on reactive IBSD of TiO2 using Ar and Xe ions reported equivalent patterns. Nevertheless, the respective ion species distinctively affects the film properties. For instance, mass density and the refractive index of the TiO2 thin films are remarkably lower for sputtering with oxygen ions than for sputtering with Ar or Xe ions. The variations in the thin film properties are tentatively attributed to the angular and the energy distribution of the film-forming particles, especially, to those of the backscattered primary particles

Systematic investigation of the reactive ion beam sputter deposition process of SiO

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD) is an established physical vapour deposition technique that offers the opportunity to tailor the properties of film-forming particles and, consequently, film properties. This is because of two reasons: (i) ion generation and acceleration (ion source), sputtering (target) and film deposition (substrate) are locally separated. (ii) The angular and energy distribution of sputtered target atoms and scattered primary particles depend on ion incidence angle, ion energy, and ion species. Ion beam sputtering of a Si target in a reactive oxygen atmosphere was used to grow SiO2 films on silicon substrates. The sputtering geometry, ion energy and ion species were varied systematically and their influence on film properties was investigated. The SiO2 films are amorphous. The growth rate increases with increasing ion energy and ion incidence angle. Thickness, index of refraction, stoichiometry, mass density and surface roughness show a strong correlation with the sputtering geometry. A considerable amount of primary inert gas particles is found in the deposited films. The primary ion species also has an impact on the film properties, whereas the influence of the ion energy is rather small