title: Influence of discharge parameters on the resultant sputtered crater shapes for a radio frequency glow discharge atomic emission source.
abstract: A parametric study has been conducted on a radio frequency glow discharge atomic emission spectrometry (rf-GD-AES) source to evaluate the sputtering characteristics and resultant crater shapes for both metallic and nonconducting samples. These studies include a determination of how the operating parameters, namely, power and pressure, influence the sputtered crater's depth, the degree of convexity and/or concavity, and the crater bottom roughness. The results imply that many similarities exist between the rf mode of powering and the well-characterized dc powered devices. Some differences are noted, namely, differing crater shapes at low operating pressures and a lesser dependence of crater flatness on the applied voltage, i.e., dc-bias voltage. A new method of quantifying the degree of concavity/convexity is introduced which involves comparison of the calculated (ideal) cross-sectional area to the resultant crater area as measured by a diamond stylus profilometer. The studies indicate that the rf-GD is well suited for depth-resolved analysis under correctly chosen operating conditions, which fortuitously correspond to those used for optimum bulk elemental analyses.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Howard L. Hunter Chemical Laboratory, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-1905.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Parker
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Hartenstein
authors: R K
authors: RK
authors: Marcus