Shave-off depth profiling of transparent conductive films and data analysis of the profile

摘要

Aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZAO) is a promising material for transparent conductive films, but higher conductivity is needed for its use in flat-panel displays. Its conductivity depends on the deposition conditions, and the segregation of aluminum is suspected as one of causes for its low conductivity. But it has not been confirmed yet because of the low aluminum content in ZAO films. 'Shave-off depth profiling' is one of the methods that can be used to analyze such samples. By applying this method, multiple elements can be detected simultaneously and with high sensitivity. Furthermore, even samples with surface roughness can be analyzed accurately. We have acquired the shave-off depth profile of a ZAO thin film and attempted to obtain depth information. However, when the film thickness is insufficient, it is difficult to obtain the depth information directly from the profile. To solve this problem, we now propose a new data analysis method for the shave-off depth profile, and apply the method to the depth profiling of the ZAO thin film. Copyright (C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.