Determination of argon in sputtered silicon films by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon can be prepared by glow discharge decomposition of silane or by reactive sputtering in an argon + hydrogen plasma. The sputtered films contain some percentage of argon incorporated in them and its role in determining the physical properties of these materials is of interest. This paper describes energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) methods which were developed to characterize these kinds of sputtered films. The theoretical principles and the x-ray line intensity correction algorithms for thin-film measurements are reviewed. The advantages of the EDXRF method and the applicability of this technique for other film systems are discussed