Quantification of cesium surface contamination on silicon resulting from SIMS analysis

In order to improve the understanding of unintended cesium (Cs) contamination that occurs during SIMS depth profiling, Cs concentrations on sample surfaces were measured before analysis and at various distances from a depth profile crater after analysis. Cs concentrations in excess of 1 at. % were found directly adjacent to the depth profile analysis site. Cs was also detected at significant concentrations hundreds of micrometers from the depth profile measurement location. This Cs contamination can originate from a number of sources including Cs beam tails, Cs neutral beam, and secondary sputtering from instrument optics and other structures. Since the presence of cesium significantly affects the secondary ion yield of electronegative elements (e.g., phosphorus) in silicon, the unintended presence of cesium on the surface of a previously analyzed sample can strongly affect the reproducibility and accuracy of low dose electronegative element measurements, especially at the surface.