Quantification of low levels of fluorine content in thin films

Fluorine quantification in thin film samples containing different amounts of fluorine atoms was accomplished by combining proton-Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (p-RBS) and proton induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) using proton beams of 1550 and 2330 keV for p-RBS and PIGE measurements, respectively. The capabilities of the proposed quantification method are illustrated with examples of the analysis of a series of samples of fluorine-doped tin oxides, fluorinated silica, and fluorinated diamond-like carbon films. It is shown that this procedure allows the quantification of F contents as low as 1 at.% in thin films with thicknesses in the 100–400 nm range.