Application of soft X ray reflectometry for analysis of underlayer influence on structure of atomic layer deposited SrTixOy films

We explored the possibility to quantify the atomic in depth distributions by using the energy dependentsoft X ray reflectivity SXRR measurements, in particular, the possibility to obtain the profiles of low Zelements [C, N, O, Si] in heterostructures containing high concentration of higher Z atoms [Ti, Sr, Hf].We have shown that the SXRR technique allows one not only to quantify the atomic composition of theSr rich SrTixOyinsulators grown on 1 0 0 Si by the Atomic Layer Deposition method but also to obtainatomic profiles across a few nm thick underlayer UL inserted between SrTixOyfilm and the Si substrate.The accuracy of atomic concentrations and densities estimated is already sufficient to trace even smallvariations in composition of the SrTixOygrown by ALD on the chemically different underlayers and mostit is important the composition and extension of an interface