Abstract / scope
This document specifies several methods for measuring the oxide thickness at the surfaces of (100) and (111) silicon wafers as an equivalent thickness of silicon dioxide when measured using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is only applicable to flat, polished samples and for instruments that incorporate an Al or Mg X-ray source, a sample stage that permits defined photoelectron emission angles and a spectrometer with an input lens that can be restricted to less than a 6° cone semi-angle. For thermal oxides in the range 1 nm to 8 nm thickness, using the best method described in this document, uncertainties, at a 95 % confidence level, could typically be around 2 % and around 1 % at optimum. A simpler method is also given with slightly poorer, but often adequate, uncertainties.