Influence of multi-hit capability on quantitative measurement of NiPtSi thin film with laser-assisted atom probe tomography

Abstract Laser-assisted atom probe tomography (LA-APT) was applied to NiPtSi (0, 30, and 50% Pt contents) thin films on Si substrates. Consistent results with those of high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (HR-RBS) were obtained. Based on the obtained data sets, the composition profiles from only the signals of single-hit events, meaning detection of one ion by one laser pulse, were compiled. The profiles from only the signals of multi-hit events, meaning detection of multiple ions by one laser pulse, were also compiled. There were large discrepancies with respect to Ni and Pt concentrations among the compiled profiles and the original profiles including the signals of both types of detection events. Additionally, the profiles compiled from single-hit events showed that Si concentration in NiPtSi layer became smaller toward the surface, differing from the original profiles and the multi-hit profiles. These results suggest that capability of simultaneous multiple-ion detection is important for appropriate LA-APT analyses.