METHOD OF DIAGNOSING SEMICONDUCTOR EPITAXIAL HETEROSTRUCTURES Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC G01N23/02 H01L21/66 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: in the method of diagnosing semiconductor epitaxial heterostructures, which involves step-by-step scanning of a sample in Bragg reflection conditions, carried out by varying the angle of incidence of the X-ray beam, using single-crystal X-ray diffractormetry with a non-monochromatic, quasi-parallel X-ray beam and a position-sensitive detector, the X-ray tube and the detector are placed relative the angular position of the characteristic peak θ from one of the systems of crystallographic planes of the heterostructure at an angle θ₁=θ±(0.5°-4°); based on the deviation of the position of the interference peak of deceleration radiation on the scale of the detector from the angle of incidence of the X-ray beam, the error of the position of the sample is determined; based on the obtained error, the tube is placed in a position Δθ by independent displacement, where the axis of symmetry between the tube and the detector is perpendicular to the chosen system of crystallographic planes; at that position of the tube, step-by-step scanning is carried out in a range of angles which characterise the selected system of crystallographic planes; through independent displacement, the tube is placed at an angle Δθ₁=Δθ±(0.2°-1°), thereby bringing the maximum of the deceleration peak beyond the boundaries of the characteristic peak; step-by-step scanning of all layers of the heterostructure is performed, leaving unchanged the angular position of the characteristic peak from the system of crystallographic planes by moving the scale of the detector, and angular positions of the peaks of all layers of the heterostructure are determined.

EFFECT: high resolution and accuracy of measuring Bragg angles of observed intensity maxima when investigating wide-gap heterostructures and SOI structures with submicron and nanometre layers and, as a result, more accurate determination of the phase composition and properties of layers forming the heterostructure.

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