An Analysis of Destructive Methods of Thin Films Thickness Measurement

Thin film technologies are widely used in science and industry and have a critical value for optics and electronics. Special properties of thin films are related to their thickness, usually ranging between 1 nm and 1 um. Measuring such a thickness is a challenging task, always concomitant with the stage of technology development. When using witness samples and specimen control groups, destructive methods can be employed to measure the thickness of the deposited layers. An analysis of the most commonly used destructive methods of measuring the thickness of thin films is conducted, the results of which can be used for selecting a suitable method when planning corresponding experiments. This work describes theoretical and practical considerations of using bevel cut method, spherical cut method, atomic force microscopy and stylus profilometry for measuring thin film thickness.

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