Investigation of an atomic‐layer‐deposited Al2O3 diffusion barrier between Pt and Si for the use in atomic scale atom probe tomography studies on a combinatorial processing platform

In order to enable the application of atomic probe tomography combinatorial processing platforms for atomic‐scale investigations of phase evolution at elevated temperatures, the pre‐sharpened Si tip of 10–20 nm in diameter must be protected against interdiffusion and reaction of the reactive Si with a film of interest by a conformal coating on the Si tip. It is shown that unwanted reactions can be suppressed by introducing a 20‐nm‐thick intermediate Al2O3 layer grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD). As a representative case, Pt is chosen as a film of interest, as it easily forms silicides. Whereas without the ALD coating diffusion/reactions occur, with the protective film, this is prevented for temperatures up to at least 600°C. The effectiveness of the Al2O3 layer serving as a diffusion barrier is not limited to a sharpened Si tip but works generally for all cases where a Si substrate is used.