Method of analyzing composition depth profile of solid surface layer

Abstract

A method of analyzing a composition depth profile of a solid surface layer, wherein actually-measured intensity of photoelectrons emitted from the solid surface layer by irradiating the solid surface layer containing at least two or more species of element with X rays and photoelectron calculated intensity obtained by making a calculation assuming an elemental composition ratio for each of a plurality of sub-layers into which the solid surface layer has been temporarily divided are utilized to determine a composition depth profile of the solid surface layer, the method including a step of at least repeating an approximate calculation including: distinguishing a specified sub-layer such that the calculated intensity best converges to the actually-measured intensity in the sub-layers; and correcting an elemental composition ratio at least for the specified sub-layer so that the calculated intensity converges to the actually-measured intensity, thereby determining the composition depth profile of the solid surface layer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.