The fundamental principles of three of the more common surface analytical spectroscopies—Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)—are discussed in terms of their physics, strengths and limitations. The focus of the discussions is on the application of these characterization tools to semiconductor electronics, especially for failure analysis and preventative measurements. An application, illustrating the complementary nature of the outputs of the three methods, examines the Au-GaAs Schottky barrier, especially the nature of the interfacial reaction.
