Abstract
The K gettering in $SiO_2/PSG/SiO_2/Al-1%Si$ multilevel thin films was investigated using SIMS(secondary ion mass spectrometry) and XPS(X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) analysis. DC magnetron sputter techniques and APCVD(atmosphere pressure chemical vapor deposition) were utilized for the deposition of Al-1%Si thin films and $SiO_2/PSG/SiO_2$ passivations, respectively. Heat treatment was carried out at $400^{\circ}C$ for 5 h in air. SIMS depth profiling was used to determine the distribution of K, Al, Si, P and other elements throughout the $SiO_2/PSG/SiO_2/Al-1%Si$ multilevel thin films. XPS was used to analyze binding energies of Si and P elements in PSG passivation layers. K peaks were observed throughout the $PSG/SiO_2$ passivation layers on the Al-1%Si thin films and especially at the $PSG/SiO_2$ interfaces. K gettering in $SiO_2/PSG/SiO_2/Al-1%Si$ multilevel thin films is considered to be caused by a segregation type of gettering. The chemical state of Si and P elements in PSG passivation appears to be $SiO_2$ and $P_2O_5$, respectively