| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a method and an apparatus in which a film thickness can be measured by using a phenomenon that, while a thin film sample is being manufactured by a vacuum evaporation operation, the degree of polarization of secondary electrons emitted by irradiating the surface of the sample with primary electrons generates a kink in every thickness of one atomic layer as a function of the film thickness of the sample. SOLUTION: While a nonmagnetic-substance sample is being vacuum-evaporated by using a vacuum evaporation device 13, a magnetic-substance substrate 11 is irradiated with primary electrons having an energy of about 100 eV by an electron gun 12. At this time, the degree of polarization of secondary electrons emitted from the surface of the sample is measured by a degree-of-polarization measuring device 14, and it is attenuated as a function of the film thickness of the nonmagnetic-substance sample formed on the substrate 11. At this time, regarding the degree of polarization of the secondary electrons during the vacuum evaporation operation, its grade is changed discontinuously when the formation of every layer is completed, and a kink is generated in the film thickness. Iron is used as the substrate 11, and gold is used as the nonmagnetic-substance sample. At this time, the kink is equal to the thickness of one atomic layer of the gold. As a result, when the film thickness of the gold can be calibrated by using the kink, the thickness of a gold thin film can be detected precisely. By using this phenomenon, the film thickness can be measured with high accuracy.
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