A method is disclosed of measuring the thickness of a thin coating on a substrate comprising dissolving the coating and substrate in a reagent and using the post-dissolution concentration of the coating in the reagent to calculate an effective thickness of the coating. The preferred method includes measuring non-conducting films on flexible and rough substrates, but other kinds of thin films can be measure by matching a reliable film-substrate dissolution technique. One preferred method includes determining the thickness of Boron Carbide films deposited on copper foil. The preferred method uses a standard technique known as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICPOES) to measure boron concentration in a liquid sample prepared by dissolving boron carbide films and the Copper substrates, preferably using a chemical etch known as ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN). Measured boron concentration values can then be calculated.

A method is disclosed of measuring the thickness of a thin coating on a substrate comprising dissolving the coating and substrate in a reagent and using the post-dissolution concentration of the coating in the reagent to calculate an effective thickness of the coating. The preferred method includes measuring non-conducting films on flexible and rough substrates, but other kinds of thin films can be measure by matching a reliable film-substrate dissolution technique. One preferred method includes determining the thickness of Boron Carbide films deposited on copper foil. The preferred method uses a standard technique known as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICPOES) to measure boron concentration in a liquid sample prepared by dissolving boron carbide films and the Copper substrates, preferably using a chemical etch known as ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN). Measured boron concentration values can then be calculated.

An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch is described that facilitates laminar flow of a cooling gas introduced by a plurality of input ports between an outer tube and an inner tube configured to surround an injector for introduction of an aerosolized sample to a plasma. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, an inner tube; and an outer tube surrounding at least a portion of the inner tube to form an annular space, the outer tube defining a plurality of inlet ports for introduction of a cooling gas into the annular space as a laminar flow via each inlet port of the plurality of inlet ports.

Provided is a sample-analyzing system used for identifying a target sample from its measurement data obtained using a plurality of analyzing devices including at least one device selected from a fluorescent X-ray analyzer, atomic absorption photometer and inductively coupled plasma emission analyzer as well as at least one device selected from an infrared spectrophotometer and Raman spectrophotometer. The system includes: a storage section for holding measurement data obtained for each of the reference objects using the analyzing devices; a measurement data comparator for comparing, for each analyzing device, the measurement data of the target sample with those of the reference objects and for determining the degree of matching of the target sample with each reference object; an integrated degree-of-matching calculator for calculating an integrated degree of matching from the degrees of matching determined for the analyzing devices; and a comparison result output section for outputting information concerning a predetermined number of reference objects in descending order of the integrated degree of matching.

Provided is a sample-analyzing system used for identifying a target sample from its measurement data obtained using a plurality of analyzing devices including at least one device selected from a fluorescent X-ray analyzer, atomic absorption photometer and inductively coupled plasma emission analyzer as well as at least one device selected from an infrared spectrophotometer and Raman spectrophotometer. The system includes: a storage section for holding measurement data obtained for each of the reference objects using the analyzing devices; a measurement data comparator for comparing, for each analyzing device, the measurement data of the target sample with those of the reference objects and for determining the degree of matching of the target sample with each reference object; an integrated degree-of-matching calculator for calculating an integrated degree of matching from the degrees of matching determined for the analyzing devices; and a comparison result output section for outputting information concerning a predetermined number of reference objects in descending order of the integrated degree of matching.

Systems and methods for plasma processing of microfeature workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a plasma in a chamber while a microfeature workpiece is positioned in the chamber, measuring optical emissions from the plasma, and determining a parameter of the plasma based on the measured optical emissions. The parameter can be an ion density or another parameter of the plasma.

Systems and methods for plasma processing of microfeature workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a plasma in a chamber while a microfeature workpiece is positioned in the chamber, measuring optical emissions from the plasma, and determining a parameter of the plasma based on the measured optical emissions. The parameter can be an ion density or another parameter of the plasma.

Described herein are architectures, platforms and methods for acquiring optical emission spectra from an optical emission spectroscopy system by flowing a dry cleaning gas into a plasma processing chamber of the plasma processing system and igniting a plasma in the plasma processing chamber to initiate the waferless dry cleaning process.

Described herein are architectures, platforms and methods for acquiring optical emission spectra from an optical emission spectroscopy system by flowing a dry cleaning gas into a plasma processing chamber of the plasma processing system and igniting a plasma in the plasma processing chamber to initiate the waferless dry cleaning process.

The present disclosure is directed to a system and a method for hydride generation. In some embodiments, the system includes an assembly for introducing hydride generation reagents into a mixing path or mixing container, where the assembly includes first chamber configured to contain a first hydride generation reagent and a second chamber configured to contain a second hydride generation reagent. A first plunger is configured to translate within the first chamber and cause a displacement of the first hydride generation reagent, and a second plunger is configured to translate within the second chamber and cause a displacement of the second hydride generation reagent. The assembly further includes base coupling the first plunger and the second plunger together.