Precision Materials Intelligence for Compound Semiconductors

Advanced X-ray metrology connecting substrate preparation, epitaxy, and device fabrication, enabling faster ramp, improved yield, and reliable performance across GaN, SiC, and III–V technologies.

Accurate characterization of compound semiconductor structures requires non-destructive techniques capable of resolving buried layers, composition gradients, and crystalline quality.

Rigaku X-ray metrology solutions enable quantitative measurement of:

Thickness (sub-nm to µm)
Composition (Al, In, dopants)
Strain and relaxation
Crystal defects and dislocations
Interface roughness and density
Surface contamination

Why X-ray?

X-ray techniques probe buried structures and complex epitaxial stacks without sample preparation, enabling repeatable and production-relevant measurements.

Thickness

Ultrathin layers (0.1–10 nm)
Multilayer stacks
Buried interfaces
Recommended: X-ray reflectivity (XRR)
Key advantage: Interference-based thickness sensitivity
Best suited for: Smooth, uniform films

Composition

Alloy fraction (AlGaN, InGaAs)
Dopant concentration
Recommended: XRF, HRXRD
Key advantage: Elemental (XRF) + lattice-based (XRD) insight
Best suited for: High quality epitaxial stacks and multilayers

Strain and relaxation

Epitaxial mismatch
Relaxation in thick films
Recommended: High-resolution XRD (HRXRD)
Key advantage: Direct sensitivity to lattice spacing
Best suited for: Films with spatially uniform mismatch or relaxation

Crystal quality and defects

Threading dislocations
Substrate defects (SiC micropipes)
Recommended: X-ray topography
Key advantage: Non-destructive defect imaging
Best suited for: High-resolution imaging and rapid screening

Interface roughness and density

Recommended: XRR
Key advantage: Sensitive to interface quality
Best suited for: Films and multilayers with nm-scale roughness

Surface contamination

Recommended: TXRF
Key advantage: Trace detection at surfaces
Best suited for: Smooth films, particulate contaminants