Structural Analysis of silica aerogels for the interlayer dielectric in semiconductor devices

Spirillum serpens possesses a surface layer protein which exhibits a regular hexagonal packing of the morphological subunits. A morphological model of the structure of the protein has been proposed at a resolution of about 25 Å, in which the morphological unit might be described as having the appearance of a flared-out, hollow cylinder with six ÅspokesÅ at the flared end. In order to understand the detailed association of the macromolecules, it is necessary to do a high resolution structural analysis. Large, single layered arrays of the surface layer protein have been obtained for this purpose by means of extensive heating in high CaCl2, a procedure derived from that of Buckmire and Murray. Low dose, low temperature electron microscopy has been applied to the large arrays.As a first step, the samples were negatively stained with neutralized phosphotungstic acid, and the specimens were imaged at 40,000 magnification by use of a high resolution cold stage on a JE0L 100B. Low dose images were recorded with exposures of 7-9 electrons/Å2. The micrographs obtained (Fig. 1) were examined by use of optical diffraction (Fig. 2) to tell what areas were especially well ordered.

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RNA polymerase: Preparation and structural analysis of helical polymers

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010011091x ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. 152-153

Author(s):

E. Loren Buhle ◽

Pamela Rew ◽

Ueli Aebi

Keyword(s):

Structural Analysis ◽

Rna Polymerase ◽

Molecular Level ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Helical Polymers ◽

X Ray ◽

E Coli ◽

The Past ◽

Ordered Arrays ◽

Low Ionic Strength

While DNA-dependent RNA polymerase represents one of the key enzymes involved in transcription and ultimately in gene expression in procaryotic and eucaryotic cells, little progress has been made towards elucidation of its 3-D structure at the molecular level over the past few years. This is mainly because to date no 3-D crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis have been obtained with this rather large (MW ~500 kd) multi-subunit (α2ββ'ζ). As an alternative, we have been trying to form ordered arrays of RNA polymerase from E. coli suitable for structural analysis in the electron microscope combined with image processing. Here we report about helical polymers induced from holoenzyme (α2ββ'ζ) at low ionic strength with 5-7 mM MnCl2 (see Fig. 1a). The presence of the ζ-subunit (MW 86 kd) is required to form these polymers, since the core enzyme (α2ββ') does fail to assemble into such structures under these conditions.

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Formation of defects in implanted hipox-structures

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100131668 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 1406-1407

Author(s):

Peter Pegler ◽

N. David Theodore ◽

Ming Pan

Keyword(s):

High Pressure ◽

Cross Section ◽

Semiconductor Devices ◽

Silicon Substrates ◽

Processing Conditions ◽

Pressure Oxidation ◽

Deep Trench ◽

Local Oxidation ◽

Trench Isolation ◽

And Behavior

High-pressure oxidation of silicon (HIPOX) is one of various techniques used for electrical-isolation of semiconductor-devices on silicon substrates. Other techniques have included local-oxidation of silicon (LOCOS), poly-buffered LOCOS, deep-trench isolation and separation of silicon by implanted oxygen (SIMOX). Reliable use of HIPOX for device-isolation requires an understanding of the behavior of the materials and structures being used and their interactions under different processing conditions. The effect of HIPOX-related stresses in the structures is of interest because structuraldefects, if formed, could electrically degrade devices.This investigation was performed to study the origin and behavior of defects in recessed HIPOX (RHIPOX) structures. The structures were exposed to a boron implant. Samples consisted of (i) RHlPOX'ed strip exposed to a boron implant, (ii) recessed strip prior to HIPOX, but exposed to a boron implant, (iii) test-pad prior to HIPOX, (iv) HIPOX'ed region away from R-HIPOX edge. Cross-section TEM specimens were prepared in the <110> substrate-geometry.

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Interpreting HVEM of muscle-cell impulse networks

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010012103x ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 126-127

Author(s):

Paul DeCosta ◽

Kyugon Cho ◽

Stephen Shemlon ◽

Heesung Jun ◽

Stanley M. Dunn

Keyword(s):

Structural Analysis ◽

Muscle Cell ◽

Electron Micrographs ◽

Relative Size ◽

Automatic Classification ◽

Nerve Fibers ◽

Analysis Algorithm ◽

Structural Networks

Introduction: The analysis and interpretation of electron micrographs of cells and tissues, often requires the accurate extraction of structural networks, which either provide immediate 2D or 3D information, or from which the desired information can be inferred. The images of these structures contain lines and/or curves whose orientation, lengths, and intersections characterize the overall network.Some examples exist of studies that have been done in the analysis of networks of natural structures. In, Sebok and Roemer determine the complexity of nerve structures in an EM formed slide. Here the number of nodes that exist in the image describes how dense nerve fibers are in a particular region of the skin. Hildith proposes a network structural analysis algorithm for the automatic classification of chromosome spreads (type, relative size and orientation).

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Comparison of ultra high resolution immersion lens CFESEM and TEM for imaging of semiconductor devices

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100176241 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 622-623

Author(s):

Terrence Reilly ◽

Al Pelillo ◽

Barbara Miner

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Sample Preparation ◽

Cross Sections ◽

Semiconductor Devices ◽

Ion Milling ◽

Observation Area ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Milling Machines ◽

Resolution Imaging ◽

Electron Microscopes

The use of transmission electron microscopes (TEM) has proven to be very valuable in the observation of semiconductor devices. The need for high resolution imaging becomes more important as the devices become smaller and more complex. However, the sample preparation for TEM observation of semiconductor devices have generally proven to be complex and time consuming. The use of ion milling machines usually require a certain degree of expertise and allow a very limited viewing area. Recently, the use of an ultra high resolution "immersion lens" cold cathode field emission scanning electron microscope (CFESEM) has proven to be very useful in the observation of semiconductor devices. Particularly at low accelerating voltages where compositional contrast is increased. The Hitachi S-900 has provided comparable resolution to a 300kV TEM on semiconductor cross sections. Using the CFESEM to supplement work currently being done with high voltage TEMs provides many advantages: sample preparation time is greatly reduced and the observation area has also been increased to 7mm. The larger viewing area provides the operator a much greater area to search for a particular feature of interest. More samples can be imaged on the CFESEM, leaving the TEM for analyses requiring diffraction work and/or detecting the nature of the crystallinity.

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