An SEM on a Chip

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1217-1218
Author(s):  
D.A. Crewe ◽  
A.D. Feinerman
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Optical Fibers ◽  
Circular Aperture ◽  
Fabrication Technology ◽  
Wafer Inspection ◽  
Electron Lens ◽  
Microfabrication Technique ◽  
Planar Electrodes ◽  
Scanning Electron

A silicon microfabrication technique has been applied toward the development of a Miniature Scanning Electron Microscope (MSEM). The fabrication technology is not only precise but is inexpensive compared to conventional methods of electron microscope construction and is easily extended to the construction of arrays of MSEMs for applications in high throughput e-beam lithography and wafer inspection.An electrostatic electron lens consists of a series of planar electrodes with central apertures that are precisely aligned to and electrically isolated from one another. This structure is fabricated using silicon as the electrode material and Pyrex optical fibers as the insulators. The electrodes are fabricated on four inch (100) orientation silicon wafers that are patterned on both sides and anisotropically etched to form four orthogonal v-grooves and an open diaphragm with a circular aperture in the center. The apertures are formed by reactive ion etching. The wafers are then diced to create approximately 100 7 mm by 9 mm electrodes.

Key Fabrication Technology Research of Exploding Foil Initiator

2013 ◽  
Vol 347-350 ◽  
pp. 1207-1210
Author(s):  
Jun Jun Lv ◽  
Qing Xuan Zeng ◽  
Ming Yu Li ◽  
Qing Xia Yu
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Magnetron Sputtering ◽  
Production Process ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Wet Etching ◽  
Technology Research ◽  
Fabrication Technology ◽  
Manufacturing Method ◽  
Scanning Electron

In order to realize consistency and low cost in the production process of the exploding foil initiator, the manufacturing method of exploding foil initiator was studied using micro processing technology. Microcrystalline glass was used as substrate, and magnetron sputtering,photolithography and wet etching technology were utilized to product the metal bridge foil on the surface of the substrate. SU-8 photoresist was used as the barrel material and scanning electron microscope was exploited to characterize structure of the initiator. Through the electrical tests, the flyer was successfully generated and after the barrel had a good integrity.

The SEM in present-day semiconductor FABS

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 778-779
Author(s):  
Marylyn Hoy Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Optical Microscope ◽  
Wafer Inspection ◽  
Current Feature ◽  
Current Device ◽  
Scanning Electron

Computers, cars, HDTV, and microwave ovens: what great modern conveniences! Why do these marvels of technology work the way they do? The Scanning Electron Microscope has a lot to do with it. For the last decade, the shrinking geometries of integrated circuits have necessitated the use of the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for inspection and metrology. The current device feature sizes in production are as small as 0.5μm, and current feature sizes under development are 0.25μm or smaller. The semiconductor industry depends on the SEM to tell us if our processes, whether production or developmental, are correct. Neither leading edge fabs nor developmental fabs could function very well without the SEM.The uses of the SEM are many and varied, both inside and outside the fab. Inside the fab, there are many inspection steps to be performed. Although the optical microscope is still a viable option for, and is still routinely used for, in-line wafer inspection, the SEM is indispensable for inspection (Fig. 1) of small geometries such as 0.35μm lines and spaces and 0.5μm contact holes.

New Scanning Electron Microscope Sharpness Standard: NIST Reference Material 8091 (Rm 8091)

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (S2) ◽  
pp. 494-495
Author(s):  
M. T. Postek ◽  
A. E. Vladar ◽  
N.-F. Zhang ◽  
R. Larrabee
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Reference Material ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
University Of Tennessee ◽  
Wafer Inspection ◽  
Semiconductor Chip ◽  
Electron Microscopes ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopes ◽  
Scanning Electron

All scanning electron microscopes, whether they are in laboratory or on the production line, slowly lose performance as the instrument is used. This loss of performance is due to a whole array of contributing factors including misalignments, contamination and increases in source diameter. Identifying a loss in “sharpness” easily recognizes this performance decrease. Reference Material 8091 (RM 8091) is intended primarily for use in routinely checking the sharpness performance of scanning electron microscopes (Fig. 1). RM 8091 is designed to be used in conjunction with the SPECTEL SEM Monitor Program, the NIST Kurtosis program,3 or the University of Tennessee SMART program. RM 8091 is supplied as a small, approximately 2 mm x 2 mm diced semiconductor chip. This sample is capable of being mounted directly on to a wafer, wafer piece or specimen stub for insertion into a laboratory scanning electron microscope or wafer inspection scanning electron microscope.

Examination of optical fibers by the luminescent method in the scanning electron microscope (SEM)

1984 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 360-361
Author(s):  
Oliver C. Wells ◽  
Philip J. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Optical Fiber ◽  
Optical Fibers ◽  
Total Internal Reflection ◽  
Conducting Layer ◽  
Recorded Image ◽  
Luminescent Method ◽  
Scanning Electron

Light is transmitted along the central core of an optical fiber by total internal reflection at the interface with the surrounding layer. Here, we describe a method by which the optical properties of a cross-sectioned fibre can be studied by means of the luminescent image in the scanning electron microscope (SEM).The sample is prepared by depositing a thin cathodoluminescent layer over the end of a broken or cross-sectioned optical fiber. A thin conducting layer is then deposited to prevent charging. The far end of the fiber is optically coupled to a photomultiplier. During examination in the SEM, the sample is scanned by a fine electron beam, which gives a localised source of light on the surface of the sample at the point of impact of the beam. The quantity of light that is transmitted along the fiber to the photomultiplier determines the brightness of that particular pixel in the recorded image.

The Alteration of the Pore Spaces in Sandstones

1973 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 210-211
Author(s):  
R. E. Ferrell ◽  
G. G. Paulson
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
The Other ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Depositional Fabric ◽  
Soluble Components ◽  
Scanning Electron ◽  
Shape And Size

The pore spaces in sandstones are the result of the original depositional fabric and the degree of post-depositional alteration that the rock has experienced. The largest pore volumes are present in coarse-grained, well-sorted materials with high sphericity. The chief mechanisms which alter the shape and size of the pores are precipitation of cementing agents and the dissolution of soluble components. Each process may operate alone or in combination with the other, or there may be several generations of cementation and solution.The scanning electron microscope has ‘been used in this study to reveal the morphology of the pore spaces in a variety of moderate porosity, orthoquartzites.

The Broad Applications of the Scanning Electron Microscope

1969 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 20-21
Author(s):  
C. T. Nightingale ◽  
S. E. Summers ◽  
T. P. Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Light Microscopy ◽  
Surface Topography ◽  
Great Depth ◽  
Resolving Power ◽  
Depth Of Field ◽  
Pictorial Representations ◽  
Scanning Electron

The ease of operation of the scanning electron microscope has insured its wide application in medicine and industry. The micrographs are pictorial representations of surface topography obtained directly from the specimen. The need to replicate is eliminated. The great depth of field and the high resolving power provide far more information than light microscopy.

Observability of Very Thick Specimen by Using Transmission Scanning Electron Microscope

1971 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 26-27
Author(s):  
K. Shibatomi ◽  
T. Yamanoto ◽  
H. Koike
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Image Quality ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Chromatic Aberration ◽  
Image Contrast ◽  
Objective Lens ◽  
Thick Specimen ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Electron

In the observation of a thick specimen by means of a transmission electron microscope, the intensity of electrons passing through the objective lens aperture is greatly reduced. So that the image is almost invisible. In addition to this fact, it have been reported that a chromatic aberration causes the deterioration of the image contrast rather than that of the resolution. The scanning electron microscope is, however, capable of electrically amplifying the signal of the decreasing intensity, and also free from a chromatic aberration so that the deterioration of the image contrast due to the aberration can be prevented. The electrical improvement of the image quality can be carried out by using the fascionating features of the SEM, that is, the amplification of a weak in-put signal forming the image and the descriminating action of the heigh level signal of the background. This paper reports some of the experimental results about the thickness dependence of the observability and quality of the image in the case of the transmission SEM.

Resolution of a Transmitted Electron Image Formed by A Scanning Electron Microscope

1970 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 386-387
Author(s):  
S. Takashima ◽  
H. Hashimoto ◽  
S. Kimoto
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Chromatic Aberration ◽  
Objective Lens ◽  
Specimen Thickness ◽  
Probe Diameter ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Electron Image ◽  
Conventional Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron

The resolution of a conventional transmission electron microscope (TEM) deteriorates as the specimen thickness increases, because chromatic aberration of the objective lens is caused by the energy loss of electrons). In the case of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), chromatic aberration does not exist as the restrictive factor for the resolution of the transmitted electron image, for the SEM has no imageforming lens. It is not sure, however, that the equal resolution to the probe diameter can be obtained in the case of a thick specimen. To study the relation between the specimen thickness and the resolution of the trans-mitted electron image obtained by the SEM, the following experiment was carried out.

Characterization of Sputtered Films using the Scanning Electron Microscope

1973 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 44-45
Author(s):  
R. F. Schneidmiller ◽  
W. F. Thrower ◽  
C. Ang
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Thin Film Deposition ◽  
Film Deposition ◽  
Sputtered Films ◽  
Plasma Sputtering ◽  
Microelectronic Devices ◽  
Control Film ◽  
Scanning Electron

Solid state materials in the form of thin films have found increasing structural and electronic applications. Among the multitude of thin film deposition techniques, the radio frequency induced plasma sputtering has gained considerable utilization in recent years through advances in equipment design and process improvement, as well as the discovery of the versatility of the process to control film properties. In our laboratory we have used the scanning electron microscope extensively in the direct and indirect characterization of sputtered films for correlation with their physical and electrical properties.Scanning electron microscopy is a powerful tool for the examination of surfaces of solids and for the failure analysis of structural components and microelectronic devices.

Field Emission SEM Equipped With Noise Compensator

1973 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 302-303
Author(s):  
S. Saito ◽  
H. Todokoro ◽  
S. Nomura ◽  
T. Komoda
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Field Emission ◽  
Low Contrast ◽  
Probe Current ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
Scanning Electron

Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) features extremely high resolution images, and offers many valuable information. But, for a specimen which gives low contrast images, lateral stripes appear in images. These stripes are resulted from signal fluctuations caused by probe current noises. In order to obtain good images without stripes, the fluctuations should be less than 1%, especially for low contrast images. For this purpose, the authors realized a noise compensator, and applied this to the FESEM.Fig. 1 shows an outline of FESEM equipped with a noise compensator. Two apertures are provided gust under the field emission gun.

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