Diamond Indenter Shaping Using Focused Ion Beam

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 320-321
Author(s):  
J.R. Phillips ◽  
K.F. Jarausch ◽  
T.J. Stark ◽  
J.E. Houston ◽  
D.P. Griffis ◽  
...  

Nanoindentation is becoming an increasingly important tool for the characterization of the mechanical properties of materials on the nanometer scale. The mechanical response of a material is measured by recording the force acting between an indenter and the material while displacing the indenter into the material. The shape of the recorded load displacement curves is not only dependent on the mechanical properties of the material, but also strongly dependent on indenter geometry. To minimize difficulties in the extraction of quantitative material mechanical property information from the force curve, indenter geometry must be controlled and characterized on the same scale as the indentation, i.e. on the nanometer scale. Diamond, the hardest naturally occurring material, is an obvious choice as the indenter material. Conventional lapping techniques4 do not provide sufficient control to produce indenter geometries of the shapes and to the precision required for optimal nanoindentation measurements.

Clay Minerals ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Zhu ◽  
G. C. Allen ◽  
J. M. Adams ◽  
D. Gittins ◽  
P. J. Heard ◽  
...  

AbstractTwo types of mineral fillers, talc and mica, were compounded into polypropylene (PP) via a twin-screw extruder. The morphologies and mechanical properties of the resultant composites were investigated. The dispersion of minerals in PP was observed using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) techniques. The particle size distribution (PSD) and aspect ratio (AR) of particles in the polymer phase were obtained from FIB image analysis. It was found that FIB imaging displays directly the micron to mesoscale level dispersion of particles in polymeric composites. The technique has significant potential for characterizing such materials, having some advantages over ‘traditional’ scanning and transmission electron microscopy in terms of generating representative data in a realistic timescale. The PSD and AR distribution and degree of dispersion in the composites give insights into the modification of mechanical properties of the composites studied.


Author(s):  
E. Hendarto ◽  
S.L. Toh ◽  
J. Sudijono ◽  
P.K. Tan ◽  
H. Tan ◽  
...  

Abstract The scanning electron microscope (SEM) based nanoprobing technique has established itself as an indispensable failure analysis (FA) technique as technology nodes continue to shrink according to Moore's Law. Although it has its share of disadvantages, SEM-based nanoprobing is often preferred because of its advantages over other FA techniques such as focused ion beam in fault isolation. This paper presents the effectiveness of the nanoprobing technique in isolating nanoscale defects in three different cases in sub-100 nm devices: soft-fail defect caused by asymmetrical nickel silicide (NiSi) formation, hard-fail defect caused by abnormal NiSi formation leading to contact-poly short, and isolation of resistive contact in a large electrical test structure. Results suggest that the SEM based nanoprobing technique is particularly useful in identifying causes of soft-fails and plays a very important role in investigating the cause of hard-fails and improving device yield.


Author(s):  
Dirk Doyle ◽  
Lawrence Benedict ◽  
Fritz Christian Awitan

Abstract Novel techniques to expose substrate-level defects are presented in this paper. New techniques such as inter-layer dielectric (ILD) thinning, high keV imaging, and XeF2 poly etch overflow are introduced. We describe these techniques as applied to two different defects types at FEOL. In the first case, by using ILD thinning and high keV imaging, coupled with focused ion beam (FIB) cross section and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM,) we were able to judge where to sample for TEM from a top down perspective while simultaneously providing the top down images giving both perspectives on the same sample. In the second case we show retention of the poly Si short after removal of CoSi2 formation on poly. Removal of the CoSi2 exposes the poly Si such that we can utilize XeF2 to remove poly without damaging gate oxide to reveal pinhole defects in the gate oxide. Overall, using these techniques have led to 1) increased chances of successfully finding the defects, 2) better characterization of the defects by having a planar view perspective and 3) reduced time in localizing defects compared to performing cross section alone.


Author(s):  
Romaneh Jalilian ◽  
David Mudd ◽  
Neil Torrez ◽  
Jose Rivera ◽  
Mehdi M. Yazdanpanah ◽  
...  

Abstract The sample preparation for transmission electron microscope can be done using a method known as "lift-out". This paper demonstrates a method of using a silver-gallium nanoneedle array for a quicker sharpening process of tungsten probes with better sample viewing, covering the fabrication steps and performance of needle-tipped probes for lift-out process. First, an array of high aspect ratio silver-gallium nanoneedles was fabricated and coated to improve their conductivity and strength. Then, the nanoneedles were welded to a regular tungsten probe in the focused ion beam system at the desired angle, and used as a sharp probe for lift-out. The paper demonstrates the superior mechanical properties of crystalline silver-gallium metallic nanoneedles. Finally, a weldless lift-out process is described whereby a nano-fork gripper was fabricated by attaching two nanoneedles to a tungsten probe.


2004 ◽  
Vol 822 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Morata ◽  
A. Tarancón ◽  
G. Dezanneau ◽  
F. Peiró ◽  
J. R. Morante

AbstractIn the present work, the screen printing technique has been used to deposit thick films of Zr0.84Y016O1.92 (8YSZ). In order to control the final porosity in view of a specific application (SOFCs or gas sensor), an experimental design based on analysis of variances (ANOVA) has been carried out. From this, we were able to determine the influence of several technological parameters on films porosity and grain size. The films obtained have been analysed with both Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) combined with SEM. We show that only the combination of experimental design and advanced observation technique such as Focused Ion Beam allowed us to extract significant information for the improvement of the deposition process.


Author(s):  
P. Olivero ◽  
J. Forneris ◽  
M. Jakšić ◽  
Ž. Pastuović ◽  
F. Picollo ◽  
...  

JOM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander J. Leide ◽  
Richard I. Todd ◽  
David E. J. Armstrong

AbstractSilicon carbide is desirable for many nuclear applications, making it necessary to understand how it deforms after irradiation. Ion implantation combined with nanoindentation is commonly used to measure radiation-induced changes to mechanical properties; hardness and modulus can be calculated from load–displacement curves, and fracture toughness can be estimated from surface crack lengths. Further insight into indentation deformation and fracture is required to understand the observed changes to mechanical properties caused by irradiation. This paper investigates indentation deformation using high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HR-EBSD) and Raman spectroscopy. Significant differences exist after irradiation: fracture is suppressed by swelling-induced compressive residual stresses, and the plastically deformed region extends further from the indentation. During focused ion beam cross-sectioning, indentation cracks grow, and residual stresses are modified. The results clarify the mechanisms responsible for the modification of apparent hardness and apparent indentation toughness values caused by the compressive residual stresses in ion-implanted specimens.


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