A New Technique for the Characterization of the Adhesion in Integrated Circuit Interconnect Structures

2005 ◽  
Vol 863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibon Ocana ◽  
Jon M. Molina ◽  
Diego Gonzalez ◽  
M. Reyes Elizalde ◽  
Jose M. Sanchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Four Point Bending ◽  
System A ◽  
Patterned Structures ◽  
A New Technique

AbstractA new testing technique for the characterization of the mechanical behavior of the interconnect structures of integrated circuit devices is introduced in this paper. Modified crosssectional nanoindentation (MCSN) is the result of extending cross-sectional indentation (CSN) to patterned structures. As in conventional CSN, a Berkovich indenter is used to initiate fracture in the silicon substrate beneath the interconnect structure. The cracks propagate through this structure, preferentially along the weakest interfaces in the system. A FIB (Focused Ion Beam) is used for sample preparation, machining a trench parallel to the indentation surface. In this way, the crack growth can be better controlled and the problem may be modeled in two dimensions.The technique has been used to study crack propagation in patterned structures as a function of thin film composition and processing. The results obtained, in terms of crack length along each interface studied, correlate well with the fracture energy measured by four-point bending (4 PB) in blanket films of the same materials. Finite element modeling of the stress fields in the vicinity of the crack tip has been carried out to understand the crack paths observed.

Cross-Sectional TEM Specimen Preparation of Semiconductor Devices by Focused Ion Beam Etching

1990 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung-ho Park
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Devices ◽  
Standard Technique ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Ion Beam Etching ◽  
Submicron Scale ◽  
A New Technique

ABSTRACTA procedure for preparing cross-sectional TEM specimens by focused ion beam etching (FIB) of specific regions on an integrated circuit chip is outlined. The investigation of the morphology, structure and local chemistry of precisely selected regions of semiconductor devices becomes increasingly important since the lateral dimensions and layer thickness of device structures are continually being reduced. The standard technique of preparing specimens for TEM, whether planar or cross-sectional, cannot select particular small regions. Some techniques and a number of tools and fixtures have been proposed which allow us to prepare TEM specimen of prespecified locations in complex devices. Most of these techniques, however, are still very difficult, tedious process and time consuming.A new technique has been proposed recently involving the use of FIB. The technique ensures that the preselected area of submicron scale will be located in the electron transparent section used for TEM imaging, in preparation turn-around time of about two hours. The TEM imaging of specific contacts via hole in a VLSI chip is illustrated.

Novel Approach of Improving Secondary Electron Detector in FIB System

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Wang ◽  
Jim McGinn ◽  
Peter Tvarozek ◽  
Amir Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Secondary Electron ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Electron Detector ◽  
System A ◽  
Novel Approach

Abstract Secondary electron detector (SED) plays a vital role in a focused ion beam (FIB) system. A successful circuit edit requires a good effective detector. Novel approach is presented in this paper to improve the performance of such a detector, making circuit altering for the most advanced integrated circuit (IC) possible.

TEM Sample Preparation Tricks for Advanced DRAMs

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching Shan Sung ◽  
Hsiu Ting Lee ◽  
Jian Shing Luo
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Characterization Of Materials

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) plays an important role in the structural analysis and characterization of materials for process evaluation and failure analysis in the integrated circuit (IC) industry as device shrinkage continues. It is well known that a high quality TEM sample is one of the keys which enables to facilitate successful TEM analysis. This paper demonstrates a few examples to show the tricks on positioning, protection deposition, sample dicing, and focused ion beam milling of the TEM sample preparation for advanced DRAMs. The micro-structures of the devices and samples architectures were observed by using cross sectional transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical microscopy. Following these tricks can help readers to prepare TEM samples with higher quality and efficiency.

Method for Cross-sectional Thin Specimen Preparation from a Specific Site Using a Combination of a Focused Ion Beam System and Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscope and Its Application to the Characterization of a Precipitate in a Steel

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-291
Author(s):  
Toshie Yaguchi ◽  
Hiroaki Matsumoto ◽  
Takeo Kamino ◽  
Tohru Ishitani ◽  
Ryoichi Urao
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specific Site ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Thin Specimen ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Electron Detector ◽  
Specimen Holder

AbstractIn this study, we discuss a method for cross-sectional thin specimen preparation from a specific site using a combination of a focused ion beam (FIB) system and an intermediate voltage transmission electron microscope (TEM). A FIB-TEM compatible specimen holder was newly developed for the method. The thinning of the specimen using the FIB system and the observation of inside structure of the ion milled area in a TEM to localize a specific site were alternately carried out. The TEM fitted with both scanning transmitted electron detector and secondary electron detector enabled us to localize the specific site in a halfway milled specimen with the positional accuracy of better than 0.1 µm. The method was applied to the characterization of a precipitate in a steel. A submicron large precipitate was thinned exactly at its center for the characterization by a high-resolution electron microscopy and an elemental mapping.

A Direct and Quantitative Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Internal Structure of Disordered Mesoporous Carbon with Tailored Pore Size

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 745-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Balach ◽  
Flavio Soldera ◽  
Diego F. Acevedo ◽  
Frank Mücklich ◽  
César A. Barbero
Keyword(s):  
Pore Size ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Quantitative Characterization ◽  
Resorcinol Formaldehyde ◽  
Dual Beam ◽  
Dimensional Reconstruction ◽  
A New Technique

AbstractA new technique that allows direct three-dimensional (3D) investigations of mesopores in carbon materials and quantitative characterization of their physical properties is reported. Focused ion beam nanotomography (FIB-nt) is performed by a serial sectioning procedure with a dual beam FIB-scanning electron microscopy instrument. Mesoporous carbons (MPCs) with tailored mesopore size are produced by carbonization of resorcinol-formaldehyde gels in the presence of a cationic surfactant as a pore stabilizer. A visual 3D morphology representation of disordered porous carbon is shown. Pore size distribution of MPCs is determined by the FIB-nt technique and nitrogen sorption isotherm methods to compare both results. The obtained MPCs exhibit pore sizes of 4.7, 7.2, and 18.3 nm, and a specific surface area of ca. 560 m2/g.

Fabrication of Planar and Cross-Sectional TEM Specimens Using a Focused Ion Beam

1990 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Young ◽  
E. C. G. Kirk ◽  
D. A. Williams ◽  
H. Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
A New Technique ◽  
Sectional Analysis ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Better Than

ABSTRACTA new technique using a focused ion beam has been developed for the fabrication of transmission electron microscopy specimens in pre-selected regions. The method has been proven in the fabrication of both cross-sectional and planar specimens, with no induced artefacts. The lateral accuracy achievable in the selection of an area for cross-sectional analysis is better than one micrometre. The technique has been applied to a number of silicon and III-V based integrated circuits, and is expected to be suitable for many other materials and structures.

TEM sample preparation with focused ion beams

1991 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 1108-1109
Author(s):  
S. J. Kirch ◽  
Ron Anderson ◽  
Stanley J. Klepeis
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Surface Preparation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Special Surface ◽  
Preparation Techniques

The continuing reduction in the sizes of features of interest for integrated circuit failure analysis requires greater precision in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample preparation. With minimum feature sizes approaching 0.5 μm, the mere finding of such a feature at a polished edge, let alone preparing a TEM sample containing it becomes a formidable task. The required substantial thinning also increases the risk of loss of what may be a unique sample.We present in this paper a technique that allows localized thinning of cross-sectional TEM samples using a focused ion beam (FIB) machine. Standard preparation techniques are used to make a cross-sectional TEM sample that would otherwise be too thick to be very useful for TEM analysis. This sample is then placed in the FIB machine, which is used as a micromachining tool. No special surface preparation is necessary and the secondary electron signal generated by the ion beam provides an image that can be used to locate the feature of interest.

Focused Ion Beam Characterization of Bicomponent Polymer Fibers

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 282-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.C. Wong ◽  
C.M. Haslauer ◽  
N. Anantharamaiah ◽  
B. Pourdeyhimi ◽  
A.D. Batchelor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Melt Spinning ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
High Surface ◽  
High Signal ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Location Selection ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Polymeric Fiber

AbstractPrevious work has shown that focused ion beam (FIB) nanomachining can be effectively utilized for the cross-sectional analysis of polymers such as core-shell solid microspheres and hollow latex nanospheres. While these studies have clearly demonstrated the precise location selection and nanomachining control provided by the FIB technique, the samples studied consisted of only a single polymer. In this work, FIB is used to investigate bicomponent polymeric fiber systems by taking advantage of the component's differing sputter rates that result from their differing physical properties. An approach for cross sectioning and thus revealing the cross-sectional morphology of the polymeric components in a bicomponent polymeric fiber with the island-in-the-sea (I/S) structure is presented. The two I/S fibers investigated were fabricated using the melt spinning process and are composed of bicomponent combinations of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and nylon 6 (PA6) or polylactic acid (PLA) and an EastONETMproprietary polymer. Topographical contrast as a result of differential sputtering and the high surface specificity and high signal-to-noise obtained using FIB-induced secondary electron imaging is shown to provide a useful approach for the rapid characterization of the cross-sectional morphology of bicomponent polymeric fibers without the necessity of staining or other sample preparation.

Automated Diagonal Slice and View Solution for 3D Device Structure Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang Hoon Lee ◽  
Jeff Blackwood ◽  
Stacey Stone ◽  
Michael Schmidt ◽  
Mark Williamson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Image Data ◽  
Planar Surface ◽  
Device Structure ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Device Structures ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Planar Analysis

Abstract The cross-sectional and planar analysis of current generation 3D device structures can be analyzed using a single Focused Ion Beam (FIB) mill. This is achieved using a diagonal milling technique that exposes a multilayer planar surface as well as the cross-section. this provides image data allowing for an efficient method to monitor the fabrication process and find device design errors. This process saves tremendous sample-to-data time, decreasing it from days to hours while still providing precise defect and structure data.

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