Recent Advances in Broad Ion Beam Based Techniques/Instrumentation for SEM Specimen Preparation of Semiconductors

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Alani ◽  
R. J. Mitro ◽  
W. Hauffe
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Chemical Etching ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Inert Gas ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Beam Etching ◽  
Wet Chemical ◽  
Wet Chemical Etching

Abstract The semiconductor industry routinely prepares crosssectional SEM specimens using several traditional techniques. Included in these are cleaving, mechanical polishing, wet chemical etching and focused ion beam (FIB) milling. This presentation deals with a new alternate method for preparation of SEM semiconductor specimens based upon a dedicated broad ion beam instrument. Offered initially as an alternative to wet chemical etching, the instrument was designed to etch and coat SEM and metallographic specimens in one vacuum chamber using inert gas (Ar) ion beams. The system has recently undergone further enhancement by introducing iodine Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE) producing much improved etching/cleaning capabilities compared with inert gas ion beam etching. Further results indicate Ar broad ion beam etching can offer a rapid, simple, more affordable alternative (to FIB machines) for precision cross sections and for “slope cutting,” a technique producing large cross-sections within a short time frame. The overall effectiveness of this system for iodine RIBE etching, for precision cross sectioning and “slope cutting” will be shown for a number of traditional and advanced semiconductor devices.

A new approach for Cross-Sectioning Sem Specimens of Semiconductors by Broad-Ion Beam Milling

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 864-865
Author(s):  
K. Ogura ◽  
R. Alani
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Chemical Etching ◽  
Vacuum Chamber ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Mechanical Grinding ◽  
Ion Beam Etching ◽  
Reliable Technique ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Wet Chemical ◽  
Wet Chemical Etching

The cross-sectioning of semiconductor wafers for SEM studies has traditionally been carried out by tedious and laborious mechanical grinding and polishing techniques. The mechanically polished surfaces are treated using a “wet chemical” etching method to enhance and delineate certain features or layers in a given specimen. The etched specimens are then coated by conductive layers to prevent charging during SEM examination. As an alternative to “wet chemical etching”, broad-ion beam etching techniques have been developed for surface treatment of mechanically polished specimens. More specifically, we have reported [1] the utilization of a combined process of broad-ion beam etching and coating of mechanically cross sectioned semiconductors in a single vacuum chamber. As a further progress to that work, we report a rapid and reliable technique for preparing precision SEM cross sections. The technique is based on perpendicular broad-ion beam milling of cleaved wafers to expose any desired cross-section through a given feature of the specimen.

Creation of 3D Patterns in Si by Focused Ga-Ion Beam and Anisotropic Wet Chemical Etching

1992 ◽  
Vol 279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Chen ◽  
P. Chen ◽  
A. Madhukar ◽  
R. Viswanathan ◽  
J. So
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Etching ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Scale Thickness ◽  
Ion Beam Implantation ◽  
Etch Stop ◽  
Wet Chemical ◽  
Etching Behavior ◽  
Wet Chemical Etching

ABSTRACTWe report the realization of free standing 3D structures as tall as ∼ 7μm with nano-scale thickness in Si using the technique of Ga focused ion beam implantation and sputtering followed by wet chemical etching. Some of the previously investigated subjects such as anisotropie etching behavior of crystalline Si and etch stop effect of Ga+implanted Si etched in certain anisotropie chemical etchants have been further explored with the emphasis on exploiting them in realizing free standing structures. The design and fabrication considerations in achieving such free standing structures are discussed and some typical structures fabricated by this technique are shown.

Micro Fabrication by Focused Ion Beam and Wet Chemical Etching

2004 ◽  
Vol 2004.5 (0) ◽  
pp. 111-112
Author(s):  
Noritaka KAWASEGI ◽  
Noboru MORITA ◽  
Noboru TAKANO ◽  
Kiwamu ASHIDA ◽  
Jun TANIGUCHI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Etching ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Micro Fabrication ◽  
Wet Chemical ◽  
Wet Chemical Etching

Highly Resolved Maskless Patterning on InP by Focused Ion Beam Enhanced Wet Chemical Etching

1999 ◽  
Vol 38 (Part 1, No. 10) ◽  
pp. 6142-6144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald König ◽  
Johann Peter Reithmaier ◽  
Alfred Forchel
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Etching ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Wet Chemical ◽  
Wet Chemical Etching ◽  
Maskless Patterning

Focused Ion Beam Sample Preparation of Non-Semiconductor Materials

1997 ◽  
Vol 480 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. W. Phaneuf ◽  
N. Rowlands ◽  
G. J. C. Carpenter ◽  
G. Sundaram
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Automobile Industry ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Semiconductor Materials ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Galvannealed Steel

AbstractFocused Ion Beam (FIB) systems have been steadily gaining acceptance as specimen preparation tools in the semiconductor industry. This is largely due to the fact that such instruments are relatively commonplace as failure analysis tools in semiconductor houses, and are commonly used in the preparation of cross-sections for imaging under the ion beam or using an electron beam in an SEM. Additionally, the ease with which cross-sectional TEM specimens of semiconductor devices can be prepared using FIB systems has been well demonstrated. However, this technology is largely unknown outside the semiconductor industry. Relatively few references exist in the literature on the preparation of cross-sectional TEM specimens of non-semiconductor materials by FIB. This paper discusses a specific use of FIB technology in the preparation of cross-sectional TEM specimens of non-semiconductor samples that are difficult to prepare by conventional means. One example of such materials is commercial galvannealed steel sheet that is used to form corrosion resistant auto-bodies for the automobile industry. Cross-sectional TEM specimens of this material have proved difficult and time-intensive to prepare by standard polishing and ion milling techniques due to galvanneal's inherent flaking and powdering difficulties, as well as the different sputtering rates of the various Fe-Zn intermetallic phases present in the galvannealed coatings. TEM results from cross-sectional samples of commercial galvannealed steel coatings prepared by conventional ion milling and FIB techniques are compared to assess image quality, the size of the electron-transparent thin regions that can be readily prepared and the quality of samples produced by both techniques. Specimen preparation times for both techniques are reported.

Broad Ion Beam “Slope Cutting” Technique for Cross Sectional SEM Specimen Preparation of Semiconductors

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (S2) ◽  
pp. 496-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Alani ◽  
W. Hauffe ◽  
R. J. Mitro
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Vacuum Chamber ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Wet Chemical ◽  
Wet Chemical Etching ◽  
Cut Surface ◽  
Beam Technique

Cross sectional SEM specimens are routinely prepared for process monitoring/development, fabrication problem solving and failure analysis in semiconductor industries. A considerable variety of established methods are already in place for production of these specimens. They include: mechanical polishing, manual/automated cleaving, wet chemical etching and focused ion beam (FIB) milling. This report covers a new approach to the preparation of such specimens utilizing a broad ion beam technique. The technique consists of three steps, I) perpendicular “slope cutting” to expose the profile of the layers/features in the starting wafer, II) etching of the cut surface to delineate the microstructures and III) coating the specimen with a conductive thin film to prevent charging effects in the SEM. All three steps are carried out in a dedicated broad ion beam instrument, designed initially to etch and coat SEM specimens in one vacuum chamber [1]. The entire three-step process can be completed in one hour.

Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE)- a New Technique for TEM Specimen Preparation of Materials

1990 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Alani ◽  
Joseph Jones ◽  
Peter Swann
Keyword(s):  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Active Species ◽  
Inert Gas ◽  
New Technique ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Ion Beam Etching ◽  
Specimen Holder ◽  
Argon Ion

ABSTRACTChemically assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) is widely practiced in the semiconductor industry. In the electron microscopy field, the CAIBE technique offers a new method for preparing specimens that are difficult to make by conventional inert gas milling techniques, e.g. indium containing type III-V compound semiconductors. CAIBE employs a collimated, molecular beam of a reactive species, e.g. iodine in combination with a conventional inert gas fast atom beam for thinning TEM specimens. CAIBE should not be confused with reactive ion beam etching (RIBE) which takes a chemically active species (e.g. iodine) and converts it into a beam of fast ions directed at the sample. CAIBE has three major advantages over (RIBE): i) corrosion of the ion gun components does not occur, ii) much smaller quantities of reactive gas are required and hence pump maintenance and pollution problems are minimized, iii) a wider range of chemicals may be used. Superior results are obtained if CAIBE is done on only one side of the specimen at a time. This is achieved using a new type of specimen holder post which enables very low angle milling and minimizes specimen contamination by sputtering from the holder. This new technique is described and results from iodine CAIBE milling, iodine RIBE milling and argon ion milling are compared for InP, InSb and GaAs as well as metals like tungsten. Also, the beneficial effects of very low angle (∼1°) argon ion milling in preparing specimens of silicide containing Si based IC wafers is reported.

FIB Techniques for Analysis of Metallurgical Specimens

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (S2) ◽  
pp. 524-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Phaneuf ◽  
Jian Li
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Zirconium Alloys ◽  
Chemical Information ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Orientation Contrast ◽  
Imaging Tool ◽  
Zinc Coatings

Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopes, the use of which is well established in the semiconductor industry, are rapidly gaining attention in the field of materials science, both as a tool for producing site specific, parallel sided TEM specimens and as a stand alone specimen preparation and imaging tool.Both FIB secondary ion images (FIB SII) and FIB secondary electron images (FIB SEI) contain novel crystallographic and chemical information. The ability to see “orientation contrast” in FIB SEI and to a lesser extent SII is well known for cubic materials and more recently stress-free FIB sectioning combined with FIB imaging have been shown to reveal evidence of plastic deformation in metallic specimens. Particularly in hexagonal metals, FIB orientation contrast is sometimes reduced or eliminated by the FIB sectioning process. We have successfully employed FIB gas assisted etching during FIB sectioning using XeF2 for zirconium alloys and Cl2 for zinc coatings on steels to retain orientation contrast during subsequent imaging.

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