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Is Low Accelerating Voltage Always the Best for Semiconductor Inspection and Metrology?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2018

M. T. Postek  and
A. E. Vladár
M. T. Postek
Affiliation:
National Institute of Standards and Technology
A. E. Vladár
Affiliation:
National Institute of Standards and Technology

Extract

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Low accelerating voltage operation is an excellent mode of scanning electron microscopy and it is extensively used for measurements in semiconductor production. The beam penetration is small, and if properly applied, the specimen charging is kept at acceptable levels. But, is this always enough? Today, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) is being used in photomask metrology and imaging where charging is excessive. Charging is difficult to quantify and control as it varies greatly with instruments, operating conditions and sample. Therefore, it is also very difficult to model accurately. For accurate metrology charging must be overcome because the dynamic charging of the sample deflects the electron beam from its intended position and the intensity of the induced signal may vary uncontrollably. Deflection of the electron beam of even a few nanometers potentially results in a measurement error that is significant to modern semiconductor production.

Type
Research Article
Information
Microscopy Today , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , January 2004 , pp. 46 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2004

References

[1]Contribution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, not subject to copyright.Google Scholar
[2]The author would like to thank and acknowledge the excellent collaboration and technical support provided by Trisha Rice, Ralph Knowles, Ed Griffith and others at FEI Company in obtaining the high pressure/environmental SEM micrographs.Google Scholar
[3]Certain commercial equipment is identified in this report to adequately describe the experimental procedure. Such identification does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it imply thai the equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.Google Scholar
[4]This article is reprinted from the Proceedings of Microscopy and Microanalysis 2003, Vol. 9, (Suppl.2), 2003.Google Scholar