Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization

K. Li; F. Yan; E. Er; S. Redkar

doi:10.1109/IPFA.2002.1025639

Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization

K. Li, F. Yan, E. Er, S. Redkar

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

With integrated circuits going into the 0.18 μm generation and below, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is becoming more routinely used and indispensable for equipment qualification, process monitoring and optimization, technology development, and failure analysis. However, TEM analysis is required to be more sample thickness forgivable. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is a very good candidate for these purposes, as STEM can handle thicker TEM samples. By varying the camera length, the scattered angle of electrons forming STEM images changes. At large scattering angles, the scattering cross section is strongly atomic number (Z) dependent (D.B. Williams and C.B. Carter, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Plenum Press, New York and London, p. 41, 1996). Therefore the image contrast is dominated by Z and Z-contrast imaging is thus named. In this paper, we utilize the Z-contrast imaging technique to study the influence of different pre-copper/tantalum deposition cleaning scheme on the formation of Cu dual damascene structure of 0.13 μm technology node. The results clearly show that Z-contrast STEM imaging can be applied successfully to overcome some of the difficulties encountered in normal TEM observations, and it is a very useful tool for process optimization.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002
Editors	Wai Kin Chim, John Thong, Wilson Tan, Kheng Chooi Lee
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	164-167
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Electronic)	0780374169
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/IPFA.2002.1025639
State	Published - 2002
Externally published	Yes
Event	9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002 - Singapore, Singapore Duration: Jul 12 2002 → …

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA
Volume	2002-January

Other

Other	9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002
Country/Territory	Singapore
City	Singapore
Period	07/12/02 → …

Keywords

Atomic layer deposition
Cameras
Cleaning
Copper
Ion beams
Lenses
Light scattering
Milling
Transmission electron microscopy
X-ray scattering

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/IPFA.2002.1025639

Cite this

Li, K., Yan, F., Er, E., & Redkar, S. (2002). Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization. In W. K. Chim, J. Thong, W. Tan, & K. C. Lee (Eds.), Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002 (pp. 164-167). Article 1025639 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA; Vol. 2002-January). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/IPFA.2002.1025639

Li, K. ; Yan, F. ; Er, E. et al. / Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization. Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002. editor / Wai Kin Chim ; John Thong ; Wilson Tan ; Kheng Chooi Lee. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2002. pp. 164-167 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA).

@inproceedings{0274df6f77754f0da3d2c80a74b0a8a7,

title = "Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization",

abstract = "With integrated circuits going into the 0.18 μm generation and below, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is becoming more routinely used and indispensable for equipment qualification, process monitoring and optimization, technology development, and failure analysis. However, TEM analysis is required to be more sample thickness forgivable. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is a very good candidate for these purposes, as STEM can handle thicker TEM samples. By varying the camera length, the scattered angle of electrons forming STEM images changes. At large scattering angles, the scattering cross section is strongly atomic number (Z) dependent (D.B. Williams and C.B. Carter, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Plenum Press, New York and London, p. 41, 1996). Therefore the image contrast is dominated by Z and Z-contrast imaging is thus named. In this paper, we utilize the Z-contrast imaging technique to study the influence of different pre-copper/tantalum deposition cleaning scheme on the formation of Cu dual damascene structure of 0.13 μm technology node. The results clearly show that Z-contrast STEM imaging can be applied successfully to overcome some of the difficulties encountered in normal TEM observations, and it is a very useful tool for process optimization.",

keywords = "Atomic layer deposition, Cameras, Cleaning, Copper, Ion beams, Lenses, Light scattering, Milling, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray scattering",

author = "K. Li and F. Yan and E. Er and S. Redkar",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2002 IEEE.; 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002 ; Conference date: 12-07-2002",

year = "2002",

doi = "10.1109/IPFA.2002.1025639",

language = "English (US)",

series = "Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

pages = "164--167",

editor = "Chim, {Wai Kin} and John Thong and Wilson Tan and Lee, {Kheng Chooi}",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002",

address = "United States",

}

Li, K, Yan, F, Er, E & Redkar, S 2002, Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization. in WK Chim, J Thong, W Tan & KC Lee (eds), Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002., 1025639, Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA, vol. 2002-January, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 164-167, 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002, Singapore, Singapore, 07/12/02. https://doi.org/10.1109/IPFA.2002.1025639

Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization. / Li, K.; Yan, F.; Er, E. et al.
Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002. ed. / Wai Kin Chim; John Thong; Wilson Tan; Kheng Chooi Lee. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2002. p. 164-167 1025639 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA; Vol. 2002-January).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization

AU - Li, K.

AU - Yan, F.

AU - Er, E.

AU - Redkar, S.

PY - 2002

Y1 - 2002

N2 - With integrated circuits going into the 0.18 μm generation and below, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is becoming more routinely used and indispensable for equipment qualification, process monitoring and optimization, technology development, and failure analysis. However, TEM analysis is required to be more sample thickness forgivable. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is a very good candidate for these purposes, as STEM can handle thicker TEM samples. By varying the camera length, the scattered angle of electrons forming STEM images changes. At large scattering angles, the scattering cross section is strongly atomic number (Z) dependent (D.B. Williams and C.B. Carter, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Plenum Press, New York and London, p. 41, 1996). Therefore the image contrast is dominated by Z and Z-contrast imaging is thus named. In this paper, we utilize the Z-contrast imaging technique to study the influence of different pre-copper/tantalum deposition cleaning scheme on the formation of Cu dual damascene structure of 0.13 μm technology node. The results clearly show that Z-contrast STEM imaging can be applied successfully to overcome some of the difficulties encountered in normal TEM observations, and it is a very useful tool for process optimization.

AB - With integrated circuits going into the 0.18 μm generation and below, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is becoming more routinely used and indispensable for equipment qualification, process monitoring and optimization, technology development, and failure analysis. However, TEM analysis is required to be more sample thickness forgivable. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is a very good candidate for these purposes, as STEM can handle thicker TEM samples. By varying the camera length, the scattered angle of electrons forming STEM images changes. At large scattering angles, the scattering cross section is strongly atomic number (Z) dependent (D.B. Williams and C.B. Carter, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Plenum Press, New York and London, p. 41, 1996). Therefore the image contrast is dominated by Z and Z-contrast imaging is thus named. In this paper, we utilize the Z-contrast imaging technique to study the influence of different pre-copper/tantalum deposition cleaning scheme on the formation of Cu dual damascene structure of 0.13 μm technology node. The results clearly show that Z-contrast STEM imaging can be applied successfully to overcome some of the difficulties encountered in normal TEM observations, and it is a very useful tool for process optimization.

KW - Atomic layer deposition

KW - Cameras

KW - Cleaning

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KW - Ion beams

KW - Lenses

KW - Light scattering

KW - Milling

KW - Transmission electron microscopy

KW - X-ray scattering

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M3 - Conference contribution

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T3 - Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA

SP - 164

EP - 167

BT - Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002

A2 - Chim, Wai Kin

A2 - Thong, John

A2 - Tan, Wilson

A2 - Lee, Kheng Chooi

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

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ER -

Li K, Yan F, Er E, Redkar S. Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization. In Chim WK, Thong J, Tan W, Lee KC, editors, Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2002. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2002. p. 164-167. 1025639. (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA). doi: 10.1109/IPFA.2002.1025639

Application of Z-contrast imaging in deep-sub-micron process optimization

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