Tomography experiment of an integrated circuit specimen using 3 MeV electrons in the transmission electron microscope

Hai Bo Zhang, Xiang Liang Zhang, Yong Wang, Akio Takaoka

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

The possibility of utilizing high-energy electron tomography to characterize the micron-scale three dimensional (3D) structures of integrated circuits has been demonstrated experimentally. First, electron transmission through a tilted Si O2 film was measured with an ultrahigh-voltage electron microscope (ultra-HVEM) and analyzed from the point of view of elastic scattering of electrons, showing that linear attenuation of the logarithmic electron transmission still holds valid for effective specimen thicknesses up to 5 μm under 2 MV accelerating voltages. Electron tomography of a micron-order thick integrated circuit specimen including the Cu/via interconnect was then tried with 3 MeV electrons in the ultra-HVEM. Serial projection images of the specimen tilted at different angles over the range of ±90° were acquired, and 3D reconstruction was performed with the images by means of the IMOD software package. Consequently, the 3D structures of the Cu lines, via and void, were revealed by cross sections and surface rendering.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number013701
JournalReview of Scientific Instruments
Volume78
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2007
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Instrumentation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Tomography experiment of an integrated circuit specimen using 3 MeV electrons in the transmission electron microscope'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this