Reduction of the Damage Induced in an Fib-Fabricated X-Tem Specimen

1998 ◽  
Vol 523 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. I. Kato ◽  
K. Tsujimoto ◽  
N. Miura
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Side Wall ◽  
Beam Current ◽  
Wet Etching ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
20 Nm ◽  
Argon Ion

AbstractIn focused ion beam (FIB) fabrication of cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM) specimens, highly accelerated ion beams sometimes cause serious damage. The damage can be induced in both the specimen surface and in the side walls. We used X-TEM observations to investigate the side-wall damage induced by FIB fabrication in crystalline silicon. The damaged layer was found to be about 20 nm thick in the case of 30-keV FIB etching. We tried to reduce the damage by several methods, such as gas-assisted etching (GAE) with iodine, broad argon ion milling and wet etching. The damaged layer was 19 nm for GAE and 12 nm for argon ion milling with a beam current of 70 mA and the tilt angle between the beam and the specimen of 15 degrees. Wet etching using a mixture of nitric and hydrofluoric acid removes most of the damaged layer.

Low Energy Ar Ion Milling of FIB TEM Specimens from 14 nm and Future FinFET Technologies

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.S. Bonifacio ◽  
P. Nowakowski ◽  
M.J. Campin ◽  
M.L. Ray ◽  
P.E. Fischione
Keyword(s):  
Field Effect Transistor ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
High Resolution Tem ◽  
Effect Transistor ◽  
20 Nm ◽  
Argon Ion

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens are typically prepared using the focused ion beam (FIB) due to its site specificity, and fast and accurate thinning capabilities. However, TEM and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) analysis may be limited due to the resulting FIB-induced artifacts. This work identifies FIB artifacts and presents the use of argon ion milling for the removal of FIB-induced damage for reproducible TEM specimen preparation of current and future fin field effect transistor (FinFET) technologies. Subsequently, high-quality and electron-transparent TEM specimens of less than 20 nm are obtained.

Fast Preparation of Ultrathin FIB Lamellas for MEMs-Based In Situ TEM Experiments

2016 ◽  
Vol 850 ◽  
pp. 722-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Wang ◽  
Shang Gang Xiao ◽  
Qiang Xu ◽  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Henny Zandbergen
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Preparation Method ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Metallic Alloy ◽  
In Situ Tem ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Electrochemical Polishing ◽  
Argon Ion

The preparation of thin lamellas by focused ion beam (FIB) for MEMS-based in situ TEM experiments is time consuming. Typically, the lamellas are of ~5μm*10μm and have a thickness less than 100nm. Here we demonstrate a fast lamellas’ preparation method using special fast cutting by FIB of samples prepared by conventional TEM sample preparation by argon ion milling or electrochemical polishing methods. This method has been applied successfully on various materials, such as ductile metallic alloy Ti68Ta27Al5, brittle ceramics K0.5Na0.5NbO3-6%LiNbO3 and semiconductor Si. The thickness of the lamellas depends on the original TEM sample.

Stability of the T2 phase during low-dose ion milling

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 964-965
Author(s):  
J. R. Reed ◽  
D. J. Michel ◽  
P. R. Howell
Keyword(s):  
Ion Beam ◽  
Beam Current ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cu Alloy ◽  
Cu Alloys ◽  
In Situ Heating ◽  
Diffraction Patterns ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Argon Ion

Recent studies have shown that the T2 (Al6CuLi3) phase particles in dilute Al-Li-Cu alloys transform to microcrystalline aggregates during TEM examination, during ion-beam thinning, or during in- situ heating in the TEM. Other studies, however, have noted that the T2 phase particles exhibit an ‘apparent’ five-fold symmetry suggesting that microcrystalline or twinned regions, rather than ‘single crystal’ regions, were responsible for the five-fold diffraction patterns. As a consequence, additional work was considered necessary to investigate further the stability of the T2 phase in dilute Al-Li-Cu alloys.The 3-mm diameter TEM disc specimens were prepared from a specially melted Al-2.5%Li-2.5%Cu alloy produced by conventional procedures. The TEM specimen thermal treatment and electropolishing procedures were previously reported. The electropolished disc specimens were examined in a JEOL 200CX microscope operated at 200 kV. Selected disc specimens containing the T2 phase were then subjected to ion beam thinning in a Gatan precision ion-milling system, operated with an argon ion beam, at accelerating voltage of 6 kV and a beam current of lμA.

Automated End-Point Detection and Targeted Ar+ Milling of Advanced Integrated Circuit FIB TEM Specimens

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.S. Bonifacio ◽  
P. Nowakowski ◽  
M.J. Campin ◽  
J.T. Harbaugh ◽  
M. Boccabella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
End Point Detection ◽  
Point Detection ◽  
Argon Ion

Abstract The sub-nanometer resolution that transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provides is critical to the development and fabrication of advanced integrated circuits. TEM specimens are usually prepared using the focused ion beam, which can cause gallium-induced artifacts and amorphization. This work presents the use of a concentrated argon ion beam for reproducible TEM specimen preparation using automatic milling termination and targeted ion milling of device features; the result is high-quality and electron-transparent specimens of less than 30 nm. Such work is relevant for semiconductor product development and failure analysis.

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.

Fabrication of Nano-Grating by Focused Ion Beam / Scanning Electron Microscopy Dual-Beam System

2011 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
pp. 66-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bao Yin Yao ◽  
Hu Luo ◽  
Li Shuang Feng ◽  
Zhen Zhou ◽  
Rong Ming Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Side Wall ◽  
Beam Current ◽  
Silicon Substrates ◽  
Dual Beam ◽  
Scanning Electron ◽  
Sub Wavelength

The uniform, well designed nano-gratings have been successfully fabricated by using a dual beam focused ion beam (FIB)/scanning electron microscopy (SEM) system on the silicon substrates coated with 15 nm thick Au layer. The nano-gratings were designed with period of 840 nm, groove of 425 nm and beam of 415 nm. By adjusting the FIB parameters of milling like beam current, dwell time and scanning model, the fabricated nano-gratings were uniform in width and the side wall had good verticality. The currently fabricated nano-gratings using focused ion beam can be adjusted to serve as sub-wavelength optical resonant sensor which can be extended to nano-grating accelerometer with resolution of 10-9g.

Optimization of FIB-Milling Technique for Preparation of TEM Specimens from Copper/Low-K Materials

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 902-903
Author(s):  
F. Shaapur ◽  
D. Brazeau ◽  
B. Foran
Keyword(s):  
Structural Damage ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Milling Process ◽  
Ion Source ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Low K

Focused ion beam (FIB) thinning of materials to electron transparency is now a routine procedure for preparation of specimens for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of microelectronic materials and devices. The nano-scale structural damage, including implantation and amorphization due to this ion milling process has been well investigated and documented. In this paper, we discuss the micro-scale structural damage observed in copper/low-k materials and our efforts to minimize the extent of the damage without compromising the overall specimen preparation time.Figure 1 shows an area-specific cross-sectional specimen prepared from a copper/low-k via-chain test structure using the FIB-milling technique. The procedure involved mechanical thinning of a transverse wafer sliver followed by FIB-milling the area of interest to electron transparency according to conventional steps and conditions' using a liquid Ga+ ion source FIB system. The evidence of structural damage in terms of melting and/or sputtering of the metallization is visible at different areas.

Narrow-Beam Argon Ion Milling of Ex Situ Lift-Out FIB Specimens Mounted on Various Carbon-Supported Grids

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Campin ◽  
C. S. Bonifacio ◽  
P. Nowakowski ◽  
P. E. Fischione ◽  
L. A. Giannuzzi
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Carbon Support ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Narrow Beam ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Argon Ion

Abstract The semiconductor industry recently has been investigating new specimen preparation methods that can improve throughput while maintaining quality. The result has been a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) preparation and ex situ lift-out (EXLO) techniques. Unfortunately, the carbon support on the EXLO grid presents problems if the lamella needs to be thinned once it is on the grid. In this paper, we show how low-energy (< 1 keV), narrow-beam (< 1 μm diameter) Ar ion milling can be used to thin specimens and remove gallium from EXLO FIB specimens mounted on various support grids.

scholarly journals Enhanced Sample Preparation of Cu Low-k Semiconductors via Mechanical Polishing and Ion Beam Etching

2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-43
Author(s):  
Shane Roberts ◽  
Daniel Flatoff
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Dielectric Materials ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Ion Beam Etching ◽  
Processing Power ◽  
Materials Used

Modern microelectronics have rapidly decreased in geometry to enhance the speed and processing power of computers. Advanced devices are approaching design rules of sub 0.13 micron in size, and the trend continues at the rate dictated by Moore's Law, Coupled with this reduction in device size, is a change in materials used for producing these devices. Traditional aluminum interconnect metallurgy and oxide dielectric materials are being replaced with copper and low-kmaterials in an effort to continue the trend of shrinking device sizes and higher processing capacities.These changes in materials and device sizes have provided the impetus for alternative methods for producing cross sections. Although focused ion beam instrumentation has been successfully used for preparing cross sections, a combinatorial approach using polishing and argon ion milling has been found to dramatically enhance the ability to produce high quality cross sectional samples in a reasonably short amount of time.

Preparation of TEM samples by focused ion beam (FIB) techniques: applications to the study of clays and phyllosilicates in meteorites

2003 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 581-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Lee ◽  
P. A. Bland ◽  
G. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Mixed Valence ◽  
Planetary Science ◽  
Basal Spacing ◽  
Ion Milling ◽  
Cut Edge ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Argon Ion

AbstractTransmission electron microscope samples were prepared of ALH 78045 and ALH 88045, two clay-and phyllosilicate-bearing Antarctic meteorites, using argon ion milling and focused ion beam (FIB) techniques. ALH 78045 contains clay- and phyllosilicate-filled veins that have formed by terrestrial weathering of olivine, orthopyroxene and metal. Very narrow (∼10 nm) intragranular clay-filled veins could be observed in the TEM samples prepared by argon ion milling, whereas differential thinning and lack of precision in the location of the electron-transparent areas hindered the study of wider (5 — 15 μm) phyllosilicate-filled intergranular veins. Using the FIB instrument, electron-transparent slices were cut from specific parts of the wider veins and lifted out for TEM study. Results show that these veins are occluded by cronstedtite, a mixed-valence Fe-rich phyllosilicate. This discovery shows that silicates can be both dissolved and precipitated during terrestrial weathering within the Antarctic ice. ALH 88045 is one of a small number of known CM1 carbonaceous chondrites. This meteorite is largely composed of flattened ellipsoidal aggregates of serpentine-group phyllosilicates. To determine the mineralogy and texture of phyllosilicates within specific aggregates, TEM samples were prepared by trenching into the cut edge of a sample using the FIB instrument. Results show that Mg-rich aggregates are composed of lath-shaped serpentine crystals with a ∼0.73 nm basal spacing, which is typical of the products of low temperature aqueous alteration within asteroidal parent bodies. Results of this work demonstrate that the FIB has enormous potential in a number of areas of Earth and planetary science.

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