Arsenic dopant mapping in state-of-the-art semiconductor devices using electron energy-loss spectroscopy

Abstract

Knowledge of the dopant distribution in nanodevices is critical for optimising their electrical performances. We demonstrate with a scanning transmission electron microscope the direct detection and two-dimensional distribution maps of arsenic dopant in semiconductor silicon devices using electron energy-loss spectroscopy. The technique has been applied to 40–45 nm high density static random access memory and to n– p– n BiCMOS transistors. The quantitative maps have been compared with secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis and show a good agreement. The sensitivity using this approach is in the low 10 19 cm −3 range with a spatial resolution of about 2 nm.