Abstract
For the analysis of thin films, with high aspect ratio (HAR) structures, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) overcomes several challenges in comparison to other frequently used techniques such as electron microscopy. The research presented herein focuses on two different kinds of HAR structures that represent different semiconductor technologies. In the first study, ToF-SIMS is used to illustrate cobalt seed layer corrosion by the copper electrolyte within the large through-silicon-vias (TSVs) before and after copper electroplating. However, due to the sample’s surface topography, ToF-SIMS analysis proved to be difficult due to the geometrical shadowing effects. Henceforth, in the second study, we introduce a new test platform to eliminate the difficulties with the HAR structures, and again, use ToF-SIMS for elemental analysis. We use data image slicing of 3D ToF-SIMS analysis combined with lateral HAR test chips (PillarHall™) to study the uniformity of silicon dopant concentration in atomic layer deposited (ALD) HfO2 thin films.
Highlights
We use data image slicing of 3D ToF-SIMS analysis combined with lateral high aspect ratio (HAR) test chips (PillarHallTM) to study the uniformity of silicon dopant concentration in atomic layer deposited (ALD) HfO2 thin films
Thin film deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), for three-dimensional microscopic structures and the development of large-scale integrated structures like trenches and cavities that are of importance, especially in the semiconductor industry, introduce a true challenge for thin film characterization
The study and characterization of specific regions of interest like local defects, doping concentration, conformality, and interfaces, rely predominantly on cross-sectional sample preparation and characterization by electron microscopy or X-ray techniques. This approach faces the specific difficulties of single lamella preparation of each trench, low spatial resolution to characterize interfacial diffusion, or lack of detection of light elements in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cleavage plane inaccuracy for scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Summary
Thin film deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), for three-dimensional microscopic structures and the development of large-scale integrated structures like trenches and cavities that are of importance, especially in the semiconductor industry, introduce a true challenge for thin film characterization These 3D-micro-structured substrates have typically vertical high aspect ratio (VHAR) structures. The recent discovery of ferroelectric properties in this binary oxide material [12], commonly established as a dielectric for high-k metal gate technology (HKMG), handover a vast quantity of applications beyond the standard dielectric material These applications span from non-volatile memories [13,14], steep slope devices [15] energy storage applications [16,17] and infrared sensors [18]. Instead of using the vertically oriented structures, lateral high aspect ratio (LHAR) [21,22,23] structures are used which make it possible to analyze them in the form of 2D-structures
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