Gate Dielectric Thickness Metrology Using Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published

January 1, 2000

Author(s)

J H. Scott, Eric S. Windsor, D Brady, J Canterbury, A. Karamcheti, W Chism, A C. Diebold

Abstract

Silicon Oxynitride blanket films approximately 2 n min thickness are characterized in cross section using a 300 keV TEM/STEM. High resolution imaging is used to investigate the accuracy and precision of TEM film thickness measurements and their comparability to other techniques such as spectroscopic ellipsometry, x-ray reflectivity, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and medium energy ion scattering. Silicon oxynitride films were grown by SEMATECH and were characterized by several techniques in a SEMATECH-sponsored round robin. Cross sectional TEM samples were prepared by dimpling/ion milling and HRTEM micrographs were acquired at 297 keV using an imaging energy filter and a multiscan CCD camera. Thickness measurements were performed by calibrating the magnification using a phase contrast image of the silicon substrate. Approximately 10 measurements were performed for each film, including measurements on both sides of the cross section glue line and both sides of the dimple/ion mill perforation. Statistical analysis of the HRTEM thickness measurements reveals that the expanded uncertainty of the technique (with coverage factor K=2, designed to estimate a 95% confidence interval) can be larger than 0.33nm.

Volume

550

Conference Dates

June 26-29, 2000

Conference Location

xxxx, US

Conference Title

Characterization and Metrology for ULSI Technology Conference

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

cross section, electron microscopy, gate dielectric, magnification calibration, silicon oxynitride, thickness measurement

Citation

Scott, J. , Windsor, E. , Brady, D. , Canterbury, J. , Karamcheti, A. , Chism, W. and Diebold, A. (2000), Gate Dielectric Thickness Metrology Using Transmission Electron Microscopy, Characterization and Metrology for ULSI Technology Conference, xxxx, US (Accessed October 23, 2025)