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Prabhakara, V.; Nuytten, T.; Bender, H.; Vandervorst, W.; Bals, S.; Verbeeck, J. |
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Title |
Linearized radially polarized light for improved precision in strain measurements using micro-Raman spectroscopy |
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A1 Journal article |
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Year  |
2021 |
Publication |
Optics Express |
Abbreviated Journal |
Opt Express |
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Volume |
29 |
Issue |
21 |
Pages |
34531 |
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Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT) |
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Abstract |
Strain engineering in semiconductor transistor devices has become vital in the semiconductor industry due to the ever-increasing need for performance enhancement at the nanoscale. Raman spectroscopy is a non-invasive measurement technique with high sensitivity to mechanical stress that does not require any special sample preparation procedures in comparison to characterization involving transmission electron microscopy (TEM), making it suitable for inline strain measurement in the semiconductor industry. Indeed, at present, strain measurements using Raman spectroscopy are already routinely carried out in semiconductor devices as it is cost effective, fast and non-destructive. In this paper we explore the usage of linearized radially polarized light as an excitation source, which does provide significantly enhanced accuracy and precision as compared to linearly polarized light for this application. Numerical simulations are done to quantitatively evaluate the electric field intensities that contribute to this enhanced sensitivity. We benchmark the experimental results against TEM diffraction-based techniques like nano-beam diffraction and Bessel diffraction. Differences between both approaches are assigned to strain relaxation due to sample thinning required in TEM setups, demonstrating the benefit of Raman for nondestructive inline testing. |
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000708940500144 |
Publication Date |
2021-10-11 |
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ISSN |
1094-4087 |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
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Impact Factor |
3.307 |
Times cited |
2 |
Open Access |
OpenAccess |
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Notes |
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 823717 – ESTEEM3 ; GOA project, “Solarpaint” ; Herculesstichting;; esteem3jra; esteem3reported; |
Approved |
Most recent IF: 3.307 |
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Call Number |
EMAT @ emat @c:irua:182472 |
Serial |
6816 |
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Author |
Prabhakara, V. |
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Title |
Strain measurement for semiconductor applications with Raman spectroscopy and Transmission electron microscopy |
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Doctoral thesis |
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Year |
2021 |
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Pages |
149 p. |
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Keywords |
Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT) |
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Abstract |
Scaling down the size of transistors has been a trend for several decades which has led to improved transistor performance, increased transistor density and hence the overall computation power of IC chips. The trend slowed in recent years due to reliability and power consumption issues at the nanoscale. Hence strain is introduced into transistor channels that has beneficial effects on improving the mobility of charge carriers, providing an alternative pathway for enhancing transistor performance. Therefore, monitoring strain is vital for the semiconductor industry. With the recent trend of decreasing device dimensions (FinFETS ~ 10-20nm) and strain modulation being used throughout, industry needs a reliable and fast method as quality control or defect characterisation. Such a universal strain measurement method does not exist, and one relies on a combination of quantitative in-line methods and complex off-line approaches. In this thesis, I investigated TEM and Raman spectroscopy-based methodologies for strain measurement. In terms of TEM methodologies, advancements are made for the STEM moiré imaging, targeting strain spatial resolution enhancement. I introduce advanced quadrature demodulation and phase stepping interferometry applied to STEM moiré that greatly enhances the spatial resolution while providing enhanced field of view and sensitivity for strain measurement. We introduce ways to reduce scan distortions in strain maps using an alternative scan strategy called “Block scanning” and the non-linear regression applied for strain extraction. Prospects for 3D strain analysis using high-resolution tomography is also investigated which gives direct access for the full second order strain tensors calculation. Finally, we compare strain measurements from TEM techniques with inline techniques like Raman spectroscopy. Raman stress measurement involves sensitive identification of the TO and LO phonon peaks. Raman spectrum of strained Ge transistor channel consists of strongly overlapping peaks within the spectral resolution of the spectrometer. Hence, the process of deconvolution of the two peaks is rather challenging. Hence, we explore new polarisation geometries like radially polarised incoming light which was shown to ease the deconvolution problem resulting in improved precision for Raman stress–strain measurements. |
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Most recent IF: NA |
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Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:182261 |
Serial |
6847 |
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Prabhakara, V.; Jannis, D.; Guzzinati, G.; Béché, A.; Bender, H.; Verbeeck, J. |
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Title |
HAADF-STEM block-scanning strategy for local measurement of strain at the nanoscale |
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A1 Journal article |
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Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Ultramicroscopy |
Abbreviated Journal |
Ultramicroscopy |
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219 |
Issue |
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Pages |
113099 |
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Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT) |
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Abstract |
Lattice strain measurement of nanoscale semiconductor devices is crucial for the semiconductor industry as strain substantially improves the electrical performance of transistors. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) imaging is an excellent tool that provides spatial resolution at the atomic scale and strain information by applying Geometric Phase Analysis or image fitting procedures. However, HR-STEM images regularly suffer from scanning distortions and sample drift during image acquisition. In this paper, we propose a new scanning strategy that drastically reduces artefacts due to drift and scanning distortion, along with extending the field of view. It consists of the acquisition of a series of independent small subimages containing an atomic resolution image of the local lattice. All subimages are then analysed individually for strain by fitting a nonlinear model to the lattice images. The method allows flexible tuning of spatial resolution and the field of view within the limits of the dynamic range of the scan engine while maintaining atomic resolution sampling within the subimages. The obtained experimental strain maps are quantitatively benchmarked against the Bessel diffraction technique. We demonstrate that the proposed scanning strategy approaches the performance of the diffraction technique while having the advantage that it does not require specialized diffraction cameras. |
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Wos |
000594768500006 |
Publication Date |
2020-09-01 |
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ISSN |
0304-3991 |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
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Impact Factor |
2.2 |
Times cited |
4 |
Open Access |
OpenAccess |
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Notes |
A.B. D.J. and J.V. acknowledge funding through FWO project G093417N ('Compressed sensing enabling low dose imaging in transmission electron microscopy') from the Flanders Research Fund. J.V acknowledges funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 823717 – ESTEEM3. The Qu-Ant-EM microscope and the direct electron detector used in the diffraction experiments was partly funded by the Hercules fund from the Flemish Government. This project has received funding from the GOA project “Solarpaint” of the University of Antwerp. GG acknowledges support from a postdoctoral fellowship grant from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen (FWO). Special thanks to Dr. Thomas Nuytten, Prof. Dr. Wilfried Vandervorst, Dr. Paola Favia, Dr. Olivier Richard from IMEC, Leuven and Prof. Dr. Sara Bals from EMAT, Antwerp for their continuous support and collaboration with the project and to the IMEC processing group for the device fabrication. |
Approved |
Most recent IF: 2.2; 2020 IF: 2.843 |
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Call Number |
EMAT @ emat @c:irua:172485 |
Serial |
6404 |
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Author |
Prabhakara, V.; Jannis, D.; Béché, A.; Bender, H.; Verbeeck, J. |
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Title |
Strain measurement in semiconductor FinFET devices using a novel moiré demodulation technique |
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A1 Journal article |
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Year |
2019 |
Publication |
Semiconductor science and technology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Semicond Sci Tech |
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Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT) |
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Abstract |
Moiré fringes are used throughout a wide variety of applications in physics and
engineering to bring out small variations in an underlying lattice by comparing with another reference lattice. This method was recently demonstrated in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy imaging to provide local strain measurement in crystals by comparing the crystal lattice with the scanning raster that then serves as the reference. The images obtained in this way contain a beating fringe pattern with a local period that represents the deviation of the lattice from the reference. In order to obtain the actual strain value, a region containing a full period of the fringe is required, which results in a compromise between strain sensitivity and spatial resolution. In this paper we propose an advanced setup making use of an optimised scanning pattern and a novel phase stepping demodulation scheme. We demonstrate the novel method on a series of 16 nm Si-Ge semiconductor FinFET devices in which strain plays a crucial role in modulating the charge carrier mobility. The obtained results are compared with both Nano-beam diffraction and the recently proposed Bessel beam diffraction technique. The setup provides a much improved spatial resolution over conventional moiré imaging in STEM while at the same time being fast and requiring no specialised diffraction camera as opposed to the diffraction techniques we compare to. |
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Wos |
000537721200002 |
Publication Date |
2019-11-29 |
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ISSN |
0268-1242 |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
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Impact Factor |
2.305 |
Times cited |
8 |
Open Access |
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Notes |
The Qu-Ant-EM microscope and the direct electron detector used in the diffraction experiments was partly funded by the Hercules fund from the Flemish Government. This project has received funding from the GOA project “Solarpaint” of the University of Antwerp. We would also like to thank Dr. Thomas Nuytten and Prof. Dr. Wilfried Vandervorst from IMEC, Leuven for their continuous support and collaboration with the project. |
Approved |
Most recent IF: 2.305 |
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Call Number |
EMAT @ emat @c:irua:165794 |
Serial |
5445 |
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