Records |
Author |
Vereecke, G.; De Coster, H.; Van Alphen, S.; Carolan, P.; Bender, H.; Willems, K.; Ragnarsson, L.-A.; Van Dorpe, P.; Horiguchi, N.; Holsteyns, F. |
Title |
Wet etching of TiN in 1-D and 2-D confined nano-spaces of FinFET transistors |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2018 |
Publication |
Microelectronic engineering |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
Volume |
200 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
56-61 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT) |
Abstract |
In the manufacturing of multi-Vt FinFET transistors, the gate material deposited in the nano-spaces left by the removed dummy gate must be etched back in mask-defined wafer areas. Etch conformality is a necessary condition for the control of under-etch at the boundary between areas defined by masking. We studied the feasibility of TiN etching by APM (ammonia peroxide mixture, also known as SC1) in nano-confined volumes representative of FinFET transistors of the 7 nm node and below, namely nanotrenches with 1-D confinement and nanoholes with 2-D confinement. TiN etching was characterized for rate and conformality using different electron microscopy techniques. Etching in closed nanotrenches was conformal, starting and progressing all along the 2-D seam, with a rate that was 38% higher compared to a planar film. Etching in closed nanoholes proved also to be conformal and faster than planar films, but with a delay to open the 1-D seam that seemed to depend strongly on small variations in the hole diameter. However, holes between the fins at the bottom of the removed dummy gate, are not circular and do present 2-D seams that should lend themselves for an easier start of conformal etching as compared to the circular nanoholes used in this study. Finally, to explain the higher etch rate observed in nano-confined features, concentrations of ions in nanoholes were calculated taking the overlap of electrostatic double layers (EDL) into account. With negatively charged TiN walls, as measured by streaming potential on planar films, ammonium was the dominant ion in nanoholes. As no chemical reaction proposed in the literature for TiN etching matched with this finding, we proposed that the formation of ammine complexes, dissolving the formed Ti oxide, was the rate-determining step. |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Wos |
000449134800010 |
Publication Date |
2018-09-21 |
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
0167-9317 |
ISBN |
|
Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
|
Times cited |
|
Open Access |
|
Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:155414 |
Serial |
8757 |
Permanent link to this record |
|
|
|
Author |
Prabhakara, V.; Jannis, D.; Guzzinati, G.; Béché, A.; Bender, H.; Verbeeck, J. |
Title |
HAADF-STEM block-scanning strategy for local measurement of strain at the nanoscale |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Ultramicroscopy |
Abbreviated Journal |
Ultramicroscopy |
Volume |
219 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
113099 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT) |
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. |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Wos |
000594768500006 |
Publication Date |
2020-09-01 |
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
0304-3991 |
ISBN |
|
Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
2.2 |
Times cited |
4 |
Open Access |
OpenAccess |
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 |
Call Number |
EMAT @ emat @c:irua:172485 |
Serial |
6404 |
Permanent link to this record |
|
|
|
Author |
Verleysen, E.; Bender, H.; Richard, O.; Schryvers, D.; Vandervorst, W. |
Title |
Characterization of nickel silicides using EELS-based methods |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Journal of microscopy |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Microsc-Oxford |
Volume |
240 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
75-82 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT) |
Abstract |
The characterization of Ni-silicides using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) based methods is discussed. A series of Ni-silicide phases is examined: Ni3Si, Ni31Si12, Ni2Si, NiSi and NiSi2. The composition of these phases is determined by quantitative core-loss EELS. A study of the low loss part of the EELS spectrum shows that both the energy and the shape of the plasmon peak are characteristic for each phase. Examination of the Ni-L edge energy loss near edge structure (ELNES) shows that the ratio and the sum of the L2 and L3 white line intensities are also characteristic for each phase. The sum of the white line intensities is used to determine the trend in electron occupation of the 3d states of the phases. The dependence of the plasmon energy on the electron occupation of the 3d states is demonstrated. |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
Oxford |
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Wos |
000281715400009 |
Publication Date |
2010-05-20 |
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
0022-2720; |
ISBN |
|
Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
1.692 |
Times cited |
11 |
Open Access |
|
Notes |
|
Approved |
Most recent IF: 1.692; 2010 IF: 1.872 |
Call Number |
UA @ lucian @ c:irua:84879 |
Serial |
329 |
Permanent link to this record |
|
|
|
Author |
Mehta, A.N.; Zhang, H.; Dabral, A.; Richard, O.; Favia, P.; Bender, H.; Delabie, A.; Caymax, M.; Houssa, M.; Pourtois, G.; Vandervorst, W. |
Title |
Structural characterization of SnS crystals formed by chemical vapour deposition |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2017 |
Publication |
Journal of microscopy
T2 – 20th International Conference on Microscopy of Semiconducting Materials, (MSM), APR 09-13, 2017, Univ Oxford, Univ Oxford, Oxford, ENGLAND |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Microsc-Oxford |
Volume |
268 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
276-287 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT) |
Abstract |
<script type='text/javascript'>document.write(unpmarked('The crystal and defect structure of SnS crystals grown using chemical vapour deposition for application in electronic devices are investigated. The structural analysis shows the presence of two distinct crystal morphologies, that is thin flakes with lateral sizes up to 50 m and nanometer scale thickness, and much thicker but smaller crystallites. Both show similar Raman response associated with SnS. The structural analysis with transmission electron microscopy shows that the flakes are single crystals of -SnS with [010] normal to the substrate. Parallel with the surface of the flakes, lamellae with varying thickness of a new SnS phase are observed. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), first-principles simulations (DFT) and nanobeam diffraction (NBD) techniques are employed to characterise this phase in detail. DFT results suggest that the phase is a strain stabilised \u0027 one grown epitaxially on the -SnS crystals. TEM analysis shows that the crystallites are also -SnS with generally the [010] direction orthogonal to the substrate. Contrary to the flakes the crystallites consist of two to four grains which are tilted up to 15 degrees relative to the substrate. The various grain boundary structures and twin relations are discussed. Under high-dose electron irradiation, the SnS structure is reduced and -Sn formed. It is shown that this damage only occurs for SnS in direct contact with SiO2. Lay description SnS is a p-type semiconductor, which has attracted significant interest for electronic devices due to its unique properties, low-toxicity and abundance of Sn in nature. Although in the past it has been most extensively studied as the absorber material in solar cells, it has recently garnered interest for application as a p-type two-dimensional semiconductor in nanoelectronic devices due to its anisotropic layered structure similar to the better known phosphorene. Tin sulphide can take the form of several phases and the electronic properties of the material depend strongly on its crystal structure. It is therefore crucial to study the crystal structure of the material in order to predict the electronic properties and gain insight into the growth mechanism. In this work, SnS crystals deposited using a chemical vapour deposition technique are investigated extensively for their crystal and defect structure using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and related techniques. We find the presence of two distinct crystal morphologies, that is thin flakes with lateral sizes up to 50 m and nm scale thickness, and much thicker but smaller crystallites. The flakes are single crystals of -SnS and contain lamellae with varying thickness of a different phase which appear to be -SnS at first glance. High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy is used to characterise these lamellae where the annular bright field (ABF) mode better reveals the position of the sulphur columns. The sulphur columns in the lamellae are found to be shifted relative to the -SnS structure which indicates the formation of a new phase which is a distorted version of the phase which we tentatively refer to as \u0027-SnS. Simulations based on density functional theory (DFT) are used to model the interface and a similar shift of sulphur columns in the -SnS layer is observed which takes place as a result of strong interaction at the interface between the two phases resulting in strain transfer. Nanobeam electron diffraction (NBD) is used to map the lattice mismatch in the thickness of the flakes which reveals good in-plane matching and some expansion out-of-plane in the lamellae. Contrary to the flakes the crystallites are made solely of -SnS and consist of two to four grains which are tilted up to 15 degrees relative to the substrate. The various grain boundary structures and twin relations are discussed. At high electron doses, SnS is reduced to -Sn, however the damage occurs only for SnS in direct contact with SiO2.')); |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
Wiley |
Place of Publication |
Hoboken |
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Wos |
000415900300009 |
Publication Date |
2017-09-28 |
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
0022-2720 |
ISBN |
|
Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
1.692 |
Times cited |
2 |
Open Access |
Not_Open_Access |
Notes |
|
Approved |
Most recent IF: 1.692 |
Call Number |
UA @ lucian @ c:irua:147692 |
Serial |
4898 |
Permanent link to this record |