Application of cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy to thin-film-transistor failure analysis

1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (3.4) ◽  
pp. 509-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Tsuji ◽  
K. Tsujimoto ◽  
H. Iwama
1998 ◽  
Vol 523 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Amy Hunt ◽  
Yuhong Zhang ◽  
David Su

AbstractTransmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a useful tool in process evaluation and failure analysis for semiconductor industries. A common focus of semiconductor TEM analyses is metalization vias (plugs) and it is often desirable to cross-section through a particular one. If the cross-sectional plane deviates away from the center of the plug, then the thin adhesion layer around the plug will be blurred by surrounding materials such as the inter-layer dielectric and the plug material. The importance of these constraints, along with the difficulty of precision sample preparation, has risen sharply as feature sizes have fallen to 0.25 μm and below. The suitability of common sample preparation techniques for these samples is evaluated.


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1413-1416 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.H. Cao ◽  
P. Simon ◽  
W. Skrotzki

A YNi2B2C thin film deposited on MgO(001) substrate by pulsed laser deposition has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cross-sectional TEM analyses show that the YNi2B2C film grows in the [001] direction. Y2O3 exists not only as an interlayer at the interface of the YNi2B2C thin film and the MgO substrate but occasionally also in the YNi2B2C thin film near the substrate. The orientation relationships between the YNi2B2C thin film, Y2O3 interlayer, and MgO substrate are determined from electron-diffraction patterns to be MgO(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100], YNi2B2C(001)[110] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100, and YNi2B2C(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100 1.5‖ Y2O3(001)[100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100 (the numeral above the “parallel” symbol represents the misorientation (in degrees) between the [100] ‖ Y2O3(001)[100 directions).


1996 ◽  
Vol 466 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kuroda ◽  
S. Tsuji ◽  
Y. Hayashi ◽  
H. Saka

ABSTRACTHydrogenated amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (a-Si:H TFTs) are now widely used as elements for active matrix liquid crystal displays. The nanometer-scale multilayered structure of a-Si:H TFTs has been characterized by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The discrete layer construction of a faulty TFTs and the generation of defects during manufacturing processes have been investigated. A combination of focused ion beam (FIB) etching and cross-sectional TEM leads to a successful failure analysis. A contamination layer with a thickness of 10–30 nm and microvoids inside multilayers are identified in faulty TFTs. An a-Si layer on silicon nitride (SiNx) is crystallized during TEM observation. Electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis indicates that the diffusion of nitrogen into a-Si layer causes the crystallization.


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