scholarly journals Understanding Current Instabilities in Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lanlan Jiang ◽  
Jonas Weber ◽  
Francesco Maria Puglisi ◽  
Paolo Pavan ◽  
Luca Larcher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Stable State ◽  
Water Film ◽  
Oxide Thickness ◽  
Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Different Characteristics

: Conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) is one of the most powerful techniques in studying the electrical properties of various materials at the nanoscale. However, understanding current fluctuations within one study (due to degradation of the probe tips) and from one study to another (due to the use of probe tips with different characteristics), are still two major problems that may drive CAFM researchers to extract wrong conclusions. In this manuscript, these two issues are statistically analyzed by collecting experimental CAFM data and processing them using two different computational models. Our study indicates that: (i) before their complete degradation, CAFM tips show a stable state with degraded conductance, which is difficult to detect and it requires CAFM tip conductivity characterization before and after the CAFM experiments; and (ii) CAFM tips with low spring constants may unavoidably lead to the presence of a ~1.2 nm thick water film at the tip/sample junction, even if the maximum contact force allowed by the setup is applied. These two phenomena can easily drive CAFM users to overestimate the properties of the samples under test (e.g., oxide thickness). Our study can help researchers to better understand the current shifts that were observed during their CAFM experiments, as well as which probe tip to use and how it degrades. Ultimately, this work may contribute to enhancing the reliability of CAFM investigations.

Fault Isolation of MOL and FEOL Buried Defects Using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy as a Complement to Passive Voltage Contrast Imaging

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucile C. Teague Sheridan ◽  
Linda Conohan ◽  
Chong Khiam Oh
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Cmos Technology ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
Contrast Imaging ◽  
Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Isolation Technique ◽  
Conductive Afm ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Voltage Contrast

Abstract Atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods have provided a wealth of knowledge into the topographic, electrical, mechanical, magnetic, and electrochemical properties of surfaces and materials at the micro- and nanoscale over the last several decades. More specifically, the application of conductive AFM (CAFM) techniques for failure analysis can provide a simultaneous view of the conductivity and topographic properties of the patterned features. As CMOS technology progresses to smaller and smaller devices, the benefits of CAFM techniques have become apparent [1-3]. Herein, we review several cases in which CAFM has been utilized as a fault-isolation technique to detect middle of line (MOL) and front end of line (FEOL) buried defects in 20nm technologies and beyond.

Fault Localization in Contact Level by Using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon C. Lee ◽  
J. H. Chuang
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Fault Localization ◽  
Electrical Characterization ◽  
Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Optical Electron ◽  
Defect Isolation ◽  
Voltage Contrast

Abstract As integrated circuits (IC) have become more complicated with device features shrinking into the deep sub-micron range, so the challenge of defect isolation has become more difficult. Many failure analysis (FA) techniques using optical/electron beam and scanning probe microscopy (SPM) have been developed to improve the capability of defect isolation. SPM provides topographic imaging coupled with a variety of material characterization information such as thermal, magnetic, electric, capacitance, resistance and current with nano-meter scale resolution. Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) has been widely used for electrical characterization of dielectric film and gate oxide integrity (GOI). In this work, C-AFM has been successfully employed to isolate defects in the contact level and to discriminate various contact types. The current mapping of C-AFM has the potential to identify micro-leaky contacts better than voltage contrast (VC) imaging in SEM. It also provides I/V information that is helpful to diagnose the failure mechanism by comparing I/V curves of different contact types. C-AFM is able to localize faulty contacts with pico-amp current range and to characterize failure with nano-meter scale lateral resolution. C-AFM should become an important technique for IC fault localization. FA examples of this technique will be discussed in the article.

Imaging and nanoprobing of graphene layers for interconnects by conductive atomic force microscopy

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (5S) ◽  
pp. 05EB02 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Masayuki Katagiri ◽  
Taishi Ishikura ◽  
Makoto Wada ◽  
Hisao Miyazaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Graphene Layers ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force

Switching of nanosized filaments in NiO by conductive atomic force microscopy

2012 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 064310 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Nardi ◽  
D. Deleruyelle ◽  
S. Spiga ◽  
C. Muller ◽  
B. Bouteille ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force
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