NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab

F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &1

Lecture 13 SEM Techniques
Outlines:

Fundamentals of Scanning Electron Microscope

Assembled olumn of the Scanning Electron

Microscope

Electron Emission

Lens Aberrations

Specimen !reparation

Fundamentals of Scanning Electron Microscope

1" #o$ does it $or%
TEM &Transmission Electron Microscope'
a" Forms a true image of the specimen( as does the light
microscope
b" Some of the image transmitted through the specimen( $hile
some is absorbed b) the specimen"
SEM &Scanning Electron Microscope'
a" *oes not produce a true image of the specimen"
b" !roduces a point+b)+point reconstruction of the specimen(
similar to the T,"
c" Signal emitted from the specimen $hen it is illuminated b)
the high+energ) electron beam &secondar) electron( -+-.
nm into specimen'"
d" The number of electrons escaping from a pi/el is
determined b) the topograph) of the specimen surface and
the atomic number of the elements" &0ougher surface and
higher atomic number elements produce more electrons'
e" 3+- nanometers is the minimum diameter of the electron
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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beam that still has enough electrons to produce an image"
f" *epth of focus about -.. times greater than a light
microscope( because of 1er) narro$ electron beam that
illuminates the specimen"
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &!
2" Modern SEM
a" *e1elopment of SEM began in 133- b) Ma/ 4noll at the
Technical 5ni1ersit) in 6erlin"
b" 7ncluding the follo$ing sub+s)stems:
Electron gun( Electron Lenses( Lens aberrations and
stigmators( *etector( image process( ,acuum s)stem( 8+ra)
detector"
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &'

Assembled olumn of the Scanning Electron

Microscope
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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1" Electron 9un
a" Field emission or thermionic emission &tungsten or
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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lanthanum he/aboride'"
b" ,acuum isolation 1al1e under the gun"
2" Anode
a" ,oltage 1aried from . to 3.(... ,( defining the
acceleration 1oltage of the electrons"
b" More electrons produce clearer image( but greater
electron penetration thus $orse resolution"
c" The higher the accelerating 1oltage( the less the electrons
affected b) the magnetic field and the further the
crosso1er point"
3" 6eam &shift and tilt' alignment
a" T$o pairs of deflector coils are placed in the column to
align the electron beam directl) o1er the optic a/is"
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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b" 9un shift
c" 9un tilt
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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:" Lenses and apertures
a" T$o condenser lenses and one ob;ecti1e lens" Each lens
usuall) has one aperture"
b" Lens used to demagnification electron beam and focus
on specimen"
*emagnification: resol1ing po$er depends on the beam
diameter<= using condenser lenses to
demagnif) electron beam" &*emagnif)
beam si>e from -. m into .".1 nm(
-.. times'
Focus: Ob;ecti1e lens is used to bring the electron beam t
o crosso1er at the specimen"
?or%ing distance: short $or%ing distance produces
shallo$ depth of focus@ long $or%ing distance
produces deep depth of field"
c" *esign of the ob;ecti1e lens
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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d" urrent in electron beam: The condenser lenses in
combination $ith the aperture in the probe+forming lens
determines the current in the final probe spot stri%ing
the specimen" Stronger condenser lens( greater the
demagnification( and less electron current" Minimum
current need for detection: 1.
+12
A"
-" Focusing
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A" Apertures
a" A hole in a nonmagnetic refractor) metal &gold( sil1er(
platinum( or mol)bdenum'
b" T$o t)pes: thic% aperture strips or discs and thin foil
apertures
Thic% aperture strips or discs: 1..+-.. m for
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &11
condenser lens apertures( and 1.+A.m for ob;ecti1e
lens" ontamination is the ma;or problem@ from the gas
adhere to aperture b) charge( causing astigmation"
Thin foil apertures: ."- m thic% gold foil $ith hole"
B" Ob;ecti1e Stigmator
a" To correct for astigmatism of the beam b) magnetic
field"
C" Scanning coil
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Electron Emission
1" T)pes
a" Thermionic emission &b) heat'
b" #igh+field emission or field emission &b) strong
electrical field'
c" Electromagnetic radiation &photoelectric emission'
d" Atomic particles &secondar) emission'
Onl) a" and b" are used for electron microscopes"
e" ?or% function : the potential in 1olts that must be
o1ercome for the electron to escape the surface of the
metal( depending on atomic radius( cr)stal spacing(
te/ture of the metal surface( and cleanliness"
f" The larger atom( larger cr)stal space( rougher surface(
and cleaner surface gi1e lo$er $or% function( thus the
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greater the emission of electrons"
2" Thermionic emission
a" 5sing heat to raise the energ) of electrons
b" 0equirement of materials for thermionic emitters: sufficient
lo$ $or% function( high melting point( stable at high
temperatures( long operation life &less e1aporation'(
economical"
c" ?or% function for tungsten: :"- e,"
d" Tungsten suffering from poisoning from $ater 1apor and
electronegati1e gases &such as o/)gen'
e" *irection heating: current( indirect heating: cathode heated
b) outside source"
3" Electron guns
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a" Tungsten cathode is a $ire about 1.. m in radius( and
heated b) 2"- A at 1 , gi1ing about 2B..4" Ape/ of the ,
becomes the hottest part and the effecti1e electron source"
b" ?ehnelt c)linder pro1ides electrostatic field to help on focus
the electron beam"
c" Anode usuall) set as ground to pre1ent shorting"
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d" Operation of self+biased gun
&1'" Emission of electrons occurs primaril) form the hot
filament tip" Little ?ehnelt 1oltage( electron beam pass
through anode and do$n to specimen( and the elongated spot
representing the image of the filament"
&2'" Tip and the area of the rear ha1e been heated@ ?ehnelt
c)linder has moderate 1oltage( forcing electron a$a) and
producing a cloud of beam electrons" 6eam spot is still the
image of the filament" &entral spot surrounded b)
uncompleted ring'
&3'" Saturation point &tungsten filament at 2B..4'( $here an
increase in filament heating current results in increased
electron emission but does not result in an increase in beam
current" Space charge of the electron cloud is strong and the
electron beam formed is onl) from the cloud instead of
directl) from the surface of the filament"
&:'" 6eam current is not increased b) increasing the filament
heating current" The increased negati1e bias of the ?ehnelt
c)linder forces a greater portion of the electrons bac% onto
the tungsten filament"
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &1(
e" False Saturation pea%s
As the filament heating current is increased( peripheral parts
of the filament reach the saturation emission temperature
before other areas( gi1ing false pea%"
f" *istance bet$een the tungsten athode and the ?ehnelt
)linder:
?hen the tungsten filament is close to the aperture of the
?ehnelt )linder( a large number of electrons are pulled
from the accumulated electron cloud in front of the filament
to produce a bright beam $ith a high beam current( thus a
high filament heating current is needed to produce a
saturated beam current"
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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g" Failure of the tungsten filament
:" Lanthanum #e/aboride &La6
A
' cathode
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F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &18
a" La6
A
cathodes ha1e the ad1antage of a long life of producing
an electron beam $ith brightness -+1. times higher than
tungsten filament" Lo$ $or% function &2": e,'"
b" *isad1antages: e/pansi1e( need high 1acuum to pre1ent
poisoning"
c" Operating at 2..4( 1.. times brighter"
Field Emission
d" Electron emission occurs $hen a cold metal surface in a
1acuum is sub;ected to an electron+accelerating field on the
order of 1.
C
,DcmEfield emission"
e" 7t is independent of temperature( and emission current
increases $ith the increase of the field follo$ an e/ponential
la$"
f" urrent densities are about 1.
A
ADcm
2
for a field emission
source( compared to 1. ADcm
2
for a thermionic tungsten
source"
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &1*
g" Smaller beam si>e can be produced( thus increase resolution"
cm V
nm
V
R
V
Radius
Volts
Field $ 10 %
50
1000
8
= = = =

Lens Aberrations
1" Spherical Aberration
a" Light ra)s or electrons that pass through the center of the
lens con1erge at a focal point that is farther from the lens
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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$hen compared to the focal point of those light ra)s or
electrons that pass closer to the edge of the lens"
b" 7n electromagnetic lenses( the strength of the magnetic field
decreases as the distance from the $indings of the
electromagnetic lens increases"
c" Spherical aberration is proportional to the third po$er of
the aperture angle( so introduce aperture in the electron
path to limit spherical aberration"
d" *ecrease focal length also reduce spherical aberration"
2" hromatic Aberration
a" Occurs $hen lenses deflect light ra)s or electrons of
different $a1elengths to different degrees"
b" 7n electron lenses( electrons $ith different 1elocities enter
the lenses at the same place and are bent to different focal
points" *ue to three factors: &1' 1ariation in the emission
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1elocit) of the electrons as the) lea1e the electron gun" &Fot
1er) important' &2' ,ariation in the accelerating 1oltage &3'
1ariation in lens currents"
3" Astigmatism
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
F. G. Tsen Lec1!" Fa##$%001" &%%
a" Astigmatism is the inabilit) of a lens to bring ra)s of light or
electrons to a point( and is the most important factor
limiting resolution in electron optical s)stem comprising
ob;ecti1e lens"
b" The cross section of electron beam becomes elliptical( not
circular( $hen the short a/is of the cross section is sub;ected
to a stronger electrostatic or magnetic field in the lens"
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c" 0easons: &1'" Fons)mmetrical fields in electron lenses( &2'"
*irt) aperture or lenses"
d" Stigmators:
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Specimen !reparation
1" *r) specimens
lean surface( coating the specimen $ith a 1.+2. nm la)er of a
metal to reduce charging problem"
2" Specimens containing 1olatile components
NTHU ESS5810 Advance Micro System Fabrication and Lab
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+e,erences-
1. +obert Ed.ard Lee" /Scannin E#ectron Microsco&y and 01+ay Microana#ysis2"
3T+ 3rentice Ha##" Ne. 4ersey" USA" 1**!.
%. " /2" " 1**8.