Nuclear microprobe development and application to microelectronics

Abstract Analysis with a focused ion beam (FIB), i.e., a nuclear microprobe, has considerable advantages over conventional ion beam analysis. It facilitates the analysis of micron-sized structures. Two- or three-dimensional analysis is possible when it is combined with particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) or Rutherford backscattering (RBS). Single event upset or soft errors in semiconductor chips can be easily tested using a nuclear microprobe. Nuclear microprobes intended for application to microelectronics, in particular to semiconductor processing, are discussed with an emphasis on the minimum beam spot size and the installation size. Recent applications of nuclear microprobe analysis to semiconductor process development and the issues arising from microprobe measurement are reviewed.