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A non-destructive method for detecting sub-micrometer-sized micropipes on an entire wafer surface is investigated. Since it is difficult to detect sub-micrometer-sized micropipes due to their small core size, a non-destructively and accurately detecting method is required. To solve the issue, we focus on a characteristic depression generated around micropipes, namely, line-shaped depressions. In this paper, the location of line-shaped depressions is identified by using optical inspection, and the line-shaped depressions are distinguished whether micropipes exhibit line-shaped depression or not by using mirror electron microscope observation as high-resolution inspection. The accuracy of the distinction results is confirmed by scanning electron microscope observation, and electrical characteristics of the P–N diode are fabricated using the inspected wafer. Furthermore, the sub-micrometer-sized micropipes are observed at the sites of leakage current identified by emission microscopy. Additionally, device simulation of the blocking-voltage characteristics of P–N diodes suggests that the increase in leakage current depends on the electric field at the sub-micrometer-sized micropipes, regardless of their core size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the tendency of porous low-K dielectrics (also named Ultra Low-K, ULK) behavior to shrink when exposed to the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope. Various experimental electron beam conditions have been used for irradiating ULK thin films, and the resulting shrinkage has been measured through use of an atomic force microscope tool. We report the shrinkage to be a fast, cumulative, and dose dependent effect. Correlation of the shrinkage with incident electron beam energy loss has also been evidenced. The chemical modification of the ULK films within the interaction volume has been demonstrated, with a densification of the layer and a loss of carbon and hydrogen elements being observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) TiO2/SiO2 high reflector (HR) at 1064 nm is deposited by e-beam evaporation. The HR is characterized by optical properties, surface, and cross section structure. LIDT is tested at 1064 nm with a 12 ns laser pulse in the one-on-one mode. Raman technique and scanning electron Microscope are used to analyze the laser-induced modification of HR. The possible damage mechanism is discussed. It is found that the LIDT of HR is influenced by the nanometer precursor in the surface, the intrinsic absorption of film material, the compactness of the cross section and surface structure, and the homogeneity of TiO2 layer. Three typical damage morphologies such as flat-bottom pit, delamination, and plasma scald determine well the nanometer defect initiation mechanism. The laser-induced crystallization consists well with the thermal damage nature of HR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray studies performed during the growth of CdCO3 and MnCO3 crystals from supersaturated aqueous solutions, at fatty acid monolayer templates, reveal that the nucleates are nearly three-dimensional powders below a threshold supersaturation. However, at higher supersaturations, the crystals are preferentially oriented with the {0 1 2} direction vertical. Scanning electron microscope images of samples transferred to substrates show discrete crystals at low concentrations, while at higher concentrations the crystals self-aggregate to form linear chains and sheets. The authors speculate that preferential alignment at the organic-inorganic interface is enhanced as a consequence of oriented aggregation of crystals. The role of monolayer-ion interactions in governing the morphologies and the resulting orientation of the inorganic nucleate is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a method for charge recombination imaging in the scanning electron microscope and employ this technique to directly image the two-dimensional projection of the generation volume as a function of electron energy and probe current. Using GaAs and SiC bulk samples, we observe the lateral extent of the generation volume increasing as a function of increasing e-beam accelerating voltage, in excellent agreement with previous work. This work also reveals significant variations in minority carrier distribution within the volume for low-Z compared to the high-Z material. The roles of sample geometry and carrier diffusion are discussed. The direct imaging technique used in this work is well suited for further studies of the nature of the effective interaction region for cathodoluminescence or electron-beam induced current studies in any luminescent material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ferroelectric properties and leakage current mechanisms of preferred oriented Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 (BLT) thin films deposited on La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 by the polymeric precursor method were investigated. These films showed excellent ferroelectric properties in terms of large remnant polarization (2Pr) of 47.6 μC/cm2 and (2Ec) of 55 kV/cm, fatigue-free characteristics up to 1010 switching cycles, and a current density of 0.7 μA/cm2 at 10 kV/cm. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope investigations indicate that the deposited films exhibit a dense, well-crystallized microstructure having random orientations and with a rather smooth surface morphology. The improved ferroelectric and leakage current characteristics can be ascribed to the platelike grains of the BLT films, which make the domain walls easier to be switched under external field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron-beam-induced deposition (EBID) is a versatile micro- and nanofabrication technique based on electron-induced dissociation of metal-carrying gas molecules adsorbed on a target. EBID has the advantage of direct deposition of three-dimensional structures on almost any target geometry. This technique has occasionally been used in focused electron-beam instruments, such as scanning electron microscopes, scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM), or lithography machines. Experiments showed that the EBID spatial resolution, defined as the lateral size of a singular deposited dot or line, always exceeds the diameter of the electron beam. Until recently, no one has been able to fabricate EBID features smaller than 15–20 nm diameter, even if a 2-nm-diam electron-beam writer was used. Because of this, the prediction of EBID resolution is an intriguing problem. In this article, a procedure to theoretically estimate the EBID resolution for a given energetic electron beam, target, and gaseous precursor is described. This procedure offers the most complete approach to the EBID spatial resolution problem. An EBID model was developed based on electron interactions with the solid target and with the gaseous precursor. The spatial resolution of EBID can be influenced by many factors, of which two are quantified: the secondary electrons, suspected by almost all authors working in this field, and the delocalization of inelastic electron scattering, a poorly known effect. The results confirm the major influence played by the secondary electrons on the EBID resolution and show that the role of the delocalization of inelastic electron scattering is negligible. The model predicts that a 0.2-nm electron beam can deposit structures with minimum sizes between 0.2 and 2 nm, instead of the formerly assumed limit of 15–20 nm. The modeling results are compared with recent experimental results in which 1-nm W dots from a W(CO)6 precursor were written in a 200-kV STEM on a 30-nm SiN membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitaxial lateral overgrown (ELOG) gallium nitride (GaN) on SiC is being studied as a possible substrate for blue laser diodes. A defect density below 2.2 × 107 cm-2 in the wings, compared to 2 × 109 cm-2 in the windows, was achieved. Interaction of the overgrown GaN with the SiO2 mask causes a few degree wing tilt and a transition region of high defect density between windows and wings. Diminished PL, strong tensile stress, and a defect correlated line at around 3.4 eV emerge in this up to two-micron-wide transition region. By changing the mask material from SiO2 to SiN we were able to reduce the wing tilt drastically to below 0.7°. This eliminates the defective transition region and extends the low strain and the low defect density area of the ELOG wings. The methods used to study strain, wing tilt, and threading dislocations in the ELOG samples are microphotolmninescence (μPL), transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope. We also demonstrate the use of the faust momentum of the μPL spectra as an effective means to measure strain distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight percent of Mn was successfully diluted into nonpolar ZnO films deposited by pulsed laser deposition on single crystal (100) SrTiO3 substrates. X-ray diffraction patterns and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed high crystallinity of the films and excluded unintentional magnetic doping. A unique surface domain structure was observed by scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope, which might play a vital role to strain release induced by lattice mismatch between nonpolar (11-20) ZnO film and (100) SrTiO3 substrate. In addition, the films showed strong ferromagnetism with a large coercivity HC~180Oe at room temperature. The large magnetic moment is ascribed to carrier-mediated exchange interaction between the Mn ions, where the majority of the carriers are oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Etching the damage of a patterned media fabricated with an artificially assisted self-assembled mask is estimated. CoCrPt thin films were etched by ion milling into aligned dots with a diameter of 40 nm. The milling condition was optimized for reducing the etching damage. As a result, the damage to the crystal lattice and crystal orientation was estimated to be slight by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses. Though strong perpendicular anisotropy was induced by the patterning process, magnetic measurements and Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert simulation revealed that the magnetic anisotropy energy was almost unchanged throughout this etching process. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scanning electron microscope is becoming a popular tool to perform tasks that require positioning, manipulation, characterization, and assembly of micro-components. However, some of these applications require a higher level of performance with respect to dynamics and precision of positioning. One limiting factor is the presence of unidentified noises and disturbances. This work aims to study the influence of mechanical disturbances generated by the environment and by the microscope, identifying how these can affect elements in the vacuum chamber. To achieve this objective, a dedicated setup, including a high-resolution vibrometer, was built inside the microscope. This work led to the identification and quantification of main disturbances and noise sources acting on a scanning electron microscope. Furthermore, the effects of external acoustic excitations were analysed. Potential applications of these results include noise compensation and real-time control for high accuracy tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) three-probe scanning tunneling microscope in which each probe is capable of atomic resolution. A UHV JEOL scanning electron microscope aids in the placement of the probes on the sample. The machine also has a field ion microscope to clean, atomically image, and shape the probe tips. The machine uses bare conductive samples and tips with a home-built set of pliers for heating and loading. Automated feedback controlled tip-surface contacts allow for electrical stability and reproducibility while also greatly reducing tip and surface damage due to contact formation. The ability to register inter-tip position by imaging of a single surface feature by multiple tips is demonstrated. Four-probe material characterization is achieved by deploying two tips as fixed current probes and the third tip as a movable voltage probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Threading dislocations, stacking faults, and associated partial dislocations significantly degrade the optical and electrical properties of materials such as non-polar III-nitride semiconductor thin films. Stacking faults are generally difficult to detect and quantify with existing characterization techniques. We demonstrate the use of electron channeling contrast imaging in the scanning electron microscope to non-destructively reveal basal plane stacking faults terminated by partial dislocations in m-plane GaN and InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structures grown on γ-LiAlO2 by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a single cylinder fatigue machine adaptable to a scanning electron microscope chamber. The machine includes a node control mechanism to create a still observation node at any location on the specimen as fatigue cycling occurs, thereby allowing a point of interest to remain within view. The exceptional stability of this machine enables improved in situ study of the fatigue cracking phenomenon. For example, an in situ machine enhances the researcher’s ability to record material structural changes that precede crack nucleation and allows observation of the influences of microstructure (grain structure) on the early stages of crack propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A surface analysis system has been newly developed with combination of ultrahigh vacuum scanning electron microscope (SEM) and wide-movable scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The basic performance is experimentally demonstrated. These SEM and STM images are clear enough to obtain details of surface structures. The STM unit moves horizontally over several millimeters by sliding motion of PZT actuators. The motion resolution is proved to be submicrometers. The STM tip mounted on another PZT scanner can be guided to a specific object on the sample surface during SEM observation. In the observation of a Si(111) surface rapidly cooled from high temperature, the STM tip was accurately guided to an isolated atomic step and slightly moved along it during SEM observation. The STM observation shows an asymmetry of the (7×7)-transformed region along the step between the upper and lower terraces. (7×7) bands continuously formed along the edge of terraces, while (7×7) domains distributed on the terraces slightly far from the step. These experiments show the wide-movable STM unit resolves a gap of observation area between SEM and STM and the system enables a specific object found in the SEM image to be observed easily by STM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiple-tip ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (MTSTM) with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for imaging and molecular-beam epitaxy growth capabilities has been developed. This instrument (nanoworkbench) is used to perform four-point probe conductivity measurements at μm spatial dimension. The system is composed of four chambers, the multiple-tip STM/SEM chamber, a surface analysis and preparation chamber, a molecular-beam epitaxy chamber, and a load–lock chamber for fast transfer of samples and probes. The four chambers are interconnected by a unique transfer system based on a sample box with integrated heating and temperature-measuring capabilities. We demonstrate the operation and the performance of the nanoworkbench with STM imaging on graphite and with four-point-probe conductivity measurements on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) crystal. The creation of a local FET, whose dimension and localization are, respectively, determined by the spacing between the probes and their position on the SOI surface, is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to manufacture a carbon nanotube (CNT) tip in which the attachment angle and position of CNT were precisely adjusted, a nanomanipulator was installed inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM). A CNT tip, atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe to which a nanotube is attached, is known to be the most appropriate probe for measuring the shape of high aspect ratio. The developed nanomanipulator has two sets of modules with the degree of freedom of three-directional rectilinear motion and one-directional rotational motion at an accuracy of tens of nanometers, so it enables the manufacturing of more accurate CNT tips. The present study developed a CNT tip with the error of attachment angle less then 10° through three-dimensional operation of a multiwalled carbon nanotube and an AFM probe inside a SEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is proposed to measure the cross sections of steep-sided etched lines and similar deep surface topography on partially completed silicon integrated circuit wafers using either the backscattered electron (BSE) or the low-loss electron (LLE) image in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). These images contain regions where the collected signal is zero because there is no direct line of sight between the landing point of the electron beam on the specimen and the BSE or LLE detector. It is proposed to use the boundary of such a region in the SEM image as a geometrical line to measure the surface topography. Or alternatively, a shadow can be seen in the distribution of either BSE or LLE with an image-forming detector system. The use of this shadow position on the detector to measure deep surface topography will be demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a spin rotator for observing magnetic domains with all three magnetization components of a sample surface by spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy. Diagram showing the principle of the spin rotator; Specifications; Design considerations; Performance evaluation.

It had been shown already earlier by X-ray microanalysis that, in positions of defect-induced junction breakdown in industrial multicrystalline (mc) silicon solar cells, iron-containing precipitates may exist. However, the nature of these precipitates was unknown so far. Here, in such positions, scanning transmission electron microscopy was performed after defect-controlled focused ion beam preparation. First of all, the defect site was localized by microscopic reverse-bias electroluminescence imaging. The high accuracy of following FIB target preparation (<0.1 μm necessary) was obtained by both, electron beam-induced current imaging and secondary electron material contrast observation during the slice-by-slice milling of the TEM specimen. By nano-beam electron diffraction (NBED) and energy dispersive spectroscopy, the iron-containing precipitates were identified as α-type FeSi2 needles, about 30 nm in diameter and several μm in length. The FeSi2 needles show preferential orientation relationships to the silicon matrix and are located in terraced large-angle grain boundaries. Elaborate nano-beam electron diffraction investigation of the FeSi2 revealed orientation relationships of the precipitate to the silicon, which confirm earlier investigations on monocrystalline material. A model explaining the defect-induced breakdown mechanism due to rod-like α-FeSi2 precipitates is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optically transparent liquid marbles were made from water and glycerol drops embedded in surface-treated fumed silica nanoparticles. The mechanical robustness of such liquid marbles is shown to be greater than similar marbles made from microparticulate poly(tetrafluoroethylene), both under compressive and tensile loading conditions. Using liquid evaporation data and environmental scanning electron microscope images, we demonstrate that their robustness may be attributed to a nanoparticulate elastic thin film that self-assembles on the liquid-vapor interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline tantalum prepared through direct current magnetron sputtering exhibits a negative strain rate sensitivity behavior under nanoindentation; i.e., the hardness value of nanocrystalline tantalum decreases with increasing indentation loading rates. High resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals a beta- to alpha-phase transformation underneath the indents, suggesting that the pseudohexagonal to body-centered cubic structural transformation in nanocrystalline tantalum is likely pressure induced. Evidence of shear banding was documented along the edge of indents, consistent with the negative strain rate sensitivity observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the electrochemical growth and direct probing of near-vertical gold nanowires several micrometers long that are attached at one end to a substrate. Controllable contact is made to the wires using a straightforward tip-probe arrangement inside a scanning electron microscope. The contact allowed us to perform mechanical and electrical measurements. Through elastic nanowire buckling, we have observed dynamic low-frequency parametric pumping caused by small vibrations of the probe. A numerical simulation of the recorded motion is consistent with an estimated value of Young’s modulus of about 80 GPa, which is close to that of bulk gold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Ga2O3 nano- and microwires with diameters ranging from tens of nanometers to about one micron and lengths of up to tens of microns, have been obtained by sintering Ga2O3 powder under argon flow. The structures have been investigated by cathodoluminescence in the scanning electron microscope. The samples showed the violet-blue emission characteristic of Ga2O3 and a red emission at 1.73 eV dominant in the nanowires and other nano- and microstructures formed during the sintering treatment. At temperatures below 210 K, this band exhibits sharp peaks separated by 20 meV. This observation suggests the exchange of phonons in the recombination process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on the article "Advanced mechanical properties of graphene paper (GP)," which was published in a 2011 issue. He states that the authors of the study have concluded that field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) observation showed that the structure of GP is similar to the interlocked tiles. He mentions that the significant finding is that heat treated GP reveals very high hardness and yielding length.

Hollow BiFeO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by an electrospray route for the first time. The phase purity and structure have been investigated by x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Transmission and scanning electron microscope investigations revealed that the as-obtained BiFeO3 hollow spheres were polycrystalline, with a shell thickness of 35 nm. The formation mechanism can be possibly explained by Ostwald ripening. Raman spectra have verified decreased vibrational frequencies in BiFeO3 nanoparticles. These hollow and core-shell multiferroic nanoparticles exhibit significantly enhanced ferromagnetism from 5 to 600 K due to a broken spiral spin structure. The ferroelectricity of hollow BiFeO3 particles exhibits a lower switching electric field, which is confirmed by Kelvin probe force microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystal ZnSe films have been grown on (100) orientated GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) from a single Knudsen oven containing ZnSe compound material. The ZnSe Knudsen oven temperatures required to provide reasonable growth rates (0.15-0.33 μm/h) are in the range 950-1000 °C. ZnSe films grown at substrate temperatures around 350 °C have extremely smooth surfaces, as indicated by both reflection high-energy electron diffraction and scanning electron microscope observations. We report for the first time the observation of (1×3) surface reconstruction on ZnSe grown by MBE at substrate temperatures ≥470 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]