Quantitative scanning electron microscope measurement of resistance of incomplete contact holes in ultralarge scale integrated devices

Hidetoshi Nishiyama; Mari Nozoe

doi:10.1117/1.1897388

1 April 2005 Quantitative scanning electron microscope measurement of resistance of incomplete contact holes in ultralarge scale integrated devices

Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Mari Nozoe

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS, Vol. 4, Issue 2, 023007 (April 2005). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1897388

Abstract

A method for measuring quantitative resistance of incomplete contact holes in ultralarge scale integrated devices—which uses the brightness of voltage contrast in scanning electron microscope (SEM) images—was proposed. The voltage contrast between a contact hole and the surrounding SiO₂ surface was observed by both high and low electron-beam-current SEMs and compared with the resistance of that contact hole measured by a nanoprober. The relationship between the SEM-image brightness and the contact-hole resistance was analyzed theoretically by voltage-contrast simulation based on time-differential equations. It was found that the brightness, within 0⟨log(RI_p)<3, is proportional to log(RI_p), where R is the contact resistance and I_p is the irradiating electron-beam current. It is thus concluded that resistance of incomplete contact holes can be determined quantitatively by utilizing the relationship between SEM-image brightness and the contact-hole resistance.

©(2005) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Citation Download Citation

Hidetoshi Nishiyama and Mari Nozoe "Quantitative scanning electron microscope measurement of resistance of incomplete contact holes in ultralarge scale integrated devices," Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS 4(2), 023007 (1 April 2005). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1897388

Published: 1 April 2005

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