Electron-Beam X-Ray Modeling for Nondestructive Structural Profiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for profiling three-dimensional structures in specimens are destructive and not suitable for high-volume manufacturing, necessitating the development of non-destructive methods for characterizing internal structures in semiconductor components.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an electron beam source to project e-beams at varying energies, an X-ray detector to sense emitted X-rays, and processing circuitry to extract key features and estimate structural parameters based on ground truth data from reference specimens, enabling non-destructive three-dimensional characterization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If destructive techniques (extraction of lamellas or slicing) are used for profiling specimens, then measurement precision of internal structures is improved, but the specimen is damaged and cannot be used for high-volume manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical destructive techniques (extraction of lamellas or slicing with TEM) with non-destructive X-ray based profiling. The system uses an electron beam source to generate characteristic X-rays that penetrate the specimen, allowing three-dimensional internal structure characterization without physical damage to the specimen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces X-ray measurements as an intermediary between the electron beam and the specimen structure. By measuring characteristic X-rays emitted from the specimen in response to electron beam irradiation, the system obtains structural information without direct mechanical contact or destruction of the specimen.
2Productivity
If non-destructive X-ray techniques are developed for high-volume manufacturing, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision and accuracy of structural parameters must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurements on ground truth specimens with known structural parameters before measuring production specimens. This creates a reference dataset that enables accurate estimation of structural parameters from X-ray measurements, ensuring measurement precision is maintained while enabling high-volume manufacturing throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from ground truth measurements to calibrate and validate the X-ray profiling technique. By comparing X-ray derived structural parameters with actual measurements from ground truth specimens, the system continuously improves measurement accuracy while maintaining high productivity for production specimens.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate estimation of structural parameters without damaging the specimen, facilitating high-volume manufacturing by using X-ray measurements and modeling techniques.
Implementation Method 1
an electron beam (e-beam) source for projecting e-beams at one or more e-beam landing energies on a specimen being tested
Implementation Method 2
an X-ray detector for sensing X-rays emitted from the tested specimen
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a system for non-destructive characterization of specimens. The system includes an electron beam (e-beam) source for projecting e-beams at one or more e-beam landing energies on a specimen; an X-ray detector for sensing X-rays emitted from the specimen, thereby obtaining measurement data; and a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to: (i) extract from the measurement data key features specified by a vector {right arrow over (ƒ)}key; and (ii) estimate values {right arrow over (p)} of one or more structural parameters characterizing the specimen, based on {right arrow over (ƒ)}key and a set of vectors of key features {{right arrow over (ƒ)}n}n=1N of ground truth (GT) reference specimens. Each of the {right arrow over (ƒ)}n is a product of measurements of emission of X-rays from a reference specimen due to impinging thereof with e-beams at each of the one or more landing energies.