Laboratory High-Contrast X-ray Microscopy of Copper Nanostructures
Playlist
  • X-ray microscopy
  • radiography
  • image contrast
  • nanostructure
  • physical failure analysis
  • copper interconnects
Chapter
00:14
Motivation: High-Contrast Imaging of Failure in Cu Interconnects
01:32
Transmission X-ray Microscopy Setup
02:13
Siemens Star Test Pattern Image
02:41
Application in Icroelectronics: Cu/low-k Interconnect Stack of Advanced Integrated Circuit (IC)
03:19
Applications in Microelectronics: Cu/low-k Imaging Comparison at Two Different Photon Energies
04:28
Conclusions and Outlook
Video Introduction

This video is adapted from 10.3390/nano14050448

High-resolution imaging of Cu/low-k on-chip interconnect stacks in advanced microelectronic products is demonstrated using full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM). The comparison of two lens-based laboratory X-ray microscopes that are operated at two different photon energies, 8.0 keV and 9.2 keV, shows a contrast enhancement for imaging of copper nanostructures embedded in insulating organosilicate glass of a factor of 5 if 9.2 keV photons are used. Photons with this energy (Ga-Kα radiation) are generated from a Ga-containing target of a laboratory X-ray source applying the liquid-metal-jet technology. The 5 times higher contrast compared to the use of Cu-Kα radiation (8.0 keV photon energy) from a rotating anode X-ray source is caused by the fact that the energy of the Ga-Kα emission line is slightly higher than that of the Cu-K absorption edge (9.0 keV photon energy). The use of Ga-Kα radiation is of particular advantage for imaging of copper interconnects with dimensions from several 100 nm down to several 10 nm in a Cu/SiO2 or Cu/low-k backend-of-line stack. Physical failure analysis and reliability engineering in the semiconductor industry will benefit from high-contrast X-ray images of sub-μm copper structures in microchips.

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Kutukova, K.; Lechowski, B.; Grenzer, J.; Krueger, P.; Clausner, A.; Zschech, E. Laboratory High-Contrast X-ray Microscopy of Copper Nanostructures. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/video/video_detail/1311 (accessed on 07 December 2024).
Kutukova K, Lechowski B, Grenzer J, Krueger P, Clausner A, Zschech E. Laboratory High-Contrast X-ray Microscopy of Copper Nanostructures. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/video/video_detail/1311. Accessed December 07, 2024.
Kutukova, Kristina, Bartlomiej Lechowski, Joerg Grenzer, Peter Krueger, André Clausner, Ehrenfried Zschech. "Laboratory High-Contrast X-ray Microscopy of Copper Nanostructures" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/video/video_detail/1311 (accessed December 07, 2024).
Kutukova, K., Lechowski, B., Grenzer, J., Krueger, P., Clausner, A., & Zschech, E. (2024, July 09). Laboratory High-Contrast X-ray Microscopy of Copper Nanostructures. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/video/video_detail/1311
Kutukova, Kristina, et al. "Laboratory High-Contrast X-ray Microscopy of Copper Nanostructures." Encyclopedia. Web. 09 July, 2024.
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