# US 11,501,951 B1 · X-ray imaging in cross-section using un-cut lamella with background material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,501,951 B1 - Document ID: US11501951B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/320,526 - Filed: 2021-05-14 - Published: 2022-11-17 - Granted: 2022-11-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-14 - Assignees: Applied Materials Israel Ltd. - Applicants: Applied Materials Israel Ltd. - Inventors: Yehuda Zur; Alon Litman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11501951B1 ## CPC - H01J 37/244: Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - G01N 23/2202: Preparing specimens therefor - G01N 23/2251: using incident electron beams, e.g. scanning electron microscopy [SEM] - G01N 23/2252: Measuring emitted X-rays, e.g. electron probe microanalysis [EPMA] - H01J 37/222: {Image processing arrangements associated with the tube} - G01N 2223/079: incident electron beam and measuring excited X-rays - G01N 2223/401: image processing - G01N 2223/6116: semiconductor wafer - H01J 2237/2445: Photon detectors for X-rays, light, e.g. photomultipliers - H01J 2237/2561: electron - H01J 2237/2807: X-rays - H01J 2237/31745: for preparing specimen to be viewed in microscopes or analyzed in microanalysers - H01J 2237/31749: Focused ion beam - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A method of performing x-ray spectroscopy material analysis of a region of interest within a cross-section of a sample using an evaluation system that includes a focused ion beam (FIB) column, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column, and an x-ray detector, including: forming a lamella having first and second opposing side surfaces in the sample by milling, with the FIB column, first and second trenches in the sample to expose the first and second sides surface of the lamella, respectively; depositing background material in the second trench, wherein the background material is selected such that the background material does not include any chemical elements that are expected to be within the region of interest of the sample; generating a charged particle beam with the SEM column and scanning the charged particle beam across a region of interest on the first side surface of the lamella such that the charged particle beam collides with the first side surface of the lamella at a non-vertical angle; and detecting x-rays generated while the region of interest is scanned by the charged particle beam. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of performing x-ray spectroscopy material analysis of a region of interest within a cross-section of a sample using an evaluation system that includes a focused ion beam (FIB) column, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column, and an x-ray detector, the method comprising: forming a lamella having first and second opposing side surfaces in the sample by milling, with the FIB column, first and second trenches in the sample to expose the first and second sides surface of the lamella, respectively; depositing background material in the second trench, wherein the background material is selected such that the background material does not include any chemical elements that are expected to be within the region of interest of the sample; generating a charged particle beam with the SEM column and scanning the charged particle beam across a region of interest on the first side surface of the lamella such that the charged particle beam collides with the first side surface of the lamella at a non-vertical angle; and detecting x-rays generated while the region of interest is scanned by the charged particle beam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a two-dimensional image of the scanned region of interest based on the detected x-rays. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second side surfaces of the lamella are substantially vertical and the charged particle beam is scanned across a region of interest on the substantially vertical first side surface of the lamella. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the background material is deposited within the trench at a level below an area of interaction between the scanned charged particle beam and the lamella. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the SEM column and FIB column are part of a SEM-FIB evaluation tool. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the charged particle beam is directed to collide with the first surface of the lamella at a 45 degree angle to the first surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the sample comprises a semiconductor wafer. ### Claim 8 A system for evaluating a region of a sample, the system comprising: a vacuum chamber; a sample support configured to hold a sample within the vacuum chamber during a sample evaluation process; a focused ion beam (FIB) column configured to direct a charged particle beam into the vacuum chamber toward the sample; a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column configured to direct a charged particle beam into the vacuum chamber toward the sample; a detector configured to detect x-rays generated from the collision between the charged particle beam and the sample; and a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including a plurality of computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: form a lamella having first and second opposing side surfaces in the sample by milling, with the FIB column, first and second trenches in the sample to expose the first and second sides surface of the lamella, respectively; deposit background material in the second trench, wherein the background material is selected such that the background material does not include any chemical elements that are expected to be within the region of interest of the sample; generate a charged particle beam with the SEM column and scan the charged particle beam across a region of interest on the first side surface of the lamella such that the charged particle beam collides with the first side surface of the lamella at a non-vertical angle; and detect x-rays generated while the region of interest is scanned by the charged particle beam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system according to claim 8 further comprising generating a two-dimensional image of the scanned region of interest based on the detected x-rays. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second side surfaces of the lamella are substantially vertical and the charged particle beam is scanned across a region of interest on the substantially vertical first side surface of the lamella. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system according to claim 8 wherein the background material is deposited within the trench at a level below an area of interaction between the scanned charged particle beam and the lamella. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system according to claim 8 wherein the SEM column and FIB column are part of a SEM-FIB evaluation tool. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system according to claim 8 wherein the charged particle beam is directed to collide with the first surface of the lamella at a 45 degree angle to the first surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system according to claim 8 wherein the sample comprises a semiconductor wafer. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores a plurality of computer-readable instructions for evaluating a region of a sample by: forming a lamella having first and second opposing side surfaces in the sample by milling, with the FIB column, first and second trenches in the sample to expose the first and second sides surface of the lamella, respectively; depositing background material in the second trench, wherein the background material is selected such that the background material does not include any chemical elements that are expected to be within the region of interest of the sample; generating a charged particle beam with the SEM column and scanning the charged particle beam across a region of interest on the first side surface of the lamella such that the charged particle beam collides with the first side surface of the lamella at a non-vertical angle; and detecting x-rays generated while the region of interest is scanned by the charged particle beam. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable memory set forth in claim 15 wherein the computer-readable instructions for evaluating a region of a sample further comprise instructions for generating a two-dimensional image of the scanned region of interest based on the detected x-rays. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable memory set forth in claim 15 the first and second side surfaces of the lamella are substantially vertical and the charged particle beam is scanned across a region of interest on the substantially vertical first side surface of the lamella. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable memory set forth in claim 15 the background material is deposited within the trench at a level below an area of interaction between the scanned charged particle beam and the lamella. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing the background material in the first trench prior to scanning the charged particle beam across the region of interest. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable memory set forth in claim 15 the charged particle beam is directed to collide with the first surface of the lamella at a 45 degree angle to the first surface.