Automatic alignment for high throughput electron channeling contrast imaging
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsStephen W. Bedell, Kunal Mukherjee, John A. Ott, Devendra K. Sadana, Brent A. Wacaser
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Abstract
An automatic method is provided to align a semiconductor crystalline substrate for electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) in regions where an electron channeling pattern cannot be reliably obtained but crystalline defects need to be imaged. The automatic semiconductor crystalline substrate alignment method is more reproducible and faster than the current operator intensive process for ECCI alignment routines. Also, the automatic semiconductor crystalline substrate alignment method increases the throughput of ECCI.
Claims20
A method for automatic alignment that increases the throughput of electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI), said method comprising:
- providing a substrate intentionally containing a plurality of spaced apart imagable ready regions capable of generating an electron channeling pattern or electron backscatter diffraction pattern surrounded by at least one device area containing a crystalline material that has a crystallographic orientation that is aligned to the material of each of said imagable ready regions;
- obtaining an image of the electron channeling pattern and/or electron backscatter diffraction pattern of each imagable ready region;
- calculating, using a first algorithm, an optimum channeling angle at each imagable ready region;
- and
- interpolating, using a second algorithm, said optimum channeling angle between and around each imagable ready region to compute the optimum channeling angle for the crystalline material present in the at least one device area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.