Method and apparatus for analyzing the internal chemistry and compositional variations of materials and devices
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorLawrence L. Kazmerski
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for obtaining and mapping chemical compositional data for solid devices. It includes a SIMS mass analyzer or similar system capable of being rastered over a surface of the solid to sample the material at a pattern of selected points, as the surface is being eroded away by sputtering or a similar process. The data for each point sampled in a volume of the solid is digitally processed and indexed by element or molecule type, exact spacial location within the volume, and the concentration levels of the detected element or molecule types. This data can then be recalled and displayed for any desired planar view in the volume.
Claims19
The method of determining and analyzing the chemical and compositional structure of solid devices, comprising the steps of:
- eroding a three-dimensional volume of the device in a predetermined erosion area and through a predetermined depth;
- during the eroding process, sampling and determining the types and concentrations of materials being eroded from individual ones of a plurality of points being simultaneously eroded from the surface area of the volume being eroded, and recording the types and concentrations of materials sampled at each such point along with the location of each such point in relation to the other points sampled in a manner that corresponds with their relative locations to each other in the three-dimensional volume;
- and
- displaying on a visual medium the types and concentrations of materials from the sampled points in any selected plane of analysis through the volume in such a manner that the types and concentrations of materials for each such point are displayed in relative locations to the types and concentrations of materials for the other points displayed corresponding to their relative locations in the three-dimensional volume.
Apparatus for determining and analyzing the chemical and compositional structure of solid devices, comprising:
- material removal means for gradually removing the material composition from a selected three-dimensional volume of the device;
- material determining means for determining the chemical types and concentrations of various materials removed from selected individual ones of a plurality of points being simultaneously removed the three-dimensional volume;
- recording means for recording the types and concentrations of the various materials removed from each of the selected points in conjunction with the location of each of such selected points in relation to the other selected points in a manner that corresponds with their relative locations to each other in the three-dimensional volume;
- and
- display means for displaying simultaneously the types and concentrations of the various materials removed from selected combinations of points in the volume in such a manner that the types and concentrations of materials for each such points are displayed in the relative locations to the types and concentrations of materials for the other points displayed corresponding to their relative locations in the three dimensional volume.
Apparatus for determining and analyzing the chemical and compositional structure of solid devices, comprising:
- sputtering means for eroding the material composition from a selected volume of the device;
- secondary ion mass spectrometer means for determining the chemical types and concentrations of various materials eroded from various selected points in the volume, said secondary ion mass spectrometer means including collection means positioned adjacent the eroding surface of the selected volume for collecting and routing into said secondary ion mass spectrometer means the materials sputtered from any selected point on an exposed surface of said volume for determination by secondary ion mass spectrometry of the chemical type and concentration of the materials sputtered from the selected point;
- raster means connected to said collection means for selecting sequential points of collection by rastering the collection means in selected increments of space and time over the exposed surface of the volume simultaneously with operation of the sputtering means;
- recording means for recording the types and concentrations of the various materials removed from the selected points in conjunction with the location of each of such points;
- and
- display means for displaying simultaneously the types and concentrations of the various materials removed from selected combinations of points in the volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.