Focused ion beam lithography method with sample inspection through oblique angle tilt
AssigneeSeiko Instruments Inc.
InventorToshiaki Fujii
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Abstract
A method for performing a cross-sectional analysis of a sample includes steps of observing a sample surface to locate a region of a sample at which a cross-sectional analysis is to be performed, tilting a sample by a predetermined angle, directing a focused ion beam to the surface of the tilted sample, etching a region of the tilted sample, and observing the sample by analyzing particles emitted during the etching process. The angle of tilt of the sample with respect to the angle of incidence of the focused ion beam can be increased to effectively increase the resolution of the focused ion beam etching process with respect to sub-surface structure of the sample.
Claims26
A focused ion beam lithography and observation method in which a sample is processed by directing a focused ion beam to a desired region of the sample and scanned across the desired region to etch a surface of the sample so as to process a cross section of the sample and to observe the cross section, the method comprising the steps of:
- processing a desired region of the sample surface by scanning across the sample surface with the focused ion beam while tilting the sample at a first angle with respect to an incidence angle of the focused ion beam, the first angle being an oblique angle;
- and
- observing the etched region of the sample while tilting the sample at a second angle.
A focused ion beam lithography method for analyzing the vertical cross-sectional structure of a sample, comprising the steps of:
- tilting the sample at a desired oblique angle;
- directing a focused ion beam to a desired region of the sample to be etched to analyze the vertical cross-sectional structure in the desired region;
- and
- repetitively scanning the focused ion beam throughout the desired region to etch the surface of the sample with the desired cross section of the sample to be etched lastly in each scanning.
A method for performing a cross-sectional analysis of a sample, comprising the steps of:
- observing the sample surface to locate a desired region of the sample surface at which a cross-sectional analysis is to be performed;
- tilting the sample by a predetermined oblique angle after the desired region is located;
- directing a focused ion beam to the desired region of the surface of the tilted sample so that the focused ion beam has an oblique angle of incidence due to the tilt of the sample;
- etching a region of the tilted sample;
- and
- observing the sample by analyzing particles emitted in response to the focused ion beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.