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US 7,804,068 B2Granted
Determining dopant information
AssigneeALIS Corporation
InventorJohn A. Notte, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods that include using a noble gas ion beam to determine dopant information for a sample are disclosed, the dopant information including dopant concentration in the sample, dopant location in the sample, or both.
Claims26
A method, comprising:
- using a gas field ion source to generate a noble gas ion beam;
- and
- using the noble gas ion beam to determine dopant information for a sample, the dopant information including dopant concentration as a function of a depth below a surface of the sample, the depth being measured along a direction normal to the surface of the sample,
- wherein determining dopant information comprises measuring one or more images of the sample;
- and
- wherein at least one of the one or more images is measured by orienting the ion beam so that a central axis of the ion beam forms a non-zero angle relative to the direction normal to the surface of the sample.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- combining data from at least two different images of a sample formed by exposing the sample to a noble gas ion beam,
- wherein:
- a gas field ion source is used to generate the noble gas ion beam;
- combining the data provides information including dopant concentration in the sample as a function of a depth below a surface of the sample, the depth being measured along a direction normal to the surface of the sample;
- and
- at least one of the at least two different images is measured by orienting the ion beam so that a central axis of the ion beam forms a non-zero angle relative to the direction normal to the surface of the sample.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- using a gas field ion source to generate a noble gas ion beam;
- and
- comparing reference data for a sample to an image of the sample formed by exposing the sample to the noble gas ion beam to provide information including dopant location in the sample, dopant concentration in the sample, or both,
- wherein forming the image comprises orienting the ion beam so that a central axis of the ion beam forms a non-zero angle relative to a direction normal to a surface of the sample, and then exposing the sample.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- using a gas field ion source to generate a noble gas ion beam;
- exposing a sample to the noble gas ion beam to cause scattered noble gas particles to leave a surface of the sample;
- and
- determining dopant information for the sample based on energies of the scattered noble gas particles,
- wherein:
- the dopant information comprises information about a dopant concentration as a function of a depth below a surface of the sample, the depth being measured in a direction normal to the surface of the sample;
- and
- wherein exposing the sample comprises orienting the ion beam so that a central axis of the ion beam forms a non-zero angle relative to the direction normal to the surface of the sample, and then exposing the sample to the ion beam.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- using a gas field ion source to generate a noble gas ion beam;
- exposing a sample to the noble gas ion beam to cause scattered noble gas particles to leave a surface of the sample;
- and
- determining information about a mass of dopant particles in the sample based on energies of the scattered noble gas particles, angular directions of the scattered noble gas particles, or both,
- wherein exposing the sample comprises orienting the ion beam so that a central axis of the ion beam forms a non-zero angle relative to a direction normal to the surface of the sample, and then exposing the sample to the ion beam.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.