Specific Process Knowledge/Characterization/SEM: Scanning Electron Microscopy

The Leo SEM

The FEI SEM

The Jeol SEM is located outside the cleanroom in the basement

Scanning electron microscopy at Danchip

The four SEM's at Danchip cover a wide range of needs both in the cleanroom and outside: From the fast in-process verification of different process parameters such as etch rates, step coverages or lift-off quality to the ultra high resolution images on any type of sample intended for publication.

The 'workhorse' SEM that will cover most users needs is the Leo SEM. It is a very reliable and rugged instrument that provides high quality images of most samples. Excellent images on a large variety of materials such as semiconductors, semiconductor oxides or nitrides, metals, thin films and some polymers may be acquired on the Leo SEM. As such, we prefer that new users that have no prior SEM experience get trained on the Leo SEM before they start using the FEI or Zeiss.

The Zeiss SEM is the newest SEM in the cleanroom. It's a state-of-the-art SEM that will produce excellent images on almost any sample. Operated by the same user interface as the Leo, it is quite straight forward to change between the two instruments.

The FEI SEM was acquired to cope with the growing need for polymer related imaging. It is a versatile microscope with two vacuum modes (High Vacuum and Low Vacuum) and 6 different detectors, offering excellent resolution on any type of sample or material. This great performance, however, requires a skilled operator that knows how to achieve it. Also, we have learned that the high degree of sophistication and the great number of detectors make it much less robust compared to the other SEM's. It is therefore the intention that only users with special needs (for instance thick polymers, glass substrates or EDX/micromanipulator experiments) that will be trained. Furthermore, the instrument is equipped with a Oxford Inca EDX system and a Kleindiek micromanipulator with a Capres 4 point probe.

Outside the cleanroom in the basement of building 347, the Jeol SEM provides a possibilty of imaging samples that do not go into the cleanroom.

The user manuals, quality control procedures and results, user APVs, technical information and contact information can be found in LabManager:

• The SEM Leo page in LabManager,
• The SEM FEI page in LabManager,
• The SEM Zeiss page in LabManager,
• The SEM Jeol page in LabManager,

Process information

• SEMming

Equipment performance and process related parameters

Equipment		SEM Leo	SEM Zeiss	SEM FEI	SEM Jeol
Purpose	Imaging	leo	All samples	All samples Bulk insulators such as polymer-, glass or quartz wafers	Samples from the real world
Performance	Resolution	~ 5 nanometers (limited by vibrations)	1-2 nm (limited by vibrations)	1-2 nm (limited by vibrations)	20 nm (limited by instrument)
	Optimum usage	Imaging of any	zeiss	fei	jeol
Process parameter range	Detectors	Secondary electron (Se2) Inlens secondary electron (Inlens) Backscatter electron (QBSD)	Secondary electron (Se2) Inlens secondary electron (Inlens) Backscatter electron (QBSD) Variable pressure secondary electron (VPSE)	Secondary electron (ETD) Inlens secondary electron (TLD) Backscatter electron (BSD) Variable pressure secondary electron (LVD) High resolution varable pressure secondary (Helix)	Secondary electron (SEI) Backscatter electron (BEI)
	Stage	X, Y: 125*100 mm T: 0 to 90o R: 360o Z: 48 mm	X, Y: 130*130 mm T: -4 to 70o R: 360o Z: 50 mm	X, Y: 150*150 mm T: -10 to 60o R: 360o Z: 10 mm	X, Y: 73*40 mm T: -10 to 90o R: 360o Z: 38 mm
	Electron source	FEG (Field Emission Gun) source	FEG (Field Emission Gun) source	FEG (Field Emission Gun) source	Tungsten filament
	Operating pressures	High vacuum (2*10-5mbar - 10-6mbar)	High vacuum (2*10-4mbar - 10-6mbar) Low vacuum (0.1 mbar-2 mbar)	High vacuum (2*10-4mbar - 10-6mbar) Low vacuum (0.1 mbar-2 mbar)	High vacuum
Substrates	Sample sizes	X, Y, Z, R and T	Up to 6" wafer with full view	Up to 6" wafer with full view A 12" wafer holder has been made but it requires special training	Up to 4" wafer
	Allowed materials	Leo	Zeiss	FEI	Jeol

	SEM - Zeiss	SEM - FEI	SEM - Leo	SEM - Jeol
Model	Zeiss Supra 55 VP	FEI Nova 600 NanoSEM	Leo 1550 SEM	Jeol JSM 5500 LV SEM
Electron emitter type	FEG (Field Emission Gun)	FEG (Field Emission Gun)	FEG (Field Emission Gun)	Tungsten filament
Vacuum modes		High vacuum (>2*10$^{-4}$mbar) and Low vacuum (0.1-1.9 mbar)	High vacuum (>2*10$^{-5}$mbar)	High vacuum and Low vacuum
Detectors		High and Low vacuum detectors of SE and BSE electrons, HiVac Inlens SE detector and high resolution Low vacuum detector	SE, Inlens SE and BSE detectors	High vacuum SE and BSE detector
Substrate size		Up to 6" wafer with full view	Up to 6" wafer with 4" full view	Up to 4" wafer with full view
Additional equipment		Kleindiek micromanipulator with Capres 4 point probe
Best obtainable lateral resolution (strongly dependent on user skills and sample type)		Down to 1-2 nm (Limiting factor: Beam)	Down to 10 nm (Limiting factor: Vibrations)	Down to 20-30 nm (Limiting factor: Vibrations)
General availability		Good	Poor	Excellent
Ease of use		A sophisticated user interface with many features and many different detectors: Complicated	A simple user interface with joystick and a limited number of detectors: Relatively simple	A simple user interface with joystick with one detector: Very simple
User level access		Only experienced SEM users, masters/Ph.D students with special needs will be trained	Any cleanroom user	Any cleanroom user
Best usage		High resolution imaging of any sample	High resolution imaging of any non-polymer sample	Fast in-process imaging
EDX analysis		Oxford Inca system	Röntec system	Not available