 | SemiconductorsRaman spectroscopy is a versatile technique for characterising semiconductor materials and devices, enabling assessment of material crystalline quality, local stress/strain, dopant/impurity levels and even temperature in operating devices on a sub-micron scale. Renishaw Raman spectrometers are the choice for a wide range of semiconductor applications, from silicon microelectronics to compound semiconductor solar cells.
The figure shows a Raman image of an M-shaped shallow trench isolation (STI), a common processing technique in microelectronics. The colour scheme maps the position of the 520 cm-1 silicon peak, with compressive and tensile stress; coloured red black respectively. For more information on this and other semiconductor applications, please download one of the application notes. Please note that document downloads require registration. Documents for download
Selected publicationsCorrelation between structural properties and performances of microcrystalline silicon solar cells (2005), P Delli Veneri et al, Thin solid films, 487, 174-178 Measurement of the state of stress in silicon with micro-Raman spectroscopy (2004), S J Harris et al, Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 96, 12, 7196-7201 Crosshatching on a SiGe film grown on a Si(001) substrate studied by Raman mapping and atomic force microscopy (2002), H Chen et al, The American Physical Society, 65, 233303-1 to 4 Raman image galleryNext stepsContact us online if you require more information or you have a pricing query, or alternatively you may like to speak directly to your local Renishaw office. |
A key issue in the rapidly evolving world of microelectronics is quality control during miniaturisation processes. One of the principal hurdles to overcome is strain-induced failure arising from lattice mismatch among different materials, different thermal expansion coefficients, sharp patterning, and device re- scaling. The ability of Raman microscopy to monitor stress, and other parameters such as surface/device temperature, make it an effective tool throughout the semiconductor device manufacturing process, starting with R&D through to the production line.
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