Monte Carlo simulation of topographic contrast in scanning ion microscope

Topographic contrast of secondary-electron (SE) images in a scanning ion microscope (SIM) using a focused gallium (Ga) ion beam is investigated by Monte Carlo simulation. The SE yield of heavy materials, in particular, due to the impact of 30 keV Ga ions increases much faster than for the impact of electrons at < or =10 keV as a function of the angle of incidence of the primary beam. This indicates the topographic contrast for heavy materials is clearer in a SIM image than in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image; for light materials both contrasts are similar to each other. Semicircular rods with different radii and steps with large heights and a small wall angle, made of Si and Au, are modeled for comparison with SE images in SEM. Line profiles of the SE intensity and pseudo-images constructed from the profiles reveal some differences of the topographic contrast between SIM and SEM. We discuss not only the incident-angle effect on the contrast, but also the effects of re-entrances of primary particles and SEs to the neighboring surface, the effect of a sharp edge on the sample surface, and the effects of pattern size and beam size.