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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
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All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
Published on: January 19, 2018
3-D analysis of semiconductor dopant distributions in a patterned structure using LEAP.
J S Moore1, K S Jones, H Kennel
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, P.O. Box 116130, 525 Engineering Builing, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. jsm200@ufl.edu
Ultramicroscopy
|November 23, 2007
Summary
This study uses 3-D atom probe tomography to analyze dopant diffusion in patterned silicon. Experimental results confirm 3-D process simulations, advancing semiconductor device analysis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Semiconductor Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Understanding dopant diffusion in patterned semiconductor structures is critical for advanced device fabrication.
- Previous analyses often relied on 1-D or 2-D methods, limiting insights into complex 3-D diffusion profiles.
- Accurate simulation of dopant profiles requires experimental validation at the nanoscale.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform the first 3-D analysis of lateral dopant diffusion in a patterned structure.
- To validate 3-D process simulation results using experimental data from a single sample.
- To compare atom probe tomography results with high-resolution microscopy and process simulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized pulsed laser-assisted local electrode atom probe (LEAP) for 3-D dopant analysis.
- Fabricated a patterned poly-Si test structure with specific arsenic ion implantation and annealing conditions.
- Employed site-selective in-situ focused ion beam (FIB) for sample preparation.
- Correlated LEAP data with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and FLOOPS process simulations.
Main Results:
- Achieved good structural agreement between LEAP and HRTEM analyses.
- Demonstrated that 1-D arsenic concentration profiles from LEAP data align well with FLOOPS simulations.
- Provided the first experimental confirmation of 3-D process simulator results using a single sample.
Conclusions:
- Pulsed laser-assisted local electrode atom probe is a powerful technique for 3-D dopant diffusion analysis in patterned structures.
- Experimental validation of 3-D process simulations is now achievable with high fidelity.
- This work sets a new standard for correlating simulation and experimental data in semiconductor research.
