Enabling the Acquisition of Electron Beam-Induced Current (EBIC) Images in Conventional SEM and STEM Instruments

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Physics
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Electron beam-induced current (EBIC) imaging is a standard technique for analyzing microelectronic devices using scanning electron microscopes (SEM).
• Recent advancements enable EBIC in aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM), allowing correlation of electronic properties with atomic structure and elemental data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present practical methods for implementing EBIC imaging in conventional SEM and STEM systems.
• To describe the integration of lock-in EBIC with fast beam blankers.
• To elucidate the mechanisms influencing EBIC imaging and their dependencies.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of EBIC using inherent instrument electronics and third-party systems.
• Description of lock-in EBIC setup with fast beam blankers.
• Systematic investigation of EBIC mechanisms under varying beam energies, sample impedances, and electrical configurations.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated two distinct approaches for EBIC implementation in SEM and STEM.
• Detailed the lock-in EBIC technique for enhanced signal detection.
• Illustrated the impact of experimental parameters on EBIC signal generation and interpretation.

Conclusions:

• Provides researchers with foundational knowledge for applying EBIC in diverse electron microscopy setups.
• Highlights the potential of advanced EBIC techniques for in situ electronic material characterization.
• Offers practical insights into optimizing EBIC experiments for reliable analysis of charge transport properties.