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Updated: Jun 30, 2026
11:14
Comprehensive Characterization of Extended Defects in Semiconductor Materials by a Scanning Electron Microscope
Published on: May 28, 2016
In operando imaging of the space-charge region in a 4H-SiC MOSCAP using STEM-EBIC.
Eoin Moynihan1, Arne Renz2, Akif Yildirim2
1Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Journal of Microscopy
|June 29, 2026
Summary
Scanning electron microscopy with electron beam induced current (STEM-EBIC) allows in situ electrical characterization of nanoscale devices. This study demonstrates controlling sample charging and mapping electric fields in 4H-SiC capacitors under bias.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Characterizing nanoscale devices requires advanced in situ techniques.
- Traditional methods like post-failure dissection limit understanding of device operation.
- Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy with Electron Beam Induced Current (STEM-EBIC) offers a promising in situ approach.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reproducible methodologies for in situ biasing Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
- To investigate the effects of electron beam interactions and variable bias on device behavior.
- To enable visualization of electric fields in operando devices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized in situ biasing electron microscopy, specifically STEM-EBIC.
- Controlled sample charging by manipulating scan direction.
- Applied variable bias to a metal/oxide/semiconductor 4H-SiC capacitor.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that sample charging in STEM-EBIC is influenced by scan direction, impacting data interpretation.
- Successfully mapped local electric field changes in a 4H-SiC capacitor.
- Visualized the transition between accumulation and depletion regimes.
Conclusions:
- STEM-EBIC is a viable technique for in situ characterization of nanoscale devices and interfaces.
- Understanding electron beam-sample interactions is crucial for accurate STEM-EBIC analysis.
- This method allows for direct observation of device physics under operational bias.
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