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Analytical and High-Resolution TEM Characterizations for Nanoscale Fractured Interfaces in Deep-Subquarter-Micron 256MBit DRAM Devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

Wei Zhao
Wei Zhao*
Affiliation:
Department of Technology Transfer, Infineon Technologies Richmond 6000 Technology Blvd., Sandston, VA 23150, USA
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Abstract

Interfaces, contacts, and homo- or hetero-junctions are critical components in nanometer dynamic random access memory (DRAM) semiconductor devices. With shrinkage in device dimensions, interfacial analysis by TEM becomes more and more challenging, especially in the case of investigating failure mechanisms for nanoscale FRACTURED INTERFACES where electronic signatures found to be open. In this article, fractured interfaces at several C1-type contacts (a path between a Bitline and a Metal 1 interconnector) in a deep-subquarter-micron 256Mbit DRAM device were investigated by a JEOL 2010F analytical transmission electron microscope (TEM) with field-emission gun (FEG) running at 200KV. Considering the difficulty to exactly focus the fractured nano-scale interfaces at sufficiently high magnifications, high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM) and analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) coupled with x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) elemental linescan techniques were employed to provide supplemental information from difference prospects. An in-depth understanding for the nanoscale interfacial fracture mechanisms was established, and a simple model is initiated accordingly.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 738: Symposium G – Spatially Resolved Characterization of Local Phenomena in Materials and Nanostructures , 2002 , G7.15
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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References

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