Abstract
We have adapted differential interference contrast Nomarski microscopy in the transmission configuration to the problem of mapping subsurface defects in semiconductors. We have demonstrated the ability to rapidly measure the depth of the precipitate-free-zone in silicon with a reproducibility of ±1 μm in whole Si wafers up to 200 nm in diameter, having an extrinsic doping concentration up to 7×1019 cm−3 and a nominal, as received, back side roughness. Because our subsurface defect profiler is completely non-destructive, product wafers can be inspected at various stages of processing and immediately returned to the production line.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
H.E. Buckley: Crystal Growth (Wiley, New York 1951)
W.K. Tice, T.Y. Tan: Appl. Phys. Lett. 28, 564 (1976)
T.Y. Tan, E.E. Gardner, W.K. Tice: Appl. Phys. Lett. 30, 175 (1977)
W.J. Taylor, T.Y. Tan, U.M. Gösele: Appl. Phys. Lett. 59, 2007 (1991)
N. Nakuda, J. Lagowski, H.C. Gatos, C.-J. Li: Appl. Phys. Lett. 46, 673 (1985)
F. Shimura, R.S. Hockett, D.A. Reed, H.D. Wayne: Appl. Phys. Lett. 47, 794 (1985)
P.F. Kane, G.B. Larrabee: Characterization of Semiconductor Materials (McGraw-Hill, New York 1979)
K.H. Yang: A Preferential Etch for Silicon Crystals, In Semiconductor Processing, ASTM STP 850, Ed. by D.C. Gupta (American Society for Testing and Materials 1984)
M.G. Nomarski: J. Phys. Radium 16, 9S (1955)
J.S. Batchelder, M.A. Taubenblatt: Appl. Phys. Lett. 55, 215 (1989)
R.W. Boyd: J. Opt. Soc. Am. 70, 877 (1980)
K. Jain, S. Lai, M.V. Klein: Phys. Rev. B 13, 5448 (1967)
W. Spitzer, H.Y. Fan: Phys. Rev. 108, 258 (1957)
H.Y. Fan, M. Becker: Infrared Optical Properties of Silicon and Germanium, In Semiconducting Materials, Ed. by H.K. Henisch (Butterworth, London 1951)
The heating cycle used to cause full precipitation of the oxygenrich CZ sample shown in Fig. 1 is as follows: hold at 800° C in O2 for 3 h and in N2 for 4 h; heat to 1000° C at 5° C/min in N2 and hold at 1000° C for 4 h; cool to 800° C at 3° C/min in N2 and hold at 800° C for 4 h; cool to room temperature at 3° C/min
At normal incidence the ratio of apparent depth to true depth in a medium with index of refraction n is 1/n. This is taken into account in the depth scale in Fig. 1
See, for example, A. Bourret: Oxygen Aggregation in Silicon, In 13th International Conference on Defects in Semiconductors, Ed. by L.C. Kimerling, J.M. Parsey, Jr. (The Metallurgical Society of AIME, Warrendale, Pennsylvania 1985) V. 14a, p. 129
Amnon Yariv: Quantum Electronics, 2nd edn. (Wiley, New York 1975), p. 109
H.H. Li: J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 9, 561 (1980)
P.S. Theocaris, E.E. Gdoutos: Matrix Theory of Photoelasticity (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1979) p. 105
J.F. Nye: Physical Properties of Crystals (Pergamon, Oxford 1970) p. 665
C.W. Higginbothan, M. Cardona, F.H. Pollak: Phys. Rev. 184, 821 (1969)
A.G. Cullis, P.D. Augustus, D.J. Stirlaand: J. Appl. Phys. 51, 2556 (1980)
J.P. Cornier, M. Duseaux, J.P. Chevalier: Appl. Phys. Lett. 45, 1105 (1984)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Guidotti, D., Taubenblatt, M.A., Batchelder, S.J. et al. Non-intrusive mapping of subsurface defects in semiconductors. Appl. Phys. A 55, 139–143 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00334212
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00334212