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Compositional characterization of nickel silicides by HAADF-STEM imaging

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Abstract

A methodology for the quantitative compositional characterization of nickel silicides by high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) imaging is presented. HAADF-STEM images of a set of nickel silicide reference samples Ni3Si, Ni31Si12, Ni2Si, NiSi and NiSi2 are taken at identical experimental conditions. The correlation between sample thickness and HAADF-STEM intensity is discussed. In order to quantify the relationship between the experimental Z-contrast intensities and the composition of the analysed layers, the ratio of the HAADF-STEM intensity to the sample thickness or to the intensity of the silicon substrate is determined for each nickel silicide reference sample. Diffraction contrast is still detected on the HAADF-STEM images, even though the detector is set at the largest possible detection angle. The influence on the quantification results of intensity fluctuations caused by diffraction contrast and channelling is examined. The methodology is applied to FUSI gate devices and to horizontal TFET devices with different nickel silicides formed on source, gate and drain. It is shown that, if the elements which are present are known, this methodology allows a fast quantitative 2-dimensional compositional analysis.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Daniele Leonelli (Imec, Leuven) for providing the TFET structures, Lars-Ake Ragnarsson (Imec, Leuven) for the FUSI structures, Jo Verbeeck (EMAT, Universiteit Antwerpen) for HAADF-STEM measurements with the JEOL 3000F microscope, Paola Favia (Imec, Leuven) for discussion on the STEM analysis and DM software, and Patricia Van Marcke (Imec, Leuven) for sample preparations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    E. Verleysen, H. Bender, O. Richard & W. Vandervorst

  2. Instituut voor Kern-en Stralingsfysica, K. U. Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    E. Verleysen & W. Vandervorst

  3. EMAT, Universiteit Antwerpen, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium

    D. Schryvers

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  1. E. Verleysen
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  2. H. Bender
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  3. O. Richard
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  4. D. Schryvers
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  5. W. Vandervorst
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Correspondence to E. Verleysen.

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Verleysen, E., Bender, H., Richard, O. et al. Compositional characterization of nickel silicides by HAADF-STEM imaging. J Mater Sci 46, 2001–2008 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-010-5191-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-010-5191-z

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