The electron beam hole drilling of silicon nitride thin films

Abstract

The mechanism by which an intense electron beam can produce holes in thin films of silicon nitride has been investigated using a combination of in situ electron energy loss spectrometry and electron microscopy imaging. A brief review of electron beam interactions that lead to material loss in different materials is also presented. The loss of nitrogen and silicon decreases with decreasing beam energy and although still observable at a beam energy of 150keV ceases completely at 120keV. The linear behavior of the loss rate coupled with the energy dependency indicates that the process is primarily one of direct displacement, involving the sputtering of atoms from the back surface of the specimen with the rate controlling mechanism being the loss of nitrogen.

Investigation of proximity effects in electron microscopy and lithography

“…Important processes in this context are elastic and inelastic scattering of primary electrons (PEs), leading to the emission of backscattered electrons (BSEs) and secondary electrons (SEs) in surface regions beyond the initial electron impact point. Another important issue is that electrons may alter the probed sample, e.g., by triggering displacement of atoms 1 or by inducing chemical processes. 2 Lithographic methods based on such electron induced chemical modifications can be subsumed as focused electron beam induced processing (FEBIP).…”

Through a Window, Brightly: A Review of Selected Nanofabricated Thin-Film Platforms for Spectroscopy, Imaging, and Detection

“…232 More specialized approaches exist alongside efforts to draw on conventional techniques such as atomic-layer deposition (ALD). 21,23,25,27,144,[224][225][226][227]230,233,234 Dielectric breakdown has emerged as a simple, yet extremely flexible and powerful, technique to fabricate nanopores: it requires little more than the usual apparatus used for nanopore sensing and instantly wets the nanopore (contrary to TEM-based methods, for example, where surface contamination poses wetting and other challenges). [235][236][237] In overview, nanopores as small as 1 nm in diameter and $10 nm long can be fabricated with some flexibility in fabrication method.…”

“…Laborious efforts requiring significant operator expertise saw charged-particle milling-in transmission and scanning electron microscopes, by focused ion beams, or in helium ion microscopes, for example-deliver the desired structures, albeit with fabrication yields that dramatically diminished with sizes < 50 nm. 21,23,25,27,144,[224][225][226][227][228][229][230][231] Chemical etching of damage tracks left in thin Si-based thin films by relativistic ion bombardment can produce single nanopores and (irregularly spaced) nanopore arrays, but the approach does require the use of large-scale facilities. 232 More specialized approaches exist alongside efforts to draw on conventional techniques such as atomic-layer deposition (ALD).…”

Influence of irradiation upon few-layered graphene using electron-beams and gamma-rays

“…Meanwhile, because of the oxygen present in the ambient atmosphere, the number of carbon atom free radicals increases and oxygen containing-groups can be formed on surface. In addition, the surface atoms exposed to the asymmetric force field have a higher energy though their binding energy is generally only half that of internal atoms, 23 which leads to sputtering with nothing but sublimation energy transfer. Therefore, gamma irradiation damage is continuous on the surface of FLG, and with higher irradiation doses the oxygen content on surface increases.…”