The Present Status and Recent Advancements in Corona-Kelvin Non-Contact Electrical Metrology of Dielectrics for IC-Manufacturing

Wilson, Marshall; Marinskiy, Dmitriy; Byelyayev, Anton; D'Amico, John; Findlay, Andrew; Jastrzȩbski, L.; Łagowski, J.

doi:10.1149/1.2355694

Cited by 53 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…It is the charge needed to shift the surface bands from the initial condition to flatband. 20 A lower Q tot value for dielectric 2 is consistent with lower V FB and lower D it values.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, trap-assisted tunneling or direct tunneling are leakage current mechanisms that can provide a means for free-carrier transport across the dielectric and cause neutralization of corona charge. 20 Corona-Kelvin applications for wide-bandgap semiconductors, both bare and passivated, take advantage of time resolved voltage measurement originally developed for leakage correction in ultra-thin gate dielectrics and precise measurement of dielectric capacitance. 20 In such measurements, a small increment of corona charge density, Q C , produces a small change of surface voltage that is measured vs. time after charging and is extrapolated to obtain the instantaneous voltage change, dV.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…20 Corona-Kelvin applications for wide-bandgap semiconductors, both bare and passivated, take advantage of time resolved voltage measurement originally developed for leakage correction in ultra-thin gate dielectrics and precise measurement of dielectric capacitance. 20 In such measurements, a small increment of corona charge density, Q C , produces a small change of surface voltage that is measured vs. time after charging and is extrapolated to obtain the instantaneous voltage change, dV. The non-contact differential capacitance is obtained as C = |d Q/dV |.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Review—Recent Advancement in Charge- and Photo-Assisted Non-Contact Electrical Characterization of SiC, GaN, and AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Wilson¹,

Findlay²,

Savtchouk³

et al. 2017

ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol.

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The charge-based corona-Kelvin non-contact metrology, originally developed for Si IC fabrication, has recently been extended to wide energy gap semiconductors. We discuss principles of this extension and key applications, namely: high precision dopant measurement on SiC and GaN; two-dimensional electron gas characterization in AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures; interface and dielectric characterization on epi-layers with SiO 2 and SiN; comprehensive interfacial instability characterization of oxidized SiC; and whole wafer mapping of defects with a charge-assisted surface voltage technique, QUAD. This powerful set of measurements is performed without fabrication of any test structures or electrical contact. Corresponding commercial tools are currently being introduced. Based on the historical example of silicon IC, we believe that this approach shall offer enhanced testing for research and for manufacturing process control with reduced cost and fast data feedback benefiting wide-bandgap device technology. . This paper is part of the JSS Focus Issue on GaN-Based Electronics for Power, RF, and Rad-Hard Applications.Development of semiconductor devices and control of the manufacturing process requires cost effective metrology with rapid feedback to pilot or manufacturing lines. In this respect, silicon IC's have been benefiting from inventions (by IBM, Fishkill, NY 1 and by SDI, Tampa, FL 2 ) that created a foundation for the unique charge-based non-contact electrical metrology. 3In this technique, an electrical biasing is produced by corona charging of a surface and the response is monitored by measuring the surface voltage with a vibrating probe, such as a Kelvin-probe. The technique is commonly referred to as the corona-Kelvin method. 4 Corresponding commercial tools designed for Si wafers reduced the need for fabrication of electrical test devices and electric contacts; lowering the manufacturing cost and shortening the data feedback time from weeks to less than one hour. 5 The metrology has been continuously improved in sensitivity, precision, repeatability, and spatial resolution; meeting the demands of new technology nodes. It has been used by all major silicon IC manufacturing companies and has also been adopted by smaller silicon device fablines looking for cost effective metrology solutions.Very recent developments in corona-Kelvin, discussed in this work, are intended for rapidly advancing wide-bandgap semiconductor technology that includes SiC, GaN, and AlGaN/GaN heterostructures.

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“…It is the charge needed to shift the surface bands from the initial condition to flatband. 20 A lower Q tot value for dielectric 2 is consistent with lower V FB and lower D it values.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 52%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Review—Recent Advancement in Charge- and Photo-Assisted Non-Contact Electrical Characterization of SiC, GaN, and AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Wilson¹,

Findlay²,

Savtchouk³

et al. 2017

ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol.

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“…The present approach uses corona charge‐based characterization that is non‐contact and does not require test structure fabrication . The advantages of non‐contact electrical characterization of dielectric and interfaces are especially important in research and development stages, saving time and cost.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ferroelectric HfO₂ thin film testing and whole wafer mapping with non‐contact corona‐Kelvin metrology

Marinskiy¹,

Polakowski

Edelman³

et al. 2017

Physica Status Solidi (a)

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We present results of a non‐contact, real‐time feedback corona‐Kelvin characterization of the ferroelectric properties of Si:HfO2 thin films. Measurements were performed on free dielectric surfaces. The method uses corona charging pulses coupled with Kelvin probe‐measured surface voltage and gives non‐contact QV and CV characteristics. Analogous to voltage biasing of metal‐insulator‐metal (MIM) capacitors, large corona charge biasing is found to provide an effective means for poling of the ferroelectric films. Subsequent small increment corona charging is used to acquire hysteresis loops and determine the coercive field and permittivity characteristics. Negative and positive coercive fields of about ±1.2 MV/cm for the 3.5 mol% Si film and ±1.0 MV/cm for the 4.6 mol% Si film were determined from the hysteresis loops. These findings were in agreement with MIM capacitor measurements on sister wafers. Non‐ferroelectric behavior was also confirmed for the 11.3 mol% Si film. Another strength of the corona‐Kelvin method is the ability to perform full wafer mapping to assess spatial non‐uniformities of important dielectric properties. Results of this work indicate a radial symmetry of ferroelectric film properties, such as the permittivity at the coercive field, that are consistent with processing conditions during the crystallization anneal.

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“…2,3 This technique uses corona discharge in air to place an electric charge on a semiconductor wafer with a thin oxide film and uses the electric charge as an electrode. In order to generate corona discharge by ionization in air, high voltage (∼5 kV) is applied to a metallic needle above the semiconductor wafer.…”

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confidence: 99%

Communication—Room Temperature Photoluminescence Characterization of Impact of Electrical Arcing on Silicon

Yoo

Yoo²

2018

ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol.

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Corona discharge-based non-contact capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement technique has been used for characterization of dielectrics on Si. For corona discharge generation, high voltage is applied to an electrode above dielectrics/Si sample. High voltage electrical discharge and arcing experiments were performed on Si wafers to investigate potential impact (or side effect) on electronic properties of Si wafers. Room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) spectra from Si samples were measured before and after high voltage direct current (HVDC) discharge and Piezo ignition arcing experiments. Distinctive discharge and arcing footprints were observed in RTPL area maps suggesting modification of electronic properties. © The Author A metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure is a critical part of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The voltage (height of potential barrier in the channel) is controlled through the gate electrode on gate oxide (or dielectrics). MOSFET device characteristics are largely dependent on gate oxide or dielectrics. To characterize semiconductor materials and devices, a capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement (or profiling) technique is frequently used. The applied voltage across the MOS structure is varied and the capacitance is measured. The change of capacitance is then plotted as a function of applied voltage to gain the characteristics of MOS structures, such as oxide thickness, oxide charges, contamination from mobile ions, interface trap density, doping profile and density of electrically active defects.1,2 Electrodes are essential parts of the C-V measurement technique.For in-line monitoring of oxide (or dielectric) film quality, a corona discharge-based, non-contact C-V measurement technique has been introduced and used for years. 2,3 This technique uses corona discharge in air to place an electric charge on a semiconductor wafer with a thin oxide film and uses the electric charge as an electrode. In order to generate corona discharge by ionization in air, high voltage (∼5 kV) is applied to a metallic needle above the semiconductor wafer.3 Due to the presence of high voltage in close proximity to the semiconductor wafer surface, potential side effects, including material property modification and false interpretation of C-V measurement data often occur. [4][5][6] In this study, we have studied the impact of electrical arcing on Si with native oxide film, and use a room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) technique to gain insight into potential side effects of corona discharge in close proximity to the Si sample. ExperimentalA single side polished (SSP), 200 mm diameter p-Si(100) wafer was cleaved into ∼50 mm × ∼50 mm square pieces. The thickness and resistivity were ∼725 μm and 1∼10 · cm, respectively. Si samples from the identical wafer were used for electrical arcing experiments for consistency.Two types of high voltage (HV) sources for electrical arcing experiments were prepared. They were a rectified high voltage direct current (HVDC) source from a step up ...

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The Present Status and Recent Advancements in Corona-Kelvin Non-Contact Electrical Metrology of Dielectrics for IC-Manufacturing

Cited by 53 publications

References 12 publications

Review—Recent Advancement in Charge- and Photo-Assisted Non-Contact Electrical Characterization of SiC, GaN, and AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Review—Recent Advancement in Charge- and Photo-Assisted Non-Contact Electrical Characterization of SiC, GaN, and AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Ferroelectric HfO₂ thin film testing and whole wafer mapping with non‐contact corona‐Kelvin metrology

Communication—Room Temperature Photoluminescence Characterization of Impact of Electrical Arcing on Silicon

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The Present Status and Recent Advancements in Corona-Kelvin Non-Contact Electrical Metrology of Dielectrics for IC-Manufacturing

Cited by 53 publications

References 12 publications

Review—Recent Advancement in Charge- and Photo-Assisted Non-Contact Electrical Characterization of SiC, GaN, and AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Review—Recent Advancement in Charge- and Photo-Assisted Non-Contact Electrical Characterization of SiC, GaN, and AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Ferroelectric HfO2 thin film testing and whole wafer mapping with non‐contact corona‐Kelvin metrology

Communication—Room Temperature Photoluminescence Characterization of Impact of Electrical Arcing on Silicon

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Ferroelectric HfO₂ thin film testing and whole wafer mapping with non‐contact corona‐Kelvin metrology