Electron beam charging of a SiO2 layer on Si: a comparison between Monte Carlo-simulated and experimental results

Inai, K.; Ohya, Kaoru; Kuwada, Hideaki; Kawasaki, Ryo; Saito, Misako; Fujihara, Kaoru; Hayashi, Teruyuki; Jau, Jack; Kanai, Kenichi

doi:10.1117/12.804461

Cited by 2 publications

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“…Because charging is closely related to the dynamical interaction between charged particles and a sample, a Monte Carlo simulation method-which has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool to study the static interaction between electrons and conductive solids [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]-should also be useful in theoretical investigation of charging problems, once a reasonable physical model for dynamic interaction is put forward. Various authors have already undertaken studies on different charging problems related to electron beam irradiation by using a Monte Carlo method [33][34][35][36][37][38]. For example, Kotera et al have studied the charge distribution inside the solid and the potential distribution in the whole space for a thick PMMA wafer [33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Renoud et al have studied the surface potential and electron yield for a SiO 2 bulk target [34,35]. Ohya et al have studied the charging problem, including electron yield, surface potential and electric field for the SiO 2 film grown on a Si substrate [36,37]. Ko and Joy have studied the electron deflection due to charging for a PMMA resist grown on a Si substrate [38].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Monte Carlo modeling on charging effect for structures with arbitrary geometries

Li¹,

Mao²,

Zou³

et al. 2018

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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Insulating materials usually suffer charging effects when irradiated by charged particles. In this paper, we present a Monte Carlo study on the charging effect caused by electron beam irradiation for sample structures with any complex geometry. When transporting in an insulating solid, electrons encounter elastic and inelastic scattering events; the Mott cross section and a Lorentz-type dielectric function are respectively employed to describe such scatterings. In addition, the band gap and the electron-long optical phonon interaction are taken into account. The electronic excitation in inelastic scattering causes generation of electron-hole pairs; these negative and positive charges establish an inner electric field, which in turn induces the drift of charges to be trapped by impurities, defects, vacancies etc in the solid, where the distributions of trapping sites are assumed to have uniform density. Under charging conditions, the inner electric field distorts electron trajectories, and the surface electric potential dynamically alters secondary electron emission. We present, in this work, an iterative modeling method for a self-consistent calculation of electric potential; the method has advantages in treating any structure with arbitrary complex geometry, in comparison with the image charge method-which is limited to a quite simple boundary geometry. Our modeling is based on: the combination of the finite triangle mesh method for an arbitrary geometry construction; a self-consistent method for the spatial potential calculation; and a full dynamic description for the motion of deposited charges. Example calculations have been done to simulate secondary electron yield of SiO 2 for a semi-infinite solid, the charging for a heterostructure of SiO 2 film grown on an Au substrate, and SEM imaging of a SiO 2 line structure with rough surfaces and SiO 2 nanoparticles with irregular shapes. The simulations have explored interesting interlaced charge layer distribution underneath the nanoparticle surface and the mechanism by which it is produced.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Monte Carlo modeling on charging effect for structures with arbitrary geometries

Li¹,

Mao²,

Zou³

et al. 2018

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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show abstract

Modelling and observations of electron beam charging of an insulator/metal bilayer and its impact on secondary electron images in defect inspection equipment

Ohya

Inai

Kawasaki

et al. 2010

Journal of Electron Microscopy

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A self-consistent simulation of secondary electron (SE) emission and charging of a SiO(2) layer with the thickness of several tens of nanometres on Si is incorporated into a trajectory simulation of emitted SEs above the surface, the centre area of which is charged by electron beams (EBs) at the energy range from 300 to 2000 eV. In order to study the influence of the charging of an insulating layer on defect inspection, a pseudo-image is reconstructed from net SE yields calculated at each point of the SiO(2) surface locally applied the positive voltage. The image contrast between charged and uncharged areas is compared with the observation of thermally oxidized layer with the thickness of 24-106 nm on a Si wafer. The image contrast is very sensitive to the thickness of the SiO(2) layer, which is verified by both observed and calculated images. The calculated changes of the images with the layer thickness and the primary electron energy reproduce the experimental observations fairly well. This confirms a highly sensitive detection mechanism for tiny defects in insulating patterns on a metal hard mask for an EB defect inspection equipment.

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Electron beam charging of a SiO2 layer on Si: a comparison between Monte Carlo-simulated and experimental results

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

A Monte Carlo modeling on charging effect for structures with arbitrary geometries

A Monte Carlo modeling on charging effect for structures with arbitrary geometries

Modelling and observations of electron beam charging of an insulator/metal bilayer and its impact on secondary electron images in defect inspection equipment

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