Feasibility study of SR‐TXRF‐XANES analysis for iron contaminations on a silicon wafer surface

Abstract

The ability to chemically characterize the contamination on silicon wafers is of critical importance to the semiconductor industry. It provides information on possible unwanted chemical processes taking place on the wafer surface and helps in determining the true source of the contamination problem. This type of information is not readily accessible with standard laboratory equipment. Synchrotron radiation-induced total reflection X-ray fluorescence (SR-TXRF) was combined with X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) to determine the chemical state of Fe contaminations on a silicon wafer surface. Main purpose of the study was to test the method for a contamination issue as it could appear in a microelectronic VLSI production fab.

Synchrotron radiation-induced total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis

“…SR-TXRF-XANES analysis of iron contamination on a silicon wafer surface Recently, Meirer et al [57][58][59] investigated the feasibility of a SR-TXRF-XANES analysis to determine the chemical state of Fe contaminations on a silicon-wafer surface that should help in determining the true source of the contamination problem. This type of information is not readily accessible with standard laboratory equipment.…”

Atomic spectrometry update. X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry

“…They showed that inclusions of mineral fractions on insoluble dust in the 1-10 mg range was possible. Meirer et al 109 performed a study showing the ability of SR-TXRF-XANES to chemically characterize contamination on silicon wafers used in the semiconductor industry. It provided information on possible unwanted chemical processes taking place on the wafer surface and helped in determining the true source of the contamination.…”

“…Thus, the authors suggested that, if the overlying soft tissue thickness could be obtained by means of an independent measurement, the 35.5 keV scatter peak could be used to correct for the bone size, with an overall accuracy of better than 10%. As mentioned in last year's review, the calibration of 109 Cd K-X ray fluorescence systems (KXRF) for in vivo bone Pb measurements is a challenging task and remains an active area of research. De Brito et al 355 took into account the role of the assumptions for least-squares regression method, used to probe the Pb contamination of plaster of Paris phantoms in the calibration of a 109 Cd KXRF system.…”

Oxide Nanolayers in Stratified Samples Studied by X-Ray Resonant Raman Scattering at Grazing Incidence

“…A more detailed structural discrimination is one of the main advantages that this inelastic X-ray spectroscopy presents, since eliminating the natural width due to the finite live-time of the 1s hole is possible working in resonant conditions. More specifically, this novel RRS technique allows for reaching local atomic information, as in XANES spectroscopy, employing monochromatic exciting radiation in combination with high-resolution systems [16][17][18][19][20][21]. In addition, the combination of RRS and grazing incidence excitation allows for performing surface analysis and depth profiling [22].…”