SBIR Phase I: Gas-Cluster Ion Source for Mass Spectrometer and Microelectronic Applications

9891050这项小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将评估将半导体表面的气体团簇离子束溅射发展为电子材料创新工具的可行性。这项研究将对二次离子质谱仪(SIMS)仪器的GCIB溅射进行评估。这种研发的压倒一切的动机是半导体行业对能够以高度统一的方式进行蚀刻的技术和方法的迫切需求，从而促进准确和灵敏的深度测量。未来几代微电子学必须具有超浅结深度、更高的掺杂水平以及界面和掺杂突发性的改进，才能满足1997年的SIA路线图。动态SIMS是半导体分析中最灵敏的技术。最先进的仪器使用高能的单原子离子束来溅射分析表面。这会使表面变得粗糙，并限制深度分辨率。为了在SIMS中达到所需的亚纳米深度分辨率，必须开发新的溅射光束。GCIB方法使用单个电离的Ar或O团簇(1000个)溅射，具有接近原子深度的分辨率和高的二次离子产额。第一阶段将构建一个原型系统，以证明分析的可行性。第二阶段将开发用于关键分析的专用离子源，以提供SIMS以及俄歇电子和X射线光电子能谱仪的深度剖析。拟议的技术将使分析具有更高性能的下一代半导体器件成为可能，并提高制造产量。Epion是第一个也是唯一一个制造GCIB系统的公司。GCIB的基本技术将在电子材料加工和制造业的许多领域具有广泛的适用性。

9891050 This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will evaluate the feasibility of developing gas-cluster ion-beam (GCIB) sputtering of semiconductor surfaces into innovative tools for electronic materials. This research will evaluate GCIB sputtering for secondary-ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) instruments. The overriding motivation for this R&D is the critical need in the semiconductor industry for techniques and methods which can etch in a highly uniform manner and thus facilitate accurate and sensitive depth measurements. Future generations of microelectronics must have ultra-shallow junction depths, higher doping levels and improvement in interface and doping abruptness to meet the 1997 SIA Roadmap. Dynamic SIMS is the most sensitive technique for analysis of semiconductors. State-of-the-art instruments employ energetic, monatomic ion beams to sputter the analytical surface. These roughen the surface and limit depth resolution. To achieve the required subnanometer depth resolutions in SIMS new sputter beams must be developed. GCIB methods with singly ionized argon or oxygen clusters (of 1,000) sputter with nearly atomic depth resolution, and high secondary-ion yields. Phase I will construct a prototype system to demonstrate analytical feasibility. Phase II will develop dedicated ion sources for critical analysis to provide depth profiling for SIMS, and Auger-electron and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. The proposed technology will enable analysis of next-generation semiconductor devices having much higher performance and enhance manufacturing yields. Epion is the first and only to manufacture GCIB systems. The basic GCIB technique will have a wide applicability to many areas of electronic materials processing and manufacturing industry.