Industrial Solutions - Semiconductor
Semiconductor Solutions
AMIA Laboratories specializes in the investigation and characterization of materials using the latest advances in x-ray diffraction. We can help you determine if or which x-ray analysis will help in your materials characterization. X-ray analysis is used in the characterization of thin film material properties such as composition, orientation, and stress/strain at the molecular level. X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a definitive non-destructive technique for sub-surface analysis. We offer the highest level of independent laboratory Thin Film Analysis using x-rays and provide a full range of other related Services. Example of x-ray analysis used in the Semiconductor industry are listed below.
Semiconductor Solutions
AMIA Labs uses X-ray analysis to characterize thin film material properties. Reflectometry (XRR) is used to determine thickness, density and roughness for single and multilayer stacks. XRR analysis can be performed on crystalline and amorphous materials. Composition, orientation(texture), and stress/strain at the molecular level can also be measured using x-ray diffraction (XRD).
Many specialized measurements are available for thin films depending upon the information needed. for example, crystallographic texture affects electrical and magnetic properties. Pole figures describe the orientation of crystallites in a material. Most metallic thin films exhibit fiber texture, which implies an axially-symmetric pole figure. AMIA Labs typically uses fiber texture plots to quantify primary texture strength, % random, and secondary orientations .
In-plane and out-of-plane stress, and normal micro-strain can influence magnetic properties of thin films and the reliability of devices. Mechanical stresses in interconnect lines, which arise from differences in thermal expansion between the metallic interconnect and the substrate that rigidly confines it, vary with different fabrication methods and aspect ratios. AMIA Labs has developed micro-beam stress techniques to characterize features as small as 50 µm on patterned wafers. Blanket film strain measurements are also available.
