Lateral dopant profiling in MOS structures on a 100 nm scale using scanning capacitance microscopy

Scanning capacitance microscopy and atomic force microscopy have been used to image the extent of lateral dopant diffusion in MOS structures. The data are capacitance vs. voltage measurements made on a submicron scale. The technique is nondestructive when imaging uncleaved samples. New experimental data on actual, cleaved device structures are presented. The data clearly indicate the two-dimensional dopant profile in terms of a spatially varying modulated capacitance signal. Lateral dopant profiling has been demonstrated on a 100-nm scale. First-order deconvolution indicates that the technique has much promise for the quantitative characterization of dopant profiles. The potential of the technique for clarifying important device-related phenomena on a local scale is also discussed.<>