Quantitative two-dimensional dopant profile measurement and inverse modeling by scanning capacitance microscopy

Quantitative dopant profile measurements are performed on a nanometer scale by scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). An atomic force microscope is used to position a nanometer scale tip at a semiconductor surface, and local capacitance change is measured as a function of sample bias. A new feedback method has been demonstrated in which the magnitude of the ac bias voltage applied to the sample is adjusted to maintain a constant capacitance change as the tip is scanned across the sample surface. A quasi-1D model is used to extract dopant density profiles from the SCM measurements. The inverted SCM dopant profiles are compared with profiles obtained by process simulation and secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurement. Good agreement was found between the SCM measured profile and the lateral profile predicted by SUPREM 4 over the concentration range from 1017 to 1020 cm−3.