Electron Holography Potential Analysis of Semiconductor Devices
Abstract: Electron holography (EH) enables direct observation of electrostatic-potential distribution in semiconductor devices at nano-scale resolution. Moreover, we have shown that the EH potential analysis techniques can be used for analysis of device operation and device properties; EH combined with in-situ Si-MOSFET terminal biasing technique enabled observations of potential distribution response to terminal biasing under operation condition (operand analysis). This analysis revealed how drain biasing affects the channel potential. Also, EH electrostatic-potential analysis, in conjunction with TEM crystal-defect analysis, enabled direct estimation of crystal defect density at pn junction, and clarified that nanometer-scale defects at the junction (space-charge region) determines the junction-leakage properties of the MOSFET.
Key words: electron holography, electrostatic potential analysis, operand observation, semiconductor devices, pn junction