Measuring the sizes of microcircuit elements of widths less than 100 nm by the method of SEM probe defocusing

Abstract

Using a virtual scanning electron microscope, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) method has been tested when measuring the sizes of microcircuit elements by means of the SEM probe defocusing method. The method is based on the choice of the points of SEM signals characterizing the features of their form, and determining the distance between these points depending on the focusing of the SEM probe. The extrapolation of the dependence to a zero size of the probe determines the width of the protrusions and trenches with the trapezoidal profiles at the level of the lower base of a trapezoid.