Evaluation method for defect of thin insulating film

Abstract

Abstract PURPOSE:To simply evaluate the defect position without damaging an insulating film by forming a thin conductive film on a thin insulating film as an anode, and electrolyzing in DC in electrolyte to simultaneously produce both electrolytic oxidation and etching on the conductive film on the defect of the insulating film. CONSTITUTION:Many thin conductive films 3, e.g., Mo or the like are arranged insularly (e.g., in the size of 8mum.8mum) on a thin insulating film 2, e.g., SiO2 film formed on a conductive Si substrate 1 as a specimen. This specimen is treated by electrolysis in DC in an electrolyte 4 made, for example, of phosphoric acid, acetic acid, nitric acid with a Pt electrode 5 as a cathode. The conductive films 3 formed on the defect 6 of the film 2 is simultaneously carried out in the anodic oxidation and etching by this treatment, and the film 2 can be removed without damage. In this manner, the defect position formed in the microminiature region can be readily discriminated, and can be observed and evaluated by TEM by reducing the thickness upon etching of the back surface of the substrate, for example.

Inventors

• 👤 Nagaaki Nakajima

Bibliographic Details