Semiconductor characterization challenges addressed by Large Scale Facilities

The performances of the modern nanoelectronics devices are tightly connected with the properties of the different materials and with their organization in three-dimensional space. Information on material composition, dopant distribution, dimensions, roughness, interface quality, strain, grain size, phase, defects and so on need to be extracted to support the development of these devices. The possibility to access Large Scale Facilities (LSF) to address some characterization challenges presents in modern nanoelectronic materials and devices will be presented. Three examples of the use of LSF facilities will be shown and discussed: 1) The use of Neutron Reflectivity (NR) to characterize the penetration of water into direct bonded SiO2/SiO2 interface. 2) in-situ X-ray diffraction study of solid-state reaction of Ni and GeSn on Si substrate. Smooth phase transformation is observed during the annealing and some kinetic parameters could be withdrawn. 3) X-ray nano-tomography with 30nm spatial resolution at LSF for the characterization of Through Silicon Vias (TSV) and Copper Pillars (CuP).