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A key issue in the rapidly evolving world of microelectronics is quality control during miniaturisation processes. One of the principal hurdles to overcome is strain-induced failure arising from lattice mismatch among different materials, different thermal expansion coefficients, sharp patterning, and device re- scaling. The ability of Raman microscopy to monitor stress, and other parameters such as surface/device temperature, make it an effective tool throughout the semiconductor device manufacturing process, starting with R&D through to the production line.

The figure shows a Raman image of an M-shaped shallow trench isolation (STI), a common processing technique in microelectronics. The colour scheme maps the position of the 520 cm-1 silicon peak, with compressive and tensile stress; coloured red black respectively. For more information on this and other semiconductor applications, please download one of the application notes.

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Documents for download

	Imaging of silicon stress in microelectronics using Raman spectroscopy Application note: Details of how Renishaw's inVia Raman microscope can be used to monitor stress levels in silicon integrated circuits.	[261KB]
	Characterisation of particulates on semiconductors using the SEM-SCA Application note: The SEM-SCA identifies particulate contaminants on semiconductors as polymers and polishing materials.	[240KB]

Selected publications

Correlation between structural properties and performances of microcrystalline silicon solar cells (2005), P Delli Veneri et al, Thin solid films, 487, 174-178

Measurement of the state of stress in silicon with micro-Raman spectroscopy (2004), S J Harris et al, Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 96, 12, 7196-7201

Crosshatching on a SiGe film grown on a Si(001) substrate studied by Raman mapping and atomic force microscopy (2002), H Chen et al, The American Physical Society, 65, 233303-1 to 4