Semiconductor modification and characterization with a scanning probe microscope

Abstract

The capabilities of a commercially available atomic force microscope system have been expanded to include sub-picoampere measurements of local surface conductivity. This multiple mode analysis tool is capable of providing local I/V curves, current maps at a constant voltage, or voltage maps at a constant current, simultaneously with the usual topographic data obtained for a given sample. The resulting electrical maps and local I/V curves from several samples are presented, and their interpretation discussed. Additionally, this system has been used for field-induced silicon oxide growth and, for the first time, silicon nitride growth. The mechanism for both SiO2 and Si3 growth is explored, revealing the possibility of precisely controlling the uniformity of the lithographed features.