Martin Haničinec

Integrating focused ion beam–scanning electron microscope with confocal Raman microscope into a single instrument

The authors have developed a new method to integrate a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with a confocal Raman microscope (CRM) that uses full optical microscopy inside the vacuum chamber of the SEM, and thus bring the capabilities of a stand-alone CRM instrument into the combined tool. A focused ion beam is also integrated into the system, thereby equipping a single instrument with electron, ion, and photon beams. Chemical imaging with the CRM is done by objective lens scanning. The confocal arrangement of the instrument is also capable of nondestructive three-dimensional Raman tomography on transparent samples.

Properties of atmospheric pressure plasma oxidized layers on silicon wafers

Abstract In this research a new process of plasma oxidation of crystalline silicon at room temperature is studied. The plasma oxidation was carried out using Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge (DCSBD) operating in ambient air and oxygen at atmospheric pressure. The influence of exposition time, plasma parameters and crystallographic orientation of silicon on oxidized layers and their dielectric properties were investigated. Thickness, structure and morphology of these layers were studied by ellipsometry, infrared absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. During the treatment time, from 1 to 30 minutes, oxidized layers were obtained with thickness from 1 to 10 nm. Their roughness depends on the crystallographic orientation of silicon surface and exposure time. Electrical parameters of the prepared layers indicate the presence of an intermediate layer between silicon substrate and the oxidized layer. Graphical Abstract

New High-Resolution Low-Voltage and High Performance Analytical FIB/SEM System

We have developed a new analytical tool GAIA3, combining ultra-high resolution SEM with high resolution FIB column. Electron column configuration comes from well-established TESCAN’s three lens optical system with Schottky field-emission gun. The new single-pole immersion objective lens [1, 2] creates strong magnetic field in the chamber and dramatically decreases optical aberrations compared to the conventional lens, thereby it improves the SEM resolution down to 1 nm at 15 kV and 1.4 nm at 1 kV, see Figure 1. Combination of the intermediate lens (IML) and objective lens allows to work in various display modes (e.g. for the best resolution, the largest field of view or highest depth of focus), including a field-free mode for magnetic samples observation. GAIA3 instrument also benefits from the TESCAN’s beam deceleration technology which allows automatic control of the electron landing energy down to 50 eV (manually down to 0 eV) by applying negative voltage on the sample and further improves the resolution at low voltages. The new module provides a sample discharge-and-touch alarm protection.