Lateral dopant profiling in MOS structures on a 100 nm scale using scanning capacitance microscopy

Scanning capacitance microscopy and atomic force microscopy have been used to image the extent of lateral dopant diffusion in MOS structures. The data are capacitance vs. voltage measurements made on a submicron scale. The technique is non-destructive when imaging uncleaved samples. New experimental data are presented here on actual, cleaved device structures which clearly indicate the two-dimensional dopant profile in terms of a spatially varying modulated capacitance signal. First-order deconvolution indicates the technique has much promise for the quantitative characterization of dopant profiles. The potential of the technique to illuminate important device-related phenomena on a local scale is also discussed.