Digital X-Ray Rocking Curve Topography

Abstract

SUMMARYThere is a considerable body of work available illustrating the significance of X-ray rocking curve measurements in micro-electronic applications. For the first time a high resolution (100-150µm) 2-dimensional technique called DARC (Digital Autcmated Rocking Curve) topography has been implemented. This method is an enhancement of the conventional double crystal diffractometer using a real time 2-dimensional X-ray detector.Several materials have been successfully examined using DARC topography. Same of these include: Si, GaAs, AlGaAs, InGaAs, HgMnTe, Al, Inconel, steels, etc. By choosing the appropriate Bragg reflection multi-layered micro-electronic structures have been analyzed nondestructively. Several epitaxial films, including HgCdTe and ZnCdTe, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, have also been characterized using iARC topography. The rocking curve half width maps can be translated to dislocation density maps with relative ease. This technique also allows the deconvolution of the micro-plastic lattice strain ccaponent from the total strain tensor.