Objective
Mechanical stress in semiconductor devices can drastically degrade the device performance. These effects become increasingly important for the new generations with smaller dimensions. Convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) in a transmission electron microscope is the only technique that has adequate spatial resolution to measure the stress in these advanced structures but needs further development in terms of procedures and results interpretation. The site-specific specimen preparation for small device structures that include Cu/ low-k metallization requires the use of Focused Ion Beam (FIB) thinning. The effect of this thinning procedure on the stress distribution needs further investigation. The research project will focus on:
1) CBED analysis of advanced devices with small dimensions (0.10-0.18 micron) and new materials(new silicides, SiGe, Cu/ low-k metallization),
2) The interpretation and optimization of the strain/stress analysis of these structures (room temperature measurements, energy filtering, use of new zone axes , advanced simulations),
3) The development of an in-site plucker system for site-specific FIB preparation of these structures and the investigation of the effect of the FIB preparation on the measured mechanical stress,
4) The application of the in-situ plucker to the study of stress induced deformation in Cu/ low-k dielectric stacks. The training will be a combination of research work and attending courses and seminars. The research work will involve: the development of new procedures for Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction, the technical design and development of an in-site plucker system, acquiring skills on Focused Ion Beam, extending knowledge on advanced processing, collaboration in a large research team, the internal and external reporting. Training courses will be: the semiconductor processing courses of the MCT training centre, weekly internal seminars, lectures given by invited experts, and the post-graduate courses of the KU Leuven-university. The training will allow the application to enhance his knowledge of materials characterization and advanced device processing, and to get full insight in the future evolutions of semiconductor industry. Therefore, he will achieve a strong background in semiconductor technology and become an expert in-line with the industrial needs.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences physical sciences electromagnetism and electronics semiconductivity
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Data not available
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
3001 HEVERLEE
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.