Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy for Silicon Wafer Characterization

摘要

AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) is a highly sensitive tool for the analysis of the microroughness of Si wafers and for the investigation of crystal defects. AFM images of atomic steps were used for verification of the vertical AFM calibration on slightly misoriented Si(111) wafers after chemical etching and epitaxial deposition. The roughness analysis of etched, polished and epitaxial Si(100) wafers shows a reduction of the surface roughness by chemomechani-cal polishing by more than two orders of magnitude compared to an etched surface. The morphology of crystal originated particles on Si(100) appears as smooth surface depression after polishing and sharply defined pit after SC1 treatment.