电子能量损失谱（EELS）

Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) is an SEM-based analytical technique for semiconductor device characterization. Like cathodoluminescence (CL), EBIC relies on high-energy electron beams to generate electron-hole pairs (EHPs) as analytical signals. A picoammeter connected between the p-n junction measures induced currents during plan-view (PV) or cross-section (XS) scanning, where EBIC signal intensity reflects built-in electric field strength at pn-junctions, with defect recombination sites showing reduced signals.

EBIC and secondary electron (SE) signals are typically acquired simultaneously, providing complementary spatial mapping of electrical/structural properties. This highly effective technique enables large-area (mm²) analysis at 50-100 nm resolution for failure analysis (FA) in PV/XS-SEM and STEM configurations.

Furthermore, EBIC quantitatively determines vertical pn-junction positions in complex heterostructures like LEDs, VCSELs, and edge-emitting lasers, and can estimate minority carrier diffusion lengths from XS-EBIC data.

EBIC Ideal Applications

• Semiconductor failure analysis - defect localization for in-depth FA
• Device characterization - junction positioning and minority carrier diffusion length measurement

Our Strengths

• Exceptional for locating hidden localized faults in large-area devices
• Precise pn-junction position determination in XS mode

Limitations

• Requires pre-existing pn-junctions in samples
• Maximum acceptable leakage current ~10μA (beyond which EBIC data becomes too noisy for reliable analysis)

EBIC Technical Specifications

• Detected signal: Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC)
• Imaging/mapping capability: Yes
• Lateral resolution: 20-500 nm (varies with SEM conditions and sample composition/topology)