Photon back-scatter analysis of SOI wafers

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) provides novel challenges in metrology and prevention of subsurface micro-defects. This article shows the potential of a unique analysis tool to pinpoint and eliminate sources of such damage, which can severely degrade minority carrier lifetimes and therefore bipolar device gain. Cross-sectional analysis of an IC manufacturing process has been done for the first time, indicating curing by annealing and generation of new defects by different process steps.