CAFM Experimental Considerations and Measurement Methodology for In-Line Monitoring and Quantitative Analysis of III–V Materials Defects

To continue technology scaling, a new generation of high-performance devices are considered to be implemented using III-V semiconductors, which need to be grown over the conventional Si substrate. However, due to the lattice mismatch between the III-V and silicon materials, the former tend to develop significant density of structural defects [specifically, threading dislocations (TDs)], which can adversely affect device electrical characteristics. Conductive atomic force microscope (CAFM) technique is among the most promising tools for the identification and analysis of TDs in a nanoscale range although obtaining reliable quantitative data requires precise controls over the measurements conditions. In this study, CAFM technique has been applied for TDs detection and analysis in III-V films, and tool requirements and measurement methodology are discussed.