Integrated Lamellae Extraction Station

摘要

An integrated station for extracting specimens suitable for viewing by a transmission electron microscope from a patterned semiconductor wafer, including a wafer cassette holder; a wafer transfer device; a nanomachining device, including a scanning electron microscope and a focused ion beam, a vacuum load lock and an operator control device, and wherein the operator control device notes locations of created lamellae; a plucker device; a control computer, adapted to control the wafer transfer device and the plucker device, commanding the plucker device to remover lamellae at the locations noted by the operator control device; and a user monitor and data input device, communicatively coupled to the computer. The wafer transfer device can transfer wafers from the wafer cassette holder to the vacuum load lock; from the vacuum load lock to the plucker device and from the plucker device to the wafer cassette holder.

主权项

1. A method of creating and removing a lamella from a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
a. providing an integrated lamellae extraction station, including:
i. one or more wafer cassette holder, bearing a semiconductor wafer;ii. a wafer transfer device;iii. a nanomachining device, including a focused ion beam, and a nanomachining chamber, maintained in a vacuum state during nanomachining device use and a vacuum load lock for accessing said chamber;iv. a lamella plucker;v. a user monitor and data input device; andvi. a computer, including a data input assembly connected to said user monitor and data input device, and adapted to control said wafer transfer device and said plucker device, commanding said plucker device to remove lamellae at a set of locations received by way of said data input assembly;vii. a plucked lamellae holding apparatus; b. using said wafer transfer device to transfer said wafer from said wafer cassette holder to said nanomachining device; c. using the nanomachining device to machine a lamella; d. using said wafer transfer device to transfer said wafer to said plucker device; e. using said plucker device to pluck said lamella and place it in said plucked lamellae holding device; and f. using said wafer transfer device to move said wafer to one of said one or more wafer cassette holders.