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SIMS Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer（Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, SIMSis a highly sensitive material analysis technique, widely used inSemiconductor process analysis, material research, element distribution measurement, and trace contamination analysis。

The principle of SIMS analysis is to useHigh-energy ion beam bombards the surface of the sample.to sputter the surface atoms or molecules of the material and generateSecondary ion,These secondary ions, after being accelerated, enter the mass spectrometry analysis system, throughDeflection of Electric Field and Magnetic Fieldseparation and detection based on different mass-to-charge ratios (m/z), thereby obtaining the material'sInformation on elemental and isotopic composition,Through signal intensity conversion and calibration, SIMS can further obtain:

element concentration distribution
Impurity concentration
Depth Profile

SIMS has excellent detection sensitivity and can measure materials.ppm (parts per million) or even lower concentrations of element contenttherefore regarded as in the semiconductor industryDoping analysis and contamination detection important tools,can analyze material surfaces to a depth of micrometers at the nanoscaleelement distribution, concentration changes, and chemical states,The principle is to bombard the surface of the sample with a high-energy ion beam, causing the sample to release "secondary ions," which are then analyzed through a mass spectrometry system.mass-to-charge ratio (m/z)to determine the presence and concentration of various elements and chemical species, SIMS is like a "microscope that can see through the texture of materials," revealing what cannot be detected by conventional observation methods.Distribution of trace elements and impurities。

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Analysis Method

Surface Mass Spectrometry Analysis (Mass Spectrum)

Secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis of the sample surface can identify elemental types, isotopic composition, and molecular information.

Surface Imaging Analysis (ion image)

Establishing spatial distribution images of elements or ions on the surface of the sample.

depth profile

Tracking the concentration changes of elements or impurities from the surface to the bottom.

SIMS analysis applications

Dopant concentration depth analysis

SIMS can accurately depictDopant concentration distribution in semiconductors and P-N junction depth (Junction Depth)

Common applications include:

Ion Implantation Analysis
Dopant dose verification
LED doping concentration analysis

throughStandard sample calibrationcan accurately define the junction position of dopant elements.

In addition, SIMS results can also be compared and analyzed with Spreading Resistance Profiling (SRP) to verify the relationship between electrical properties and dopant concentration.

Shallow junction and ultra-shallow junction analysis

UtilizeLow-energy low-angle analysis technologySIMS can measure:

Ultra-shallow junctions (< 20 nm) are particularly important for dopant analysis in advanced process nodes.

Surface micro-contamination analysis

SIMS can also be used for detecting contaminant elements on material surfaces, such as:

Metal contamination
Packaging substrate contamination
Process residues

Due to the ion beam size limitation of SIMS analysis, it is recommended that the analysis area be larger than:

80 × 80 μm²

SIMS is often used in conjunction with the following techniques:

AES (Auger Electron Spectroscopy)
XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy)

Complete collaborationSurface Chemistry and Elemental Analysis。

Metal Interdiffusion Analysis

Through SIMS depth analysis, the metal elements in the process can be observed.Vertical diffusion behavior。

However, during the ion beam etching process, the following may occur:

Ion Implantation Effect
Knock-in Effect
surface roughening effect

These factors may affect the analysis results.

Backside SIMS metal diffusion analysis

Compared to analysis from the front side of the chip,Backside SIMSThrough special sample preparation techniques, fromBackside analysis of the chipcan effectively reduce:

Ion implantation effect
Surface roughness effects

Therefore, it can more accurately present the distribution of metal diffusion.

This technology is particularly suitable for:

Research on metal diffusion in IC processes
Copper (Cu) diffusion analysis
Advanced Process Reliability Research

SIMS analysis equipment

Analysis System	Technical Characteristics	Main Applications
Magnetic Sector SIMS	High mass resolution and high sensitivity	Semiconductor doping analysis
Quadrupole SIMS	Low energy ion beam, excellent depth resolution	Thin film and surface analysis
Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS)	can measure molecules and organic substances	Material surface chemical analysis

Among them:

Magnetic Sector and Quadrupole SIMSbelong toDynamic SIMS
suitable for depth analysis>1 μmthe materials can provide:

Element concentration
Isotope information

while TOF-SIMS (Time-of-Flight SIMS)belong toStatic SIMSIn addition to elements and isotopes, it is also possible to obtainmolecular structure informationparticularly suitableOrganic materials and surface chemical analysis。

MA-tek SIMS analysis equipment

MA-tek has equipped multiple advanced SIMS systems, including:

Magnetic-sector SIMS [ Cameca ims-6f ]
Magnetic-sector SIMS [ Cameca IMS 7f-Auto ]

Time-of-Flight SIMS [ TOF-SIMS M6 plus, IONTOF GmbH ]
Quadrupole-SIMS [ CAMECA sims 4500 ]

MA-tek SIMS analysis advantages

Through a professional analysis team and advanced equipment, provide customers withHigh-precision and reliable material and process analysis services。

High sensitivity elemental analysis capability
nano-level depth resolution
Advanced semiconductor doping analysis
Organic and inorganic materials analysis
IC process contamination and diffusion research

Application Examples

LED Analysis
Analysis of Metal Pad Microcontamination in Spherical Array Packaging

(a) Ultra-shallow junction ion implantation analysis
(b) Ultra-high energy ion implantation analysis

Front SIMS results:

Depth profiling analysis using SIMS from the surface of the metal layer shows that during ion beam sputtering, the metal components are also pushed deeper, creating an illusion of downward diffusion of metals, which affects the interpretation of results.