Use of emission electron microscope for potential mapping in semiconductor microelectronics

Abstract

An emission electron microscope was used for visualization and measurement of the distribution of electric fields and potentials on the surface under study. The contrast of microfields is caused by the fact that slow-moving electrons emitted from the object surface are deflected by these fields. The measurements were performed on a p-n junction to which a voltage was applied. It is shown that the type of contrast from the p-n junction can be reversed depending on the position of the contrast aperture restricting the electron beam. The same result was obtained by means of a computer simulation.