A new configuration of conductive atomic force microscope (CAFM) is presented, which is based in a standard CAFM where the typical I-V converter has been replaced by a logI-V amplifier. This substitution extends the current dynamic range from 1100pAto1pA1mA. With the broadening of the current dynamic range, the CAFM can access new applications, such as the reliability evaluation of metal-oxide-semiconductor gate dielectrics. As an example, the setup has been tested by analyzing breakdown spots induced in SiO2 layers.

1.
M.
Porti
,
M.
Nafría
, and
X.
Aymerich
,
IEEE Trans. Nanotechnol.
3
,
55
(
2004
).
2.
P.
Fiorenza
,
R.
Lo Nigro
,
V.
Raineri
, and
D.
Salinas
,
Microelectron. Eng.
84
,
441
(
2007
).
3.
H.
Park
,
M.
Jo
,
H.
Choi
,
M.
Hasan
,
R.
Choi
,
P. D.
Kirsch
,
C. Y.
Kang
,
B. H.
Lee
,
T.-W.
Kim
,
T.
Lee
, and
H.
Hwang
,
IEEE Electron Device Lett.
29
,
54
(
2008
).
4.
Y. L.
Wu
,
S. T.
Lin
,
T. M.
Chang
, and
J. J.
Liou
,
IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Reliab.
7
,
351
(
2007
).
5.
W.
Frammelsberger
,
G.
Benstetter
,
J.
Kiely
, and
R.
Stamp
,
Appl. Surf. Sci.
253
,
3615
(
2007
).
6.
P.
Fiorenza
,
W.
Polspoel
, and
W.
Vandervorst
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
88
,
222104
(
2006
).
7.
L.
Zhang
,
Y.
Mitani
, and
H.
Satake
,
IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Reliab.
6
,
277
(
2006
).
8.
S. D.
Wang
,
M. N.
Chang
,
C. Y.
Chen
, and
T. F.
Lei
,
Electrochem. Solid-State Lett.
8
,
233
(
2005
).
9.
S.
Kremmer
,
H.
Wurmbauer
,
C.
Teichert
,
G.
Tallarida
,
S.
Spiga
,
C.
Wiemer
, and
M.
Fanciulli
,
J. Appl. Phys.
97
,
074315
(
2005
).
10.
M.
Porti
,
M.
Nafría
,
X.
Aymerich
,
A.
Olbrich
, and
B.
Ebersberger
,
J. Appl. Phys.
91
,
2071
(
2002
).
11.
L.
Aguilera
,
M.
Porti
,
M.
Nafría
, and
X.
Aymerich
,
IEEE Electron Device Lett.
27
,
157
(
2006
).
12.
R.
Degraeve
,
B.
Kaczer
, and
G.
Groeseneken
,
Microelectron. Reliab.
39
,
1445
(
1999
).
13.
U.
Dürig
,
L.
Novotny
, and
B.
Michel
,
Rev. Sci. Instrum.
68
,
3814
(
1997
).
14.
G.
Mészáros
,
C.
Li
,
I.
Pobelov
, and
T.
Wandlowski
,
Nanotechnology
18
,
424004
(
2007
).
15.
X.
Blasco
,
M.
Nafría
, and
X.
Aymerich
,
Rev. Sci. Instrum.
76
,
016105
(
2005
).
16.
Application notes at http://www.home.agilent.com/.
You do not currently have access to this content.