Combining 2 nm Spatial Resolution and 0.02% Precision for Deformation Mapping of Semiconductor Specimens in a Transmission Electron Microscope by Precession Electron Diffraction.

Precession electron diffraction has been used to provide accurate deformation maps of a device structure showing that this technique can provide a spatial resolution of better than 2 nm and a precision of better than 0.02%. The deformation maps have been fitted to simulations that account for thin specimen relaxation. By combining the experimental deformation maps and simulations, we have been able to separate the effects of the stressor and recessed sources and drains and show that the Si3N4 stressor increases the in-plane deformation in the silicon channel from 0.92 to 1.52 ± 0.02%. In addition, the stress in the deposited Si3N4 film has been calculated from the simulations, which is an important parameter for device design.