This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will meet the demand from the microelectronics industry for an improved micro x-ray fluorescence instrument for thin film measurements. A new technique, monochromatic micro x-ray fluorescence (MMXRF) analysis using doubly curved crystal optics can meet this significant market need. A toroidal crystal can focus characteristic x-rays from a microfocus x-ray source based upon diffraction. The focused beam is monochromatic and the beam size is expected to be significantly smaller than that of current MXRF systems. This technique will provide high sensitivity and enhance excitation of low Z elements with the selection of beam energy. In addition, this technique will significantly increase the speed of high-energy x-ray measurements. A prototype MMXRF system will be developed that incorporates a modular dual beam system to probe samples with two energies simultaneously.
The initial application of the technology is in the area of semiconductor manufacturing. As semiconductor manufacturing moves to larger wafers and higher levels of integration, a single wafer may require hundreds of steps. These wafers are expensive to produce and very difficult to repair. The instrument under development would provide elemental and thickness analysis to identify defective thin film deposition at the earliest opportunity, avoiding the considerable loss associated with rejections at the end of the production line.
