About cookies on this site Our websites require some cookies to function properly (required). In addition, other cookies may be used with your consent to analyze site usage, improve the user experience and for advertising. For more information, please review your options. By visiting our website, you agree to our processing of information as described in IBM’sprivacy statement. To provide a smooth navigation, your cookie preferences will be shared across the IBM web domains listed here.
Publication
ScMi 2012
Conference paper
Past, present, and future of backscatter electron (BSE) imaging
Abstract
We describe developments in backscattered electron (BSE) imaging in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) beginning with the pioneering work of Von Ardenne and Knoll in Germany in the 1940's and Charles Oatley, Dennis McMullan, Kenneth Smith and others in the 1950's. Recent work on BSE imaging with very high energy (100's of KeV) electron beams, such as the inspection of voids in metallurgy under thick dielectrics in semiconductor back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) structures will be presented. Finally, we will look toward the future of BSE imaging in terms of the SEM's, detectors, and application areas. © 2012 Copyright Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).