Qualification of spreading resistance probe operations. II

In order for spreading resistance probe (SRP) to gain wider credibility, an error of less than 10% (standard deviation) should be routinely achievable on the typical SRP results (dose, sheet, shape carrier profile) irrespective of where, when, or by whom the measurement is performed. Based on the final results from an extensive SRP round robin (see Part I), quantitative specifications have been derived for 14 primary qualification parameters. Since some of these primary parameters are difficult to determine directly (surface roughness, probe penetration, etc.), also a set of electrically verifiable, secondary qualification parameters with appropriate specifications has been defined. These include probe load, linearity and steepness of the calibration curves, noise level and smoothing, junction delineation, junction position, radius calibration, and calibration drift control. In particular the importance of the latter one is frequently overlooked, although essential to achieve the target accuracy (10%). Furthermore, a set of well-characterized and commercially available qualification samples is discussed, which, in combination with the defined qualification parameters, allows each laboratory independently to evaluate its current SRP performance and to monitor the latter as improvements are implemented. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(00)00101-9].