Atom Probe Tomography of Electronic Materials

The state of application of atom probe tomography to electronic materials is assessed. The benefits and challenges of the technique are discussed with regard to its impact on this field of materials science. Specimen preparation in particular is emphasized as the key to success with modern atom probes. Electronic materials referenced in this paper include components of complementary metal/oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) structures, compound semiconductors, and thin films for data storage and general applications. Many examples from recent work are provided as illustrations of the types of information that can be derived and the impact this information can have on the research, development, processing, and failure analysis of electronic materials.