Tilt series STEM simulation of a 25×25×25nm semiconductor with characteristic X-ray emission

The detection and quantification of fabrication defects is vital to the ongoing miniaturization of integrated circuits. The atomic resolution of HAADF-STEM combined with the chemical sensitivity of EDS could provide the means by which this is achieved for the next generation of semiconductor devices. To realize this, however, a streamlined acquisition and analysis procedure must first be developed. Here, we report the simulation of a HAADF-STEM and EDS tilt-series dataset of a PMOS finFET device which will be used as a testbed for such a development. The methods used to calculate the data and the details of the specimen model are fully described here. The dataset consists of 179 projections in 2° increments with HAADF images and characteristic X-ray maps for each projection. This unusually large calculation has been made possible through the use of a national supercomputer and will be made available for the development and assessment of reconstruction and analysis procedures for this highly significant industrial application. •A new multislice simulation program has been developed.•Emission of characteristic X-rays is included.•Program used to simulate a tilt-series of an unusually large semiconductor specimen.•Large calculation made possible through the use of a national supercomputer.•Resulting data is made available upon request from the authors.