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Highlights • Electron-induced polymer charging is described by complex microscopic parameters. • Charging time and surface potential are highly correlated in visual expression. • Trapping model is improved and completed in this article. • Microscopic charge characteristics in electron-based surface microscopy. Abstract The surface potentials and dynamic charging properties of polymers subjected to electron irradiation in scanning electron microscopy are investigated by using a novel method applied in parallel with simulation and experimental methods. We perform our simulation through a parallel computing method with various microscopic parameters. The results show that under the given microscopic parameters, the charging time concomitantly decreases as the film thickness, electron mobility, trap cross and recombination rate increase. The surface potential decreases as electron energy, beam current density, capture cross section, sample thickness and electron-hole recombination rate increase and as electron mobility decreases. Charging time increases with increasing beam density, sample thickness, recombination rate and change in capture cross-section, and decreases with increasing electron mobility. The primary-electron energy exhibits an inflection point at 35 keV. This study offers an intuitive analytical and measurement method for understanding microscopic charge characteristics in electron-based surface microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between microscopic parameters and polymer charging caused by defocused electron beam irradiation is investigated using a dynamic scattering-transport model. The dynamic charging process of an irradiated polymer using a defocused 30 keV electron beam is conducted. In this study, the space charge distribution with a 30 keV non-penetrating e-beam is negative and supported by some existing experimental data. The internal potential is negative, but relatively high near the surface, and it decreases to a maximum negative value at z = 6 μm and finally tend to 0 at the bottom of film. The leakage current and the surface potential behave similarly, and the secondary electron and leakage currents follow the charging equilibrium condition. The surface potential decreases with increasing beam current density, trap concentration, capture cross section, film thickness and electron–hole recombination rate, but with decreasing electron mobility and electron energy. The total charge density increases with increasing beam current density, trap concentration, capture cross section, film thickness and electron–hole recombination rate, but with decreasing electron mobility and electron energy. This study shows a comprehensive analysis of microscopic factors of surface charging characteristics in an electron-based surface microscopy and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the electron scattering, charge transport and charge trapping of a polymer subjected to intermediate-energy electron beam in a self-consist charging model. Numerical simulation of a charging balance is performed using incident intermediate-energy electron current and leakage current, and the space charging characteristics are examined. The mechanisms involve various microscopic parameters that are related to the space potential and the characteristics of the polymer as well as to the effects of the space charge, electron charge, hole charge and trapped charge itself. The dynamic transporting and trapping properties of a polymer are investigated, and the space potential is evaluated using various parameters of irradiation. Trapping of electrons is determined using Poole-Frenkel trapping-detrapping mechanisms. Various types of space charging behavior are observed by controlling irradiation conditions. Furthermore, the peak location of space charge is simulated and validated by Sessler's experimental data in microscopic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, based on a comprehensive numerical simulation of self-consistent charging, we investigate the formation, evolution and influencing factors of space charge distributions for a grounded insulating thin film of SiO2 negatively charged by a keV non-penetrating focused electron beam. The simulated space charge presents first positive distributions and then negative ones along both the radial and depth directions because of the difference between electron and hole transports. The variations in distribution occur within a range of the minimum potential acting as a potential barrier for carrier transport. The negative space charge is distributed more widely and deeply, though its peak value in density is usually lower than that of the positive one. Electrons trapped outside the minimum potential range dominate the strength of negative charging. With the increase in potential barrier and the occurrence of leakage current, the space charge eventually reaches equilibrium and exhibits an approximately one-dimensional axial distribution outside the minimum potential range. Distribution features of the space charge density in the equilibrium state correlate with the film and beam parameters via transients of the leakage current. These results and analyses provide new insights into the negative charging effects involved in various electron-beam-based surface microscopic methods, analyses and fabrication techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: We report on the surface potential characteristics in the equilibrium state of the grounded insulating thin films of several 100nm thickness negatively charged by a low-energy (<5keV) focused electron beam, which have been simulated with a newly developed two-dimensional self-consistent model incorporating electron scattering, charge transport and charge trapping. The obtained space charge is positive and negative within and outside the region, respectively, where the electron and hole densities are greater than the trap density. Thus, the surface potential is relatively high around the center, then it decreases to a maximum negative value and finally tends to zero along the radial direction. The position of the maximum value is far beyond the range of e-beam irradiation as a consequence of electron scattering and charge transport. Moreover, a positive electric field can be generated near the surface in both radial and axial directions. The surface potential at center exhibits a maximum negative value in the condition of the ∼2keV energy non-penetrating e-beam in this work, which is supported by some existing experimental data in scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the surface potential decreases with the increase in beam current, trap density and film thickness, but with the decrease in electron mobility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Space charge and surface potential profiles are investigated with numerical simulation for dielectric films of SiO2 positively charged by a focused electron beam. By combining the Monte Carlo method and the finite difference method, the simulation is preformed with a newly developed comprehensive two-dimensional model including electron scattering, charge transport and trapping. Results show that the space charge is distributed positively, like a semi-ellipsoid, within a high-density region of electrons and holes, but negatively outside the region due to electron diffusion along the radial and beam incident directions. Simultaneously, peak positions of the positive and negative space charge densities shift outwards or downwards with electron beam irradiation. The surface potential, along the radial direction, has a nearly flat-top around the center, abruptly decreases to negative values outside the high-density region and finally increases to zero gradually. Influences of electron beam and film parameters on the surface potential profile in the equilibrium state are also shown and analyzed. Furthermore, the variation of secondary electron signal of a large-scale integration sample positively charged in scanning electron microscopic observation is simulated and validated by experiment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [ • ] Electron-induced polymer charging is described by contour maps for the first time. [ • ] Leakage current and surface potential are highly correlated in contour features. [ • ] The total charge has the local maximum with respect to sample thickness. [•] Sample thickness normally affects charging effects more than electron mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]