Self-consistent charging in dielectric films under defocused electron beam irradiation

Abstract

We clarify the transient and equilibrium charging characteristics of grounded dielectrics due to low-energy defocused electron beam irradiation by a three-dimensional self-consistent simulation model. The model incorporates the electron scattering, transport and trapping. Results show that some electrons can arrive at the grounded substrate due to the internal field and density gradient, forming the leakage current. The transient charging process tends to equilibrium as the surface potential decreases and the leakage electron current increases. The positive and negative space charges are distributed alternately along the beam incident direction. In the equilibrium state, the surface potential and leakage electron current decrease to stable values with increasing film thickness and the trap density, but with decreasing electron mobility. Moreover, the surface potential of the dielectric thin film exhibits a maximum negative value with variation of the beam energy; for example, under the condition of the film thicknesses 0.5 μm and 2 μm, the maximum negative values of surface potentials are -13 V and -98 V in beam energies 2 keV and 3.5 keV, respectively. However, for the thick film, the surface potential decreases with the increase in beam energy.