A micro-fluorescent/diffracted x-ray spectrometer with a micro-x-ray beam formed by a fine glass capillary

The technique of forming a micro-x-ray beam with a fine capillary was studied. It was shown that lightweight materials, such as glass, were suitable for the capillary in terms of their x-ray refractive indexes. A fine glass capillary with a parabolic cross-sectional inner wall surface was made. Using the capillary, a fluorescent and diffracted x-ray spectrometer with a 0.8-μm-φ x-ray beam was developed for the analysis of stress, crystal structure, and metal contamination in micro regions of ultra-large-scale integration (ULSI) devices. A micro-focus x-ray generator with a membrane-type target was also developed for use with the capillary. The crystal phases of very thin Ti-silicide fine lines and the strain in Al interconnections of ULSIs were analyzed using the equipment.