Michael: As others have pointed out, annealing would generally increase grain size and orientation. How much depends on time, temperature and atmosphere. If the process after copper deposition requires annealing (as in a semiconductor wafer using copper), then annealing of your sample is valid. If not, then don't. I cannot think of any reason why the SEM analysis would require annealing. I think etching would be appropriate to delineate the boundaries to make SEM work easier. > Bill Davis, Ph.D. > Diamond Multimedia Systems > Senior Scientist > Tel. 408.325.7868 > Cell. 408.888.5650 > e-mail: [log in to unmask] > > -----Original Message----- From: Alderete, Michael [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 3:21 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] Copper grain size Yasmeen- I wonder if annealing might change the grain size (?). If it does, wouldn't this defeat the object of the analysis? [Any metallurgists out there who could answer this?] Michael Alderete Yasmeen Nishath wrote... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 15:16:53 -0500 From: nishath yasmeen <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Copper grain size Hello, I want to measure grain size of plated copper on wafers. I have a few questions about this. Our SEM lab tech says that copper has to be annealed for this. Is it necessary? If it is why is it done? What is the recommended time and temperature? Does the thickness of the deposit make a difference? I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks Yasmeen ------------------------------ ################################################################ TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ################################################################ To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet ################################################################ Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information. For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312 ################################################################ ################################################################ TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ################################################################ To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet ################################################################ Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information. For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312 ################################################################