Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy

Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS, also sometimes called EDX or Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis) is the most frequently used chemical analysis tool in failure analysis. It has some very significant advantages. It is used as an attachment to the SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), which is readily available in every failure analysis laboratory. Analysis is performed in minutes. The spectra are easily interpreted. Spatial resolution is good. It also has some limitations as an analysis tool. Sensitivity is limited to concentrations on the order of 0.1% in the sampled volume. A second limitation is the sampled volume is relative large compared to the thickness of semiconductor thin films and deep submicron particles. A final limitation is that it provides strictly atomic information as opposed to molecular. These limitations are addressed by the three other key chemical analysis techniques, which will be discussed in the next three chapters.