The Use of Neighbourhood Intensity Comparisons, Morphological Gradients and Fourier Analysis for Automated Precipitate Countin

Crystal distortions modify the propagation of x-rays in single crystal materials, and xray topography can be used to record these modifications on a film thus providing images of the distributions and nature of defects, dislocations, strains, precipitates, etc. in semiconductors. Small variations of contrast, which often need to be analysed can be rendered invisible. Furthermore, artefacts in the films must be removed. This study examines the use of advanced image analysis techniques applied to a selection of xray topographs in section transmission mode: (i) the automated counting of oxygenrelated precipitates and (ii) the enhancement of Pendellösung fringes. The technique also succeeds in removing unwanted features in the original x-ray topographs such as vertical streaking due to collimating slit phase contrast and strain features near the surface due to the presence of integrated circuit process strains.