JEOL Ltd. (President & CEO Izumi Oi) announces the development of its new low‑angle ion‑milling scanning electron microscope, HAXIS, and will commence sales on October 5, 2026.

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HAXIS Low-angle Ion Milling Scanning Electron Microscope

HAXIS Low-angle Ion Milling Scanning Electron Microscope

Background of development

As advanced semiconductor device structures continue to shrink and grow more complex, it has become difficult to contact and measure microscale circuits using nano-manipulators. In addition, contact caused by probing may affect the analysis target, necessitating new failure analysis methods.

JEOL has conducted long-term research on the passive voltage contrast (PVC) detection technology and established a method for stable, highly reproducible PVC observation technology through the advancement of detectors and sample preparation techniques.

HAXIS is JEOL's new semiconductor failure analysis platform that combines such technologies.

It has realized clear and highly reproducible PVC observation even with advanced semiconductors. By visually detecting electrical anomalies while minimizing the effects of processing damage and contamination, it is possible to efficiently identify the defect location and determine the cause. The use of argon (Ar), an inert gas, ensures stable surface quality and reduces running costs.

The quality of PVC observation is significantly affected by the surface condition of the sample after delayering. HAXIS uses a unique Low-Angle Ion Milling (LIM) delayering technique using Ar ion beams to create a flat surface with minimal damage to the sample surface. This enables clear and highly reproducible PVC observation while retaining structure and potential information even in advanced devices.

Semiconductor failure analysis involves multiple steps, from defect localization to physical analysis and root-cause investigation. As device complexity increases, shortening the turnaround time from failure detection to actionable results becomes increasingly critical.

HAXIS introduces a new approach to failure localization by integrating LIM delayering with SEM imaging and passive voltage contrast (PVC) analysis. This combined workflow enables rapid and highly accurate identification of failure locations, supporting QTAT (Quick Turnaround Time) failure analysis and accelerating the transition from electrical failure detection to physical analysis and root-cause identification.

Main features

1. Clear PVC imaging
2. Cost effective Ar processing
3. Damageless Delayering with LIM
4. Layer-by-layer LIM / PVC Analysis
5. Contamination free transfer

Sales target

15 units / year

Product Overview

HAXIS LIM-SEM Multi Beam System
https://www.jeol.com/products/scientific/sem/haxis.php

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