Title:
EVALUATION OF ETCHING PROCESSES IN SEMICONDUCTORS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2001059832
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
The subject invention relates to an approach for analyzing etched semiconductor samples using optical measurements. In use, one or more optical measurements are taken on an etched semiconductor wafer. At least one of the measurements includes a range of reflectivity measurements in the visible light region. The average reflectivities in the blue and red visible regions are compared to provide information as to whether the sample has been over or under etched. Once this determination is made, a more accurate analysis can be made of the exact structure of the sample. This approach overcomes the difficulties associated with attempting to analyze a sample where the data must be analyzed without knowledge of whether the sample has been over or under etched. The subject approach can also be utilized in other situations which require the treatment of an upper layer of a sample.
Inventors:
WEN YOUXIAN
Application Number:
PCT/US2001/000804
Publication Date:
February 21, 2002
Filing Date:
January 10, 2001
Export Citation:
Assignee:
THERMA WAVE INC (US)
International Classes:
H01L21/66; (IPC1-7): H01L21/66; G01B11/06
Foreign References:
| US6020968A | 2000-02-01 | |||
| DE4016211A1 | 1991-11-21 | |||
| US5748296A | 1998-05-05 | |||
| US5486701A | 1996-01-23 |
Other References:
LENG J M ET AL: "Combined beam profile reflectometry, beam profile ellipsometry and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry for the characterization of ultrathin oxide-nitride-oxide films on silicon", JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A (VACUUM, SURFACES, AND FILMS), MARCH 1999, AIP FOR AMERICAN VACUUM SOC, USA, vol. 17, no. 2, pages 380 - 384, XP002182117, ISSN: 0734-2101
MCGAHAN W A ET AL: "Combined spectroscopic ellipsometry and reflectometry for advanced semiconductor fabrication metrology", OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE MICROELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING III, AUSTIN, TX, USA, 16-17 OCT. 1996, vol. 2877, Proceedings of the SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 1996, SPIE-Int. Soc. Opt. Eng, USA, pages 132 - 141, XP000911992, ISSN: 0277-786X
MCGAHAN W A ET AL: "Combined spectroscopic ellipsometry and reflectometry for advanced semiconductor fabrication metrology", OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE MICROELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING III, AUSTIN, TX, USA, 16-17 OCT. 1996, vol. 2877, Proceedings of the SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 1996, SPIE-Int. Soc. Opt. Eng, USA, pages 132 - 141, XP000911992, ISSN: 0277-786X
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