Revera, Incorporated

Physical Electronics Usa, Inc.

Physical Electronics Inc.

David G Watson

Paul E Larson

John F Moulder

Ronald E Negri

Dennis F Paul

David S Perloff

A sample holder apparatus and method for reducing the energy of charged particles entering an annular-acceptance analyzer includes use of an electrically isolated sample support member having a sample receiving surface configured to receive a sample and electrically connect the sample to the sample support member (e.g., wherein the sample support member is configured for application of a retarding bias potential). A grounded sample aperture member defining an aperture relative to the sample support member but electrically isolated therefrom is provided such that the aperture is proximate the sample receiving surface to expose at least a portion of a surface of a sample received thereon to be analyzed (e.g., wherein applying a retarding bias potential to the sample support member produces an electrical retarding field about the aperture that reduces the energy of emitted particles from a sample before they enter an annular-acceptance analyzer).

Sample holder apparatus to reduce energy of electrons in an analyzer system and method

Characterization of a sample, e.g., a depth profile, may be attained using one or more of the following parameters in an electron spectroscopy method or system. The one or more parameters may include using low ion energy ions for removing material from the sample to expose progressively deeper layers of the sample, using an ion beam having a low ion angle to perform such removal of sample material, and/or using an analyzer positioned at a high analyzer angle for receiving photoelectrons escaping from the sample as a result of x-rays irradiating the sample. Further, a correction algorithm may be used to determine the concentration of components (e.g., elements and/or chemical species) versus depth within the sample, e.g., thin film formed on a substrate. Such concentration determination may include calculating the concentration of components (e.g, elements and/or chemical species) at each depth of a depth profile by removing from depth profile data collected at a particular depth (i.e., the depth for which concentration is to be calculated) concentration contributions attributable to deeper depths of the sample. In addition, characterization of a sample, e.g., determination of a component's concentration in a thin film, may be attained by providing calibration information representative of surface spectrum measurements for a plurality of samples correlated with depth profile information for the plurality of samples. At least one characteristic of the sample to be characterized (e.g., concentration of a component) is determined based on one or more surface spectrum measurements for the sample to be characterized and the calibration information.

System and method for depth profiling and characterization of thin films

The present invention provides for characterization of a film (e.g., thickness determination for a silicon oxynitride film) using collected spectral data. For example, an acquired spectrum may be cumulatively integrated and the geometric properties of the integrated spectrum may be used to determine component concentration information. Thickness measurements for the film may be provided based on the component concentration information.

Nondestructive characterization of thin films based on acquired spectrum

The present invention provides for characterization of a film (e.g., thickness determination for a silicon oxynitride film) using a comparison process (e.g., a fitting process) to compare measured peak shapes for elemental and/or chemical species (e.g., Si peak shapes previously measured for a particular process to be monitored) to collected spectral data (e.g., using a non-linear least squares fitting algorithm).

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Eden Prairie, MN, United States of America

David G Watson