Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Kla Tencor Corporation

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Kla Corporation

Jianou Shi

Shiyou Pei

Gregory S Horner

Sergio Edelstein

Thomas G Miller

Zhiwei Xu

Nanchang Zhu

Zhiwei (Steve) Xu

Walter H Johnson, Iii

Jeffrey Alan Rzepiela

Xiafang Zhang

Lu Yu

Amin Samsavar

John M Schmidt

Rainer Schierle

Xianghua Liu

Jianli Cui

Yiping Feng

Xiaofeng Hu

Zhuoxian Zhang

Fan Zhang

Eric Bouche

Lansheng Dong

Haijing Peng

Xiafang (Michelle) Zhang

Zhu-bin Shi

Mahmood Mirzaaghaeian

Haiyang You

Yaolei Zheng

Jun Wang

Shankar Krishnan

David Y Wang

Thomas W Mountsier

Houssam Chouaib

John D Alexander

Derrick A Shaughnessy

Yang Zhou

Steve Yifeng Cui

Mary Anne Plano

Hai-Yang You

Chunxia Li

Min Xiang

Changfei Yan

Joseph R Laia, Jr

Rui Ni

Alexander Kagan

Quoc-Bao Vu

Haiyong (Howard) Wang

Bao Vu

James C Mitchener

Jiazhou Jin

Jin An

Resistivity probes can be used to test integrated circuits. In one example, a resistivity probe has a substrate with multiple vias and multiple metal pins. Each of the metal pins is disposed in one of the vias. The metal pins extend out of the substrate. Interconnects provide an electrical connection to the metal pins. In another example, a resistivity probe has a substrate with a top surface and multiple elements extending from the substrate. Each of the elements curves from the substrate to a tip of the element such that each of the elements is non-parallel to the top surface of the substrate.

Resistivity probes with curved portions

A laser beam is directed through a transmissive axicon telescope or a reflective axicon telescope such as in a magneto-optic Kerr effect metrology system. With the transmissive axicon telescope, a Gaussian beam profile is directed through a first axicon lens and a second axicon lens. The first axicon lens and second axicon lens transfer the Gaussian beam profile of the laser beam to a hollowed laser ring. The laser beam with a hollowed laser ring can be directed through a Schwarzschild reflective objective. With the reflective axicon telescope, the laser beam is directed through two conical mirrors that are fully reflective. One of the conical mirrors defines a central hole that the laser beam passes through.

Magneto-optic Kerr effect metrology systems

Resistivity probe having movable needle bodies

A continuous variable spacing probe pin device, including first and second probe pins. The first and second probe pins are configured to measure a property of a conductive layer. In a first configuration, the first and second probe pins include respective first portions arranged to contact the conductive layer to measure the property. In a second configuration, the first and second probe pins include respective second portions arranged to contact the conductive layer to measure the property. A first area for each respective first portion is different from a second area for each respective second portion.

Variable spacing four-point probe pin device and method

The disclosure is directed to nondestructive systems and methods for simultaneously measuring active carrier concentration and thickness of one or more doped semiconductor layers. Reflectance signals may be defined as functions of active carrier concentration and thickness varying over different wavelengths and over different incidence angles of analyzing illumination reflected off the surface of an analyzed sample. Systems and methods are provided for collecting a plurality of reflectance signals having either different wavelengths or different incidence angle ranges to extract active carrier density and thickness of one or more doped semiconductor layers.

System and method for nondestructively measuring concentration and thickness of doped semiconductor layers

A method and apparatus for determining dielectric layer properties are disclosed. Dielectric layer properties such as dielectric thickness, dielectric leakage or other electrical information may be determined for a multilayer film stack on a semiconducting or conducting substrate. The film stack may comprise a first dielectric layer between the substrate and an intermediate layer of semiconducting or conducting material, and a second dielectric layer disposed such that the intermediate layer is between the first and second dielectric layers. The dielectric layer properties may be determined by a) depositing electrical charge at one or more localized regions on an exposed surface of the second dielectric layer; b) performing a measurement of an electrical quantity at the one or more localized regions; and c) determining a property of the second dielectric layer from the one or more measurements.

Method and apparatus for determining dielectric layer properties

Systems and methods for controlling deposition of a charge on a wafer for measurement of one or more electrical properties of the wafer are provided. One system includes a corona source configured to deposit the charge on the wafer and a sensor configured to measure one or more conditions within the corona source. This system also includes a control subsystem configured to alter one or more parameters of the corona source based on the one or more conditions. Another system includes a corona source configured to deposit the charge on the wafer and a mixture of gases disposed within a discharge chamber of the corona source during the deposition of the charge. The mixture of gases alters one or more parameters of the charge deposited on the wafer.

Systems and methods for controlling deposition of a charge on a wafer for measurement of one or more electrical properties of the wafer

Systems configured to perform a non-contact method for determining a property of a specimen are provided. One system configured to perform a non-contact method for determining a property of a specimen includes a focused biasing device configured to provide a stimulus to a focused spot on the specimen. The system also includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter of a measurement spot on the specimen. The measurement spot overlaps the focused spot. The system further includes a processor configured to determine the property of the specimen from the parameter.

Systems configured to perform a non-contact method for determining a property of a specimen

Systems and methods for determining a property of a specimen are provided. The specimen may be a product wafer. The method may include biasing a focused spot on the specimen. The method may also include measuring a parameter of a measurement spot on the specimen. The measurement spot may overlap the focused spot. In addition, the method may include determining the property of the specimen from the measured parameter. Systems and methods for varying the performance of a corona source are also provided. The method may include altering a property of the environment within the corona source. The property may include, but is not limited to, temperature, pressure, humidity, and/or partial pressure of a gas within the corona source.

Contactless charge measurement of product wafers and control of corona generation and deposition

A method for determining an effective capacitance of a dielectric material, by forming first and second asymmetrical electrodes entirely within a field of the dielectric material, where the first electrode, the second electrode, and the field of the dielectric material are co-planar, neither the first electrode nor the second electrode are either electrically connected to ground or to each other, applying a first charge Q on the first electrode, measuring a first voltage change Von the first electrode, measuring a second voltage change Von the second electrode, depositing a second charge Q' on the second electrode, measuring a third voltage change Von the first electrode, measuring a fourth voltage change Von the second electrode, calculating a first ground capacitance Cby C=(VQ&#x2032;&#x2212;VQ)/(VV&#x2212;VV), calculating a second ground capacitance Cg2 by C=(VQ&#x2212;VQ&#x2032;)/(VV&#x2212;VV), and calculating an inter-electrode capacitance Cby C=VC/(V&#x2212;V)=VC/(V&#x2212;V).

Measurement of effective capacitance

Methods for determining an electrical parameter of an insulating film are provided. One method includes measuring a surface potential of a leaky insulating film without inducing leakage across the insulating film and determining the electrical parameter from the surface potential. Another method includes applying an electrical field across the insulating film. Leakage across the insulating film caused by the electrical field is negligible. The method also includes measuring a surface potential of the specimen and determining a potential of the substrate. In addition, the method includes determining a pure voltage across the insulating film from the surface potential and the substrate potential. The method further includes determining the electrical parameter from the pure voltage. The electrical parameter may be capacitance or electrical thickness of the insulating film.

Methods for imperfect insulating film electrical thickness/capacitance measurement

A method of measuring electrical characteristics of a gate dielectric. The gate dielectric is local annealed by directing a highly localized energy source at the measurement area, such that the measurement area is brought to an annealing temperature while surrounding structures are not significantly heated. While heating the measurement area, a flow of a gas containing a percentage of hydrogen, deuterium, or water vapor at a flow rate is directed to the measurement area. A charge is inducted on the measurement area and the electrical characteristics of the gate dielectric are measured using non contact electrical probing.

Corona based charge voltage measurement

Various methods and systems for determining one or more properties of a specimen are provided. One system for determining a property of a specimen is configured to illuminate a specimen with different wavelengths of light substantially simultaneously. The different wavelengths of light are modulated at substantially the same frequency. The system is also configured to perform at least two measurements on the specimen. A minority carrier diffusion length of the specimen may be determined from the measurements and absorption coefficients of the specimen at the different wavelengths. Another system for detecting defects on a specimen is configured to deposit a charge at multiple locations on an upper surface of the specimen. This system is also configured to measure a vibration of a probe at the multiple locations. Defects may be detected on the specimen using a two-dimensional map of the specimen generated from the measured surface voltages.

Methods and systems for determining one or more properties of a specimen

A method and a system for calibrating the work function of a non-contact voltage sensor are provided. The method includes preparing a reference sample to have a stable work function, measuring a voltage of the sample using a non-contact voltage sensor, and determining a work function correction factor of the sensor from the measured voltage. In turn, the calibrated work function may be used to adjust voltages of substrates measured by the sensor. A corona gun which includes a first electrode and one or more conductive rods is provided. In some embodiments, the conductive rods may be angled between 0 and 90 degrees with respect to a first electrode sidewall and/or be concentrically arranged less than 90 degrees from each other. In addition or alternatively, the corona gun may be adapted to alter its length and/or include a second electrode partially inset within a space surrounded by the first electrode.

Systems and methods for using non-contact voltage sensors and corona discharge guns

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Jianou Shi