Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.

Globalfoundries U.S. Inc.

Nova Corporation

Mark Klare

Wei Ti Lee

Heath A Pois

Michael C Kwan

Cornel Bozdog

Charles Thomas Larson

Lawrence V Bot

Alok Vaid

Determining a property of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC), the layer being formed over an underlayer, is implemented by performing the steps of: irradiating the IC to thereby eject electrons from the IC; collecting electrons emitted from the IC and determining the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons to thereby calculate emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer calculating a ratio of the emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer; and using the ratio to determine material composition or thickness of the layer. The steps of irradiating IC and collecting electrons may be performed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF).

Method and system for non-destructive metrology of thin layers

A monitoring system and method are provided for determining at least one property of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a multi-layer structure formed by at least a layer on top of an underlayer. The monitoring system receives measured data comprising data indicative of optical measurements performed on the IC, data indicative of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements performed on the IC and data indicative of x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) measurements performed on the IC. An optical data analyzer module analyzes the data indicative of the optical measurements and generates geometrical data indicative of one or more geometrical parameters of the multi-layer structure formed by at least the layer on top of the underlayer. An XPS data analyzer module analyzes the data indicative of the XPS measurements and generates geometrical and material related data indicative of geometrical and material composition parameters for said layer and data indicative of material composition of the underlayer. An XRF data analyzer module analyzes the data indicative of the XRF measurements and generates data indicative of amount of a predetermined material composition in the multi-layer structure. A data interpretation module generates combined data received from analyzer modules and processes the combined data and determines the at least one property of at least one layer of the multi-layer structure.

Methods and systems for feed-forward of multi-layer and multi-process information using XPS and XRF technologies are disclosed. In an example, a method of thin film characterization includes measuring first XPS and XRF intensity signals for a sample having a first layer above a substrate. The first XPS and XRF intensity signals include information for the first layer and for the substrate. The method also involves determining a thickness of the first layer based on the first XPS and XRF intensity signals. The method also involves combining the information for the first layer and for the substrate to estimate an effective substrate. The method also involves measuring second XPS and XRF intensity signals for a sample having a second layer above the first layer above the substrate. The second XPS and XRF intensity signals include information for the second layer, for the first layer and for the substrate.

Feed-forward of multi-layer and multi-process information using XPS and XRF technologies

Methods and systems for feed-forward of multi-layer and multi-process information using XPS and XRF technologies are disclosed. In an example, a method of thin film characterization includes measuring first XPS and XRF intensity signals for a sample having a first layer above a substrate. The first XPS and XRF intensity signals include information for the first layer and for the substrate. The method also involves determining a thickness of the first layer based on the first XPS and XRF intensity signals. The method also involves combining the information for the first layer and for the substrate to estimate an effective substrate. The method also involves measuring second XPS and XRF intensity signals for a sample having a second layer above the first layer above the substrate. The second XPS and XRF intensity signals include information for the second layer, for the first layer and for the substrate. The method also involves determining a thickness of the second layer based on the second XPS and XRF intensity signals, the thickness accounting for the effective substrate.

Methods and systems for feed-forward of multi-layer and multi-process information using XPS and XRF technolgies are disclosed. In an example, a method of thin film characterization includes measuring first XPS and XRF intensity signals for a sample having a first layer above a substrate. A thickness of the first layer is determined based on the first XPS and XRF intensity signals. The information for the first layer and for the substrate is combined to estimate an effective substrate. Second XPS and XRF intensity signals are measured for a sample having a second layer above the first layer above the substrate. The method also involves determining a thickness of the second layer based on the second XPS and XRF intensity signals, the thickness accounting for the effective substrate.

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Poughkeepsie, NY, United States of America

Mark Klare