Lam Research Corporation

Government of the United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Commerce

Regis Joseph Kline

Jin Zhang

William Dean Thompson

Osman Sorkhabi

Daniel F Sunday

Xiaoshu Chen

Wenli Wu

Provided herein are methods and apparatus for characterizing high aspect ratio (HAR) structures of fabricated or partially fabricated semiconductor devices. The methods involve using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to determine average parameters of an array of HAR structures. In some implementations, SAXS is used to analyze symmetry of HAR structures in a sample and may be referred to as tilted structural symmetry analysis-SAXS (TSSA-SAXS) or TSSA. Analysis of parameters such as tilt, sidewall angle, bowing, and the presence of multiple tilts in HAR structures may be performed.

Determining tilt angle in patterned arrays of high aspect-ratio structures by small-angle x-ray scattering

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Boonsboro, MD, United States of America

Regis Joseph Kline