Industrial Technology Research Institute

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Innovative Nanotech Incorporated

Wei-En Fu

Wen-Li Wu

Guo-Dung Chen

Bo-Ching He

Chun-Ting Liu

Hsin-Chia Ho

Yun-San Chien

Yen-Liang Lin

Yen-Song Chen

Sheng-Hsun Wu

Yi-Hung Lin

Cheng-Hsien Chen

Shyh-Shin Ferng

Shu-Chun Liao

Chun-Yu Liu

Shau-Wei Hsu

Po-Ching He

Tsung-Ying Chung

Yi-Chen Chuang

Han-Yu Chang

A method for determining parameters of nanostructures, wherein the method includes steps as follows: Firstly, an X-ray reflection intensity measurement curve of a nanostructure to be tested is obtained by radiating the nanostructure to be tested with X-ray. The X-ray reflection intensity measurement curve is compared with an X-ray reflection intensity standard curve to obtain a comparison result. Subsequently, at least one parameter existing in the nanostructure to be tested is determined according to the comparison result.

Method for determining parameters of three dimensional nanostructure and apparatus applying the same

An inspection method and an inspection platform applicable for inspecting a light source used to expose a substrate. The light source is adapted to form an illuminated area on a surface of the substrate. The inspection method includes the following steps: placing at least one inspection component on the surface of the substrate; causing the at least one inspection component and the illuminated area to have a relative movement and a relative speed in a specific direction so as to make the illuminated area move across the at least one inspection component, wherein in the specific direction, the illuminated area is smaller in size than the at least one inspection component; inspecting photon energy of incident light in the illuminated area by the at least one inspection component during the relative movement; and determining optical values of the light source according to the photon energy and the relative speed.

Inspection method and inspection platform for lithography

This disclosure relates to an X-ray reflectometry apparatus and a method for measuring a three-dimensional nanostructure on a flat substrate. The X-ray reflectometry apparatus comprises an X-ray source, an X-ray reflector, a 2-dimensional X-ray detector, and a two-axis moving device. The X-ray source is for emitting X-ray. The X-ray reflector is configured for reflecting the X-ray onto a sample surface. The 2-dimensional X-ray detector is configured to collect a reflecting X-ray signal from the sample surface. The two-axis moving device is configured to control two-axis directions of the 2-dimensional X-ray detector to move on at least one of x-axis and z-axis with a formula concerning an incident angle of the X-ray with respect to the sample surface for collecting the reflecting X-ray signal.

X-ray reflectometry apparatus and method thereof for measuring three dimensional nanostructures on flat substrate

This disclosure relates to an apparatus and methods for applying X-ray reflectometry (XRR) in characterizing three dimensional nanostructures supported on a flat substrate with a miniscule sampling area and a thickness in nanometers. In particular, this disclosure is targeted for addressing the difficulties encountered when XRR is applied to samples with intricate nanostructures along all three directions, e.g. arrays of nanostructured poles or shafts. Convergent X-ray with long wavelength, greater than that from a copper anode of 0.154 nm and less than twice of the characteristic dimensions along the film thickness direction, is preferably used with appropriate collimations on both incident and detection arms to enable the XRR for measurements of samples with limited sample area and scattering volumes. In one embodiment, the incident angle of the long-wavelength focused X-ray is ≥24°, and the sample area is ≤25 μm×25 μm.

This disclosure relates to an apparatus and methods for applying X-ray reflectometry (XRR) in characterizing three dimensional nanostructures supported on a flat substrate with a miniscule sampling area and a thickness in nanometers. In particular, this disclosure is targeted for addressing the difficulties encountered when XRR is applied to samples with intricate nanostructures along all three directions, e.g. arrays of nanostructured poles or shafts. Convergent X-ray with long wavelength, greater than that from a copper anode of 0.154 nm and less than twice of the characteristic dimensions along the film thickness direction, is preferably used with appropriate collimations on both incident and detection arms to enable the XRR for measurements of samples with limited sample area and scattering volumes.

The present disclosure relates to a device and a method for measuring a thickness of an ultrathin film on a solid substrate. The thickness of the target ultrathin film is measured from the intensity of the fluorescence converted by the substrate and leaking and tunneling through the target ultrathin film at low detection angle. The fluorescence generated from the substrate has sufficient and stable high intensity, and therefore can provide fluorescence signal strong enough to make the measurement performed rapidly and precisely. The detection angle is small, and therefore the noise ratio is low, and efficiency of thickness measurement according to the method disclosed herein is high. The thickness measurement method can be applied into In-line product measurement without using standard sample, and therefore the thickness of the product can be measured rapidly and efficiently.

Device and method applicable for measuring ultrathin thickness of film on substrate

An apparatus for mixing a solution includes first and second tanks, a sampling element, a flow control element and a mixing assembly is provided. The first tank has a first chamber and a first fluid inlet. The second tank has a second chamber. The sampling element is connected and communicated with the first chamber. The flow control element connects and communicates with the first chamber through the first fluid inlet. Two opposite ends of the mixing assembly connect and communicate with the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively.

Apparatus for mixing solution

A contactless dual-plane positioning method is disclosed. In this method, an X ray is provided. The X ray passes through a first test piece along a light incident axis. A scattering pattern generated by the X ray passing through the first test piece, and a scatting light intensity corresponding to the scattering pattern are obtained. According to the scattering light intensity, the first test piece is pivoted along a first axis or a second axis until the scattering intensity is greater than or equal to a predetermined intensity. At least three measurement distances between a second test piece and the first test piece are then obtained. According to the measurement distances, an included angle between the second test piece and the light incident axis is adjusted by pivoting the second test piece along a third axis or a fourth axis until the differences between any two measurement distances are less than a predetermined threshold value.

Contactless dual-plane positioning method and device

This application relates to an apparatus and methods for enhancing the performance of X-ray reflectometry (XRR) when used in characterizing thin films and nanostructures supported on a flat substrate. In particular, this application is targeted for addressing the difficulties encountered when XRR is applied to samples with very limited sampling volume, i.e. a combination of small sampling area and miniscule sample thickness or structure height. Point focused X-ray with long wavelength, greater than that from a copper anode or 0.154 nm, is preferably used with appropriately controlled collimations on both incident and detection arms to enable the XRR measurements of samples with limited volumes.

X-ray reflectometry apparatus for samples with a miniscule measurement area and a thickness in nanometers and method thereof

The disclosure provides an apparatus for aligning first and second plates that are parallel to each other and have the same orientation. The apparatus includes a detector that detects composite small-angle X-ray scattering emitted from patterns of the first and second plates that are perpendicularly impinged by X-ray, and a moving unit that aligns the first and second plates according to a composite amplitude distribution of the composite small-angle X-ray scattering. Therefore, the first and second plates are aligned to each other accurately.

Apparatus and method for aligning two plates during transmission small angle X-ray scattering measurements

An apparatus for mixing a solution includes first and second tanks, a sampling element, a flow control element, a mixing assembly, first and second air-intake systems, and first and second air-exhaust systems. The first tank has a first chamber. The second tank has a second chamber. The sampling element has an extraction port located in the first chamber. The flow control element connects and communicates with the first chamber. Two opposite ends of the mixing assembly connect and communicate with the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively. The first air-intake system and the first air-exhaust system connect and communicate with the first chamber. The second air-intake system and the second air-exhaust system connect and communicate with the second chamber.

System and method for monitoring particles in solution

An apparatus and methods for small-angle electron beam scattering measurements in a reflection or a backscattering mode are provided. The apparatus includes an electron source, electron collimation optics before a sample, electron projection optics after the sample, a sample stage capable of holding the sample, and a electron detector module. The electrons emitted from the source are collimated and positioned to impinge nanostructures on the sample. The signals resulting from the interactions between the impinging electrons and the nanostructures are further magnified by the electron projection optics to reach a sufficient angular resolution before recorded by the electron detector module.

Apparatus and method of applying small-angle electron scattering to characterize nanostructures on opaque substrate

The disclosure provides an apparatus for amplifying scattering intensity during tSAXS measurements. The apparatus includes an enhancement grating object and a placement mechanism. The enhancement grating object is positioned within a longitudinal coherence length of an incident X-ray from a target object. The placement mechanism is capable of placing the enhancement grating object with nanometer precision with respect to the target object in both a lateral and a longitudinal directions.

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Taoyuan, Taiwan

Wei-En Fu