Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Zhiwei (Steve) Xu

Jianou Shi

Shiyou Pei

Gregory S Horner

Thomas G Miller

Jeffrey Alan Rzepiela

Xiafang (Michelle) Zhang

Mahmood Mirzaaghaeian

Steve Yifeng Cui

Haiyong (Howard) Wang

Bao Vu

Quoc-Bao Vu

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 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

Non-contact methods for determining a parameter of an insulating film are provided. One method includes measuring at least two surface voltages of the insulating film. The surface voltages are measured after different charge depositions. Measuring the surface voltages is performed in two or more sequences. The method also includes determining individual parameters for the two or more sequences from the surface voltages and the charge depositions. In addition, the method includes determining the parameter of the insulating film as an average of the individual parameters. The parameter is substantially independent of leakage in the insulating film. Another method includes determining a characteristic of nitrogen in an insulating film using two parameters of the insulating film selected from equivalent oxide thickness, optical thickness, and a measure of leakage through the insulating film. The characteristic may be a nitrogen dose, a nitrogen percentage, or a presence of nitrogen in the insulating film.

Non-contact methods for measuring electrical thickness and determining nitrogen content of insulating films

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Zhiwei (Steve) Xu