Process endpoint detection method using broadband reflectometry
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Abstract
A method of determining a parameter of interest during processing of a patterned substrate includes obtaining a measured net reflectance spectrum resulting from illuminating at least a portion of the patterned substrate with a light beam having a broadband spectrum, calculating a modeled net reflectance spectrum as a weighted incoherent sum of reflectances from different regions constituting the portion of the patterned substrate, and determining a set of parameters that provides a close match between the measured net reflectance spectrum and the modeled net reflectance spectrum. For wavelengths below a selected transition wavelength, a first optical model is used to calculate the reflectance from each region as a weighted coherent sum of reflected fields from thin film stacks corresponding to laterally distinct areas constituting the region. For wavelengths above the transition wavelength, a second optical model based on effective medium approximation is used to calculate the reflectance from each region.
34 Citations
36 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A method of determining a vertical dimension of a feature in a portion of the patterned substrate during processing of a patterned substrate, comprising:
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obtaining a measured net reflectance spectrum resulting from illuminating at least the portion of the patterned substrate with a light beam having a broadband spectrum;
calculating a modeled net reflectance spectrum as a weighted incoherent sum of reflectances from different regions constituting the portion of the patterned substrate. for wavelengths below a selected transition wavelength in the broadband spectrum, using a first optical model to calculate the reflectance from each region as a weighted coherent sum of reflected fields from thin film stacks corresponding to laterally distinct areas constituting the region;
determining a set of parameters that provides a close match between the measured net reflectance spectrum and the modeled net reflectance spectrum; and
extracting the vertical dimension of the feature in the portion of the patterned substrate from the set of parameters. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of determining a vertical dimension of a feature in a portion of the patterned substrate during processing of a patterned substrate, comprising:
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obtaining a measured net reflectance spectrum resulting from illuminating at least the portion of the patterned substrate with a light beam having a broadband spectrum;
calculating a modeled net reflectance spectrum as a weighted incoherent sum of reflectances from different regions constituting the portion of the patterned substrate. for wavelengths above a selected transition wavelength in the broadband spectrum, using a first optical model to calculate the reflectance from each region as a reflected field from a thin film stack obtained by replacing layers in the region with effective homogeneous mediums;
determining a set of parameters that provides a close match between the measured net reflectance spectrum and the modeled net reflectance spectrum; and
extracting the vertical dimension of the feature in the portion of the patterned substrate from the set of parameters.
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Specification