Determining layer thickness using photoelectron spectroscopy
First Claim
1. A method for determining a thickness of a layer using electron spectroscopy comprising:
- determining a first predictive intensity function for a first electron species of the layer dependent on the thickness of the layer;
determining a second predictive intensity function for a second electron species of the layer dependent on the thickness of the layer;
determining a ratio of the first and second predictive intensity functions; and
iterating the ratio to determine the thickness of the layer.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, photoelectron spectroscopy is used to determine the thickness of one or more layers in a single or multi-layer structure on a substrate. The thickness may be determined by measuring the intensities of two photoelectron species or other atom-specific characteristic electron species emitted by the structure when bombarded with photons. A predictive intensity function that is dependent on the thickness of a layer is determined for each photoelectron species. A ratio of two predictive intensity functions is formulated, and the ratio is iterated to determine the thickness of a layer of the structure. According to one embodiment, two photoelectron species may be measured from a single layer to determine a thickness of that layer. According to another embodiment, two photoelectron species from different layers or from a substrate may be measured to determine a thickness of a layer.
-
Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A method for determining a thickness of a layer using electron spectroscopy comprising:
-
determining a first predictive intensity function for a first electron species of the layer dependent on the thickness of the layer;
determining a second predictive intensity function for a second electron species of the layer dependent on the thickness of the layer;
determining a ratio of the first and second predictive intensity functions; and
iterating the ratio to determine the thickness of the layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 34)
-
-
9. A method for determining a thickness of a layer in a multi-layer structure comprising:
-
determining a first predictive intensity function for a first characteristic electron species of the layer dependent on the thickness of the layer;
determining a second predictive intensity function for a second characteristic electron species of the multi-layer structure;
determining a ratio of the first and second predictive intensity functions; and
iterating the ratio to determine the thickness of the layer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for determining a thickness of a layer in a multi-layer structure comprising:
-
bombarding the structure with radiation;
analyzing electrons ejected by the structure including a first electron species ejected by the layer and a second electron species ejected by the structure;
determining a first predictive intensity function for the first electron species dependent on a thickness of the layer and a second predictive intensity function for the second electron species;
formulating a ratio of the first and second predictive intensity functions; and
iterating the ratio to determine the thickness of the layer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A machine readable medium having stored thereon executable program code which, when executed, causes a machine to perform a method for determining a thickness of a layer using electron spectroscopy, the method comprising:
-
determining a first predictive intensity function for a first electron species of the layer dependent on the thickness of the layer;
determining a second predictive intensity function for a second electron species of the layer dependent on the thickness of the layer;
determining a ratio of the first and second predictive intensity functions; and
iterating the ratio to determine the thickness of the layer. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36)
-
Specification