Measurement of the interface trap charge in an oxide semiconductor layer interface

• US 6,037,797 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Diagnostics, Inc. (SEMILAB Félvezeto Fizikai Laboratórium Zrt.)
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Diagnostics, Inc. (SEMILAB Félvezeto Fizikai Laboratórium Zrt.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Marshall D., Lagowski, Jacek, Edelman, Piotr
• Primary Examiner(s): Ballato, Josie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M.
• Application Number:
  US08/893,404
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 324/158, 324/765, 324/766
• US Class Current: 324/754.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2648 Characterising semiconductor materials testing of materials or semi-finished products G01R31/2831; testing during manufacture H01L22/00

Abstract

A method of determining charge associated with traps present in a semiconductor oxide interface is described. The method includes the steps of depositing a dose of charge over a surface of the oxide and measuring a resultant value of surface potential barrier at the portion of the surface. From the measured value of surface charge and deposited charge dose a value of charge associated with the interface trap is determined. The method also includes determining space charge corresponding to the measured surface potential barrier of the portion of the substrate. With the determined space charge and known deposited charge the interface trapped charge is determined by noting that the change in interface trapped charge is related to the negative of the changes in space charge and deposited charge.

Claims

1. A method of determining charge associated with traps present in a semiconductor oxide interface between a semiconductor wafer and an oxide layer disposed on the wafer, the method comprising the steps of:

depositing a dose of charge over a portion of a surface of the oxide layer;

measuring a resultant value of surface potential barrier at the portion of the surface of the oxide layer; and

determining a value of charge associated with interface trap from the surface potential barrier and the deposited charge dose.

2. The method as recited in conjunction with claim 1 wherein the determining step further comprises the step of determining space charge corresponding to the measured surface potential barrier of the portion of the wafer.

3. A method of determining charge associated with traps in a semiconductor oxide interface between a semiconductor wafer and an oxide layer disposed on the wafer, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an initial surface potential barrier of the oxide layer;

if the initial surface potential barrier is not in an accumulation condition, applying corona discharge to cause a charge accumulation condition;

depositing a charge dose over the wafer;

measuring the surface potential barrier over a plurality of locations of said wafer; and

for each of said measured differences,

determining whether the surface potential barrier is within a threshold value approaching an inversion condition;

continuing to deposit, charge and measure surface potential barrier over a plurality of regions of the wafer, until the surface potential barrier approaches a constant deep inversion level as a function of deposited charge; and

calculating parameters associated with the interface trap charge from the measured values of surface potential barrier at inversion and deposited charge dosage levels.

4. An apparatus for determining charge associated with traps present in a semiconductor oxide interface between a semiconductor wafer and an oxide laver disposed on the wafer, the method comprising:

a corona discharge station for depositing a dose of charge over a surface of a oxide;

a measuring station for measuring a resultant value of surface potential barrier;

a computer for determining from the surface potential barrier and the deposited charge dose a value of charge associated with interface traps.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the corona discharge station includes a corona charging wire that can be coupled to a high voltage.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the wire delivers a small controlled dose of charge.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the measurement station includes a probe to measure contact potential difference.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the probe is a Kelvin probe or a Monroe probe.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the computer determines charge associated with interface traps by determining space charge corresponding to the measured surface potential barrier of the portion of the substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the computer determines charge associated with interface traps by the equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Δ

Q.sub.it =-(Δ

Q.sub.c +Δ

Q.sub.sc)

11.

11. A method of determining dopant concentration of a semiconductor comprises the steps of:

depositing doses of charge over a surface of the oxide in measured doses of small precise increments changing the surface barrier from an accumulation to an inversion condition;

measuring a resultant value of surface potential barrier, V_s at the surface defining (Q, V_s) range corresponding to a surface depletion layer where Q is defined as Q=Q_c (V_s)-(V_s =0); and

determining from the surface potential barrier and the deposited charge dose a value of dopant concentration in accordance with the equation,

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Q.sup.2 =2qε

.sub.s N.sub.A (V.sub.s -kT/q) for V.sub.s >

kT/q.

12. A method of determining charge associated with traps present in a P-type semiconductor/oxide interface comprises:

depositing a dose of charge over a surface of the oxide;

measuring a resultant value of surface potential barrier at the portion of the surface;

determining from the surface potential barrier the space charge for surface depletion layer; and

determining a value of charge associated with the interface trap from the space charge and the deposited charge dose.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

determining whether the surface is in an initial surface potential barrier condition of accumulation.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein if the surface is not in the initial surface potential barrier condition, establishing the condition by applying corona discharge over the surface.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein for P-type semiconductor material the condition is established by applying corona discharge to cause a charge accumulation condition.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein for N-type semiconductor material the condition is established by applying corona discharge to cause a charge inversion condition.

17. A method of determining charge associated with traps in a p-type semiconductor/oxide interface comprises:

determining an initial surface potential barrier of the oxide;

if the initial surface potential barrier is not in an accumulation condition potential, applying corona discharge to cause a charge accumulation condition;

depositing a charge dose over the wafer;

measuring the surface potential barrier over a plurality of locations of said wafer; and

for each of said measured barriers,

determining whether the surface potential barrier is within a threshold value approaching the inversion condition;

continuing to deposit charge and to measure surface potential barrier over a plurality of regions of the wafer, until the surface potential barrier approaches a constant deep inversion level as a function of deposited charge;

calculating from the surface potential barrier the space charge for surface depletion layer; and

determining from the space charge and the deposited charge dose, a value of charge associated with the interface trap.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising producing a mapping of interface trap distribution over different measurement sites on the semiconductor surface.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising producing a mapping of interface trap distribution over different measurement sites on the semiconductor surface.

20. A method of determining charge associated with traps in an N-type semiconductor/oxide interface comprises:

determining an initial surface potential barrier of the oxide;

if the initial surface potential barrier is in a charge accumulation condition potential, applying corona discharge to establish a charge inversion condition;

depositing a charge dose over the wafer;

measuring the surface potential barrier over a plurality of locations of said wafer; and

for each of said measured barriers,

determining whether the surface potential barrier is within the accumulation condition;

continuing to deposit charge and to measure surface potential barrier over a plurality of regions of the wafer, until the surface potential barrier approaches a constant deep inversion level as a function of deposited charge; and

calculating from the surface potential barrier the space charge for surface depletion layer and from the space charge and the deposited charge dose, a value of charge associated with the interface trap.