Elliposometer, sample positioning mechanism, and polarization angular adjusting mechanism, used in the elliposometer

• US 6,621,578 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizoguchi, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/707,008
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 356/364, 356/365, 356/366, 356/367, 356/368, 356/369, 356/614, 356/622, 356/623, 356/630, 356/631, 356/632, 250/225
• US Class Current: 356/369
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/065 using one or more discrete wavelengths

Abstract

An ellipsometer, which detects polarization of light successively reflected from a reference sample and an objective sample to study the objective sample, comprises first and second sample holder units for holding first and second samples, a beam projecting portion for projecting a beam of plane-polarized light toward the first sample, a polarizer, a turn-around prism for turning around the light beam reflected from the first sample to direct it to the second sample, an analyzer, a light detector for detecting light transmitted through the analyzer, and a sample positioning mechanism for arranging the first and second samples at appropriate positions and in appropriate orientations. The sample positioning mechanism includes one of the first and second sample holder units, which holds the objective sample, and comprises a height/inclination adjusting section for adjusting height and inclination of the objective sample.

Claims

1. An ellipsometer for detecting polarization of light successively reflected from a reference sample and an objective sample to study a surface state of the objective sample, the ellipsometer, which has a first optical path and a second optical path, comprising:

a first sample holder unit for holding a first sample;

a second sample holder unit for holding a second sample;

a beam projecting portion for projecting a beam of plane-polarized light toward the first sample;

a polarizer for allowing light having a specific plane of polarization to transmit therethrough;

a turn-around prism for turning around the light beam reflected from the first sample in parallel at a distance to direct it to the second sample;

an analyzer for allowing light having a specific plane of polarization to transmit therethrough;

a light detector for detecting light transmitted through the analyzer; and

a sample positioning mechanism for arranging the first and second samples at appropriate positions and in appropriate orientations,

the first optical path extending from the beam projecting portion to the turn-around prism by way of the first sample, the second optical path extending from the turn-around prism to the light detector by way of the second sample, the first and second optical paths extending in parallel at an interval between them and communicated with each other through the turn-around prism;

the polarizer located on the first optical path between the beam projecting portion and the first sample, the analyzer located on the second optical path between the second sample and the light detector, the polarizer allowing plane-polarized light having a plane of polarization inclined at an angler of +45°

with respect to a plane of incidence of the first sample to transmit therethrough, the polarizer and analyzer satisfying crossed Nicols;

one of the first and second samples being the objective sample, the other of the first and second samples being the reference sample to be compared to the objective sample in polarization analysis, accordingly, one of the first and second sample holder units being an objective sample holder unit, the other one of the first and second sample holder units being a reference sample holder unit; and

the sample positioning mechanism including the objective sample holder unit, the objective sample holder unit holding the objective sample so as to adjust height and inclination thereof, and the sample positioning mechanism comprising an objective sample height/inclination adjusting section for adjusting the height and inclination of the objective sample.

2. The ellipsometer according to claim 1, wherein the objective sample holder unit comprises a sample holder on which the objective sample is fixed, a first goniostage for inclining the sample holder about a first axis, a second goniostage for inclining the sample holder together with the first goniostage about a second axis, and a height adjusting stage for displacing the sample holder together with the first and second goniostages along a third axis.

3. The ellipsometer according to claim 2, wherein the objective sample height/inclination adjusting section comprises a height-measuring optical unit, an inclination-measuring optical unit, and a processing section for processing data obtained from each of the height-measuring optical unit and the inclination-measuring optical unit;

the height-measuring optical unit comprising a mirror for deflecting the light beam as needed, a rotary for moving the mirror between a position crossing the optical path and a position off the optical path, and a camera for taking a picture of the deflected light beam from the mirror; and

the inclination-measuring optical unit comprising a mirror for deflecting the light beam as needed, a rotary for moving the mirror between a position crossing the optical path and a position off the optical path, an objective lens for converging the deflected light beam from the mirror, and a camera for taking a picture of the converged light beam by the objective lens.

4. The ellipsometer according to claim 3, wherein the processing section has a monitor for displaying a spot of the light beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the height-measuring optical unit and displaying an image of a spot of the converged light beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the inclination-measuring optical unit.

5. The ellipsometer according to claim 3, wherein the processing section comprises arithmetic calculation means for obtaining height/inclination data of the objective sample, driving means for rotating an input axis of the first goniostage, an input axis of the second goniostage, and an input axis of the height adjusting stage, and control means for controlling the driving means on the bases of the height/inclination data.

6. The ellipsometer according to claim 5, wherein the arithmetic calculation means obtains height data by converting an image of a spot of the beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the height-measuring optical unit into binary form to obtain a center of gravity of the image of the spot, and obtains inclination data on the basis of a position of an image of the spot of the converged beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the inclination-measuring optical unit.

7. The ellipsometer according to claim 1, wherein the sample positioning mechanism includes the reference sample holder unit, the reference sample holder unit holding the reference sample so as to adjust the height and inclination thereof, and the sample positioning mechanism comprises a reference sample height/inclination adjusting section for adjusting height/inclination of the reference sample.

8. The ellipsometer according to claim 7, wherein the reference sample holder unit comprises a sample holder on which the reference sample is fixed, a first goniostage for inclining the sample holder about a first axis, a second goniostage for inclining the sample holder together with the first goniostage about a second axis, and a height adjusting stage for displacing the sample holder together with the first and second goniostages along a third axis.

9. The ellipsometer according to claim 8, wherein the reference sample height/inclination adjusting section comprises a height-measuring optical unit, an inclination-measuring optical unit, and a processing section for processing data obtained from each of the height-measuring optical unit and the inclination-measuring optical unit;

the height-measuring optical unit comprising a mirror for deflecting the light beam as needed, a rotary for moving the mirror between a position crossing the optical path and a position off the optical path, and a camera for taking a picture of the deflected light beam from the mirror; and

the inclination-measuring optical unit comprising a mirror for deflecting the light beam as needed, a rotary for moving the mirror between a position crossing an optical path and a position off the optical path, an objective lens for converging the deflected light beam from the mirror, and a camera for taking a picture of the converged light beam by the objective lens.

10. The ellipsometer according to claim 9, wherein the processing section has a monitor for displaying a spot of the light beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the height-measuring optical unit and displaying an image of a spot of the converged light beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the inclination-measuring optical unit.

11. The ellipsometer according to claim 9, wherein the processing section comprises arithmetic calculation means for obtaining height and inclination data of the reference sample, driving means for rotating an input axis of the first goniostage, an input axis of the second goniostage, and an input axis of the height adjusting stage, and control means for controlling the driving means on the bases of the height and inclination data.

12. The ellipsometer according to claim 11, wherein the arithmetic calculation means obtains height data by converting an image of a spot of the light beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the height-measuring optical unit into binary form to obtain a center of gravity of the image of the spot, and obtains inclination data on the basis of a position of an image of the spot of the converged light beam in the picture obtained by the camera of the inclination-measuring optical unit.

13. The ellipsometer according to claim 11, further comprising a polarization angular adjusting mechanism, arranged between the beam projecting portion and the polarizer, for adjusting angular direction of the polarization of plane-polarized light about an optical axis projected from the beam projecting portion, the polarization angular adjusting mechanism comprising a plane-polarization rotatory element for rotating the polarization of incident plane-polarized light about the optical axis, and a mount for rotatably supporting the plane-polarization rotatory element about the optical axis.

14. The ellipsometer according to claim 13, wherein the plane polarization rotatory element comprises a half-wave plate.

15. The ellipsometer according to claim 14, wherein the mount rotates the half-wave plate so that an angular direction of an optic axis of the half-wave plate is varied within a range of 0°

to 180°

with respect to the polarization of the incident plane-polarized light.

16. The ellipsometer according to claim 13, wherein the mount comprises a movable frame for holding the plane-polarization rotatory element, and a fixed frame for rotatably supporting the movable frame about an axis identical to the optical axis.

17. The ellipsometer according to claim 16, wherein the fixed frame comprises an angular adjusting mechanism for adjusting an angle of the movable frame about the axis, the angular adjusting mechanism having a rotatable input axis with a rotation supplied thereto converted into an angular change of the movable frame.

18. The ellipsometer according to claim 17, further comprising a control section for controlling an angular adjusting mechanism, the control section comprising driving means for rotating the input axis of the angular adjusting mechanism, detection means for detecting light transmitted through the polarizer, and control means for controlling the driving means based upon output from the detection means so as to obtain a maximum output from the detection means.

19. An ellipsometer for detecting polarization of light successively reflected from a reference sample and an objective sample to study a surface state of the objective sample, the ellipsometer, which has a first optical path and a second optical path, comprising:

a first sample holder unit for holding a first sample;

a second sample holder unit for holding a second sample;

a beam projecting portion for projecting a beam of plane-polarized light toward the first sample;

a polarizer for allowing light having a specific plane of polarization to transmit therethrough;

a turn-around prism for turning around a light beam reflected from the first sample to direct it to the second sample in parallel to the incident light beam at a distance therefrom;

an analyzer for allowing light having a specific plane of polarization to transmit therethrough;

a light detector for detecting light transmitted through the analyzer; and

a polarization angular adjusting mechanism, arranged between the beam projecting portion and the polarizer, for adjusting angular direction of the polarization of plane-polarized light about an optical axis projected from the beam projecting portion,

the first optical path extending from the beam projecting portion to the turn-around prism by way of the first sample, the second optical path extending from the turn-around prism to the light detector by way of the second sample, the first and second optical paths extending in parallel at an interval between them and communicated with each other through the turn-around prism;

the polarizer located on the first optical path between the beam projecting portion and the first sample, the analyzer located on the second optical path between the second sample and the light detector, the polarizer allowing plane-polarized light having a plane of polarization inclined at an angler of +45°

with respect to a plane of incidence of the first sample to transmit therethrough, the polarizer and analyzer satisfying crossed Nicols;

one of the first and second samples being the objective sample, the other of the first and second samples being the reference sample to be compared to the objective sample in polarization analysis, accordingly, one of the first and second sample holder units being an objective sample holder unit, the other one of the first and second sample holder units being a reference sample holder unit; and

the polarization angular adjusting mechanism comprising a plane-polarization rotatory element for rotating the polarization of incident plane-polarized light about the optical axis, and a mount for rotatably supporting the plane-polarization rotatory element about the optical axis.

20. The ellipsometer according to claim 19, wherein the plane-polarization rotatory element comprises a half-wave plate.

21. The ellipsometer according to claim 20, wherein the mount rotates the half-wave plate so that an angular direction of an optic axis of the half-wave plate is varied within a range of 0°

to 180°

with respect to the polarization of the incident plane-polarized light.

22. The ellipsometer according to claim 19, wherein the mount comprises a movable frame for holding the plane polarization rotatory element, and a fixed frame for rotatably supporting the movable frame about an axis identical to the optical axis.

23. The ellipsometer according to claim 22, wherein the fixed frame comprises an angular adjusting mechanism for adjusting an angle of the movable frame about the axis, the angular adjusting mechanism having a rotatable input axis with a rotation supplied thereto converted into an angular change of the movable frame.

24. The ellipsometer according to claim 23, further comprising a control section for controlling the angular adjusting mechanism, the control section comprising driving means for rotating the input axis of the angular adjusting mechanism, detection means for detecting light transmitted through the polarizer, and control means for controlling the driving means based upon output from the detection means so as to obtain a maximum output from the detection means.