Systems and methods for characterizing thickness and topography of microelectronic workpiece layers
First Claim
1. A system for producing layer data that characterizes one or more layers of a microelectronic workpiece, comprising:
- a layer thickness instrument configured to measure a thickness of a first workpiece layer at individual sampling sites;
a surface topography instrument configured to measure a relative surface height of the first layer at the individual sampling sites; and
a processing unit operatively coupled to thickness and topography instruments to receive thickness and topography measurements, wherein the processing unit outputs layer data that includes individual thickness measurements combined with individual topography measurements at workpiece coordinates corresponding to the individual sampling sites.
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Abstract
Metrology systems, tools, and methods that characterize one or more layers of a microelectronic workpiece are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system for characterizing thickness and topography of a workpiece layer includes a layer thickness instrument configured to measure a thickness of a first workpiece layer at individual sampling sites, a surface topography instrument configured to measure a relative surface height of the first layer at the individual sampling sites, and a processing unit communicatively coupled to receive thickness and topography measurements and operable to output layer data that includes individual thickness measurements combined with individual topography measurements at workpiece coordinates corresponding to the individual sampling sites. In another embodiment, the system further includes an output device communicatively coupled with the processing unit and operable to graphically display a stratigraphic cross-section corresponding to the output layer data.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for producing layer data that characterizes one or more layers of a microelectronic workpiece, comprising:
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a layer thickness instrument configured to measure a thickness of a first workpiece layer at individual sampling sites; a surface topography instrument configured to measure a relative surface height of the first layer at the individual sampling sites; and a processing unit operatively coupled to thickness and topography instruments to receive thickness and topography measurements, wherein the processing unit outputs layer data that includes individual thickness measurements combined with individual topography measurements at workpiece coordinates corresponding to the individual sampling sites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computing device, comprising:
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a processor configured to receive thickness measurements of a microelectronic workpiece layer at individual sampling sites and topography measurements of the workpiece layer at the individual sampling sites; and a memory comprising program instructions that are executable by the processor to map the individual thickness and topography measurements to individual workpiece coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A metrology tool, comprising:
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a housing having an opening that is arranged to receive a microelectronic workpiece having a first layer; an ellipsometer disposed within the housing and operably coupled with a processing unit, wherein the ellipsometer is configured to transmit thickness measurements of the first layer to the processing unit; and an interferometer disposed within the housing and operably coupled with the processing unit, wherein the interferometer is configured to transmit topography measurements of the first layer to the processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for characterizing microelectronic workpiece layers, the method comprising:
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collecting individual first datums of thickness, surface height, and workpiece coordinates corresponding to a first microelectronic workpiece layer using a thickness instrument, a topography instrument, and a computing device operably coupled with the thickness and topography instruments; and producing a stratigraphic representation of the first workpiece layer based on the individual first datums using the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for providing layer data corresponding to a microelectronic workpiece layer, the method comprising:
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measuring a microelectronic workpiece layer with a thickness instrument at individual sampling sites; measuring the workpiece layer with a surface topography instrument at the individual sampling sites; and communicating thickness and topography measurements to a processing unit that is configured to create layer data by a process that includes combining individual thickness measurements with individual surface height measurements at workpiece coordinates corresponding to the individual sampling sites. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification