Monitoring and measurement of thin film layers
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring a process that concurrently forms at least one material on vertical and horizontal surfaces on the surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a first substrate having a first surface, the first surface comprising a plurality of trenches of substantially a same depth and having substantially different widths;
applying the process to the first substrate using process parameters selected to provide a target thickness for the at least one material;
identifying a widest one of the plurality of trenches substantially filled with the at least one material to yield an identified trench; and
determining whether the process provided the target thickness based on the identified trench and pre-defined correlation data specifying a target trench corresponding to the target thickness.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure provides methods and structures for measurement, control, and monitoring the thickness of thin film layers formed as part of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The methods and structures presented provide the capability to measure and monitor the thickness of the thin film using trench line structures. In certain embodiments, the thin film thickness measurement system can be integrated with thin film growth and control software, providing automated process control (APC) or statistical process control (SPC) capability by measuring and monitoring the thin film thickness during manufacturing. Methods for measuring the thickness of thin films can be important to the fabrication of integrated circuits because the thickness and uniformity of the thin film can determine electrical characteristics of the transistors being fabricated.
512 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring a process that concurrently forms at least one material on vertical and horizontal surfaces on the surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a first substrate having a first surface, the first surface comprising a plurality of trenches of substantially a same depth and having substantially different widths; applying the process to the first substrate using process parameters selected to provide a target thickness for the at least one material; identifying a widest one of the plurality of trenches substantially filled with the at least one material to yield an identified trench; and determining whether the process provided the target thickness based on the identified trench and pre-defined correlation data specifying a target trench corresponding to the target thickness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for monitoring a process for forming that concurrently forms a semiconductor film on vertical and horizontal surfaces on the surface of a substrate comprising the semiconductor material, the method comprising:
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forming a trench line structure on the surface of the substrate, the trench line structure comprising a plurality of trenches of substantially a same depth and having substantially different widths; applying the process to the substrate using process parameters selected to provide a target thickness for the semiconductor material; identifying a widest trench in the trench line structure substantially filled with the at least one material to yield an identified trench; and determining whether the process provided the target thickness based on the identified trench and pre-defined correlation data specifying a target trench corresponding to the target thickness. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for monitoring a process for forming that concurrently forms at least one material on vertical and horizontal surfaces on the surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a first substrate having a first surface, the first surface comprising a plurality of trenches of substantially a same depth and having substantially different widths; applying the process to the first substrate using process parameters selected to provide a target thickness for the at least one material; identifying a narrowest one of the plurality of trenches that is incompletely filled yield an identified trench; and determining whether the process provided the target thickness based on the identified trench and pre-defined correlation data specifying a target trench corresponding to the target thickness. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification