APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING OR APPLYING THERMAL EXPANSION/SHRINKAGE RATE

摘要

An object of the present invention is to measure the thermal expansion/shrinkage rate of a thin layer and to apply the results of the measurement. While a specimen is heated by a heater and held at a predetermined temperature, it is exposed to X-rays emitted from an X-ray source and the reflection of the X-rays is measured by an X-ray detector. The thickness of the thin layer at the predetermined temperature is calculated from the reflection rate of the X-rays. As the thin layer is heated further, its temperature is measured. The thermal expansion rate or expansion/shrinkage rate is determined from the thickness at each temperature measurement. With the use of a program for determining the temperature increase and decrease, the curing conditions for the thin layer can be determined in response to the thermal expansion/shrinkage rate. Also, when the apparatus is installed in a multi-chamber system, the layer depositing conditions can be modified.