SPECTROMETRIC METHOD FOR ANALYSIS OF FILM THICKNESS AND COMPOSITION ON A PATTERNED SAMPLE

摘要

A method for the analysis of patterned samples of semiconductor integrated circuits (50) and other materials, determines the thickness and composition of layers fabricated during manufacture. The method employs a measurement spot (52) that is sufficiently large to irradiate areas of two or more different regions (a, b) of the sample that results from its patterned features. One or more of reflectance, transmittance, and radiance spectra is measured, and the various parameters characterizing the thickness and composition in the patterned areas are obtained using a model-based analysis of the polarization and amplitude of the emanating radiation, the model parameters being iteratively adjusted to achieve a match with measured values. The method can be made fast and practical by using measurements that are taken both and after treatment steps are effected, and/or by using measurements from the same location on designated samples undergoing the same process.