Patent · US Active

X-ray reflectometry apparatus and method thereof for measuring three dimensional nanostructures on flat substrate

US11579099B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
11References
17Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 29, 2020
Grant dateFeb 14, 2023
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 14, 2041

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2223/1016
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an apparatus and methods for applying X-ray reflectometry (XRR) in characterizing three dimensional nanostructures supported on a flat substrate with a miniscule sampling area and a thickness in nanometers. In particular, this disclosure is targeted for addressing the difficulties encountered when XRR is applied to samples with intricate nanostructures along all three directions, e.g. arrays of nanostructured poles or shafts. Convergent X-ray with long wavelength, greater than that from a copper anode of 0.154 nm and less than twice of the characteristic dimensions along the film thickness direction, is preferably used with appropriate collimations on both incident and detection arms to enable the XRR for measurements of samples with limited sample area and scattering volumes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.