Patent · US Expired

Infrared inspection for determining residual films on semiconductor devices

US6452180B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
6References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 28, 2000
Grant dateSep 17, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 28, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/71
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Various methods of inspecting a film on a semiconductor workpiece for a residue are provided. In one aspect, a method of inspecting a film on a semiconductor workpiece wherein the film has a known infrared signature is provided. The method includes heating the workpiece so that the film emits infrared radiation and sensing the infrared radiation emitted from the film. The infrared signature of the radiation emitted from the film is compared with the known infrared signature and a signal indicative of a deviation between the infrared signature of the emitted infrared radiation and the known infrared signature is generated. The method enables the rapid and accurate detection of residues, such as oxide residues on nitride films.

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