Method and apparatus for measuring thickness of a thin oxide layer
US6646752B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 22, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 22, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/0616
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for measuring thicknesses of ultra-thin gate oxide layers are provided. In the method, a substrate that has a thin gate oxide layer formed on top is first heat treated at a temperature between about 400° C. and about 800° C. under a sub-atmospheric pressure for at least 10 seconds. The substrate is then immediately transferred, i.e., within 10 minutes, to a thickness measuring device for the accurate measurement of the thickness of the gate oxide layer. The apparatus can be provided by mounting a heating chamber juxtaposed to a thickness measuring device, such as an ellipsometer so that substrate can be immediately transferred therein between after a heat treatment step is completed. The heat treatment step of the present invention novel method is efficient in preventing the deposition of moisture and organic residue onto the surface of the thin gate oxide layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.