Method to detect surface metal contamination
US6911347B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 5, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jun 28, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/9501
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for detecting surface or near surface metal contamination in a semiconductor or silicon structure is described in which the structure or a part thereof is exposed to an excitation beam of predetermined wavelength and collecting luminescence from the structure in as the form of PL map having a substantially uniform PL intensity level provided by the semiconductor; and inspecting the map for one or more regions of enhanced PL intensity identifying characteristic surface or near surface metal contamination. In particular, the method is applied as an in-process quality control or as a quality control of processed structures such as interconnects.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.