Method for conductive film quality evaluation
US7262067B2 · kind B2 · utility
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3References
23Claims
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Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 23, 2004 |
| Grant date | Aug 28, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/76838
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for monitoring copper film quality and for evaluating the annealing efficiency of a copper annealing process includes measuring hardness of a copper film formed on a substrate before and after annealing and comparing the hardness measurement results. The measurements can be correlated to grain boundary saturation levels, copper grain sizes and therefore conductivity. Hardness measurements may be taken at a plurality of locations throughout the substrate to account for variations in the copper film grain structure.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.