Patent · US Active

System and method for measuring germanium concentration for manufacturing control of BiCMOS films

US7508531B1 · kind B1 · utility

1Cited by
18References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 4, 2007
Grant dateMar 24, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 4, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/213
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for measuring a germanium concentration in a semiconductor wafer for manufacturing control of BiCMOS films. Germanium is deposited over a silicon substrate layer to form a silicon germanium film. Then a rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) procedure is performed to create a layer of thermal oxide over the silicon germanium film. The thickness of the layer of thermal oxide is measured in real time using an interferometer, an ellipsometer, or a spectroscopic ellipsometer. The measured thickness of the layer of thermal oxide is correlated to a germanium concentration of the silicon germanium film using an approximately linear correlation. The correlation enables a value of the germanium concentration in the silicon germanium film to be provided in real time.

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