Methods for characterizing relative film density using spectroscopic analysis at the device level
US9052269B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 2012 |
| Grant date | Jun 9, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 25, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2223/40
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods for characterizing relative film density using spectroscopic analysis at the device level are provided. One such method includes obtaining a composition of materials at preselected areas of a workpiece using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, obtaining an electron energy loss spectrum-imaging data at each of the preselected areas using electron energy loss spectroscopy, removing, for each of the preselected areas, a preselected noise component of the electron energy spectrum-imaging data to form a plasmon energy spectrum-imaging data, generating, for each of the preselected areas, a plasmon energy map based on the respective plasmon energy spectrum-imaging data, determining, for each of the preselected areas, an average plasmon energy value from the respective plasmon energy map, and calculating a relative mass density of the preselected areas based on the average plasmon energy value, a number of valence electrons per molecule, and a molecular weight for each of the preselected areas.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.