News Article
Metrosol and Sematech demonstrate simultaneous measurement capability
Metrosol Incorporated, a developer, manufacturer and worldwide supplier of short wavelength optical metrology solutions, and SEMATECH, the global consortium of leading chipmakers, have demonstrated their inline optical metrology for high-k gate dielectric composition, thickness, and most importantly, ultra-thin interfacial layer thickness.
Metrosol Incorporated, a developer, manufacturer and worldwide supplier of short wavelength optical metrology solutions, and SEMATECH, the global consortium of leading chipmakers, have demonstrated their inline optical metrology for high-k gate dielectric composition, thickness, and most importantly, ultra-thin interfacial layer thickness. This demonstration revealed the correlation between these physical parameters and high-k gate electrical properties and was performed on a high-volume, non‑destructive inline metrology tool.
The resulting metrology capability will enable semiconductor manufacturers to perform more design turns during ramp, and to monitor and rapidly suppress excursions in dielectric stack thickness and composition for transistors that utilise emerging advanced high-k dielectric stacks like hafnia and hafnia-silica gates. The results were obtained using Metrosol's vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopic reflectometry (VUV‑SR) metrology system and wafers manufactured with SEMATECH's HfSiOx transistor gate technology.
Metrosol's VUV SR technology with its high throughput enables a true advanced process control (APC) capability that delivers greater statistical sampling, resulting in more accurate information and faster problem resolution. One tool can now measure new materials as well as more traditional material systems, and eliminates the need for purchasing separate thickness and composition measurement systems.
Metrosol's patented VUV reflectrometry represents the leading edge in the industry's ultra-thin film optical measurement technology, allowing precise collection of reflected light from an enhanced spectral range (800 nm all the way down to 120 nm) on a production-worthy platform. Operating at these shorter VUV wavelengths provides critical data unavailable to the fab engineer using other types of reflectometers or ellipsometers. Gauge capable for films below 10 Ǻ, Metrosol's VUV technology can decouple film thickness and composition; is sensitive to N content; as well as other low Z elements; and can measure optical properties at and below 193 nm.
The company delivers its proprietary VUV measurement technology on a unique modular architecture that provides an unprecedented level of flexibility. Depending on the number of metrology modules deployed on the platform, it can be used as a stand-alone lab metrology tool, be fully integrated into the fab for production use or integrated onto other cluster tools as an integrated metrology module. Capable of handling up to five metrology modules on a single platform, the system is easily field-upgradeable and its modular architecture significantly reduces system downtime and platform cost of ownership. Depending on the application or fab requirements and number of modules, the system can process over 100 wafers per hour even for advanced applications such as high N, SiON and HfO2, high-k dielectrics.
The resulting metrology capability will enable semiconductor manufacturers to perform more design turns during ramp, and to monitor and rapidly suppress excursions in dielectric stack thickness and composition for transistors that utilise emerging advanced high-k dielectric stacks like hafnia and hafnia-silica gates. The results were obtained using Metrosol's vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopic reflectometry (VUV‑SR) metrology system and wafers manufactured with SEMATECH's HfSiOx transistor gate technology.
Metrosol's VUV SR technology with its high throughput enables a true advanced process control (APC) capability that delivers greater statistical sampling, resulting in more accurate information and faster problem resolution. One tool can now measure new materials as well as more traditional material systems, and eliminates the need for purchasing separate thickness and composition measurement systems.
Metrosol's patented VUV reflectrometry represents the leading edge in the industry's ultra-thin film optical measurement technology, allowing precise collection of reflected light from an enhanced spectral range (800 nm all the way down to 120 nm) on a production-worthy platform. Operating at these shorter VUV wavelengths provides critical data unavailable to the fab engineer using other types of reflectometers or ellipsometers. Gauge capable for films below 10 Ǻ, Metrosol's VUV technology can decouple film thickness and composition; is sensitive to N content; as well as other low Z elements; and can measure optical properties at and below 193 nm.
The company delivers its proprietary VUV measurement technology on a unique modular architecture that provides an unprecedented level of flexibility. Depending on the number of metrology modules deployed on the platform, it can be used as a stand-alone lab metrology tool, be fully integrated into the fab for production use or integrated onto other cluster tools as an integrated metrology module. Capable of handling up to five metrology modules on a single platform, the system is easily field-upgradeable and its modular architecture significantly reduces system downtime and platform cost of ownership. Depending on the application or fab requirements and number of modules, the system can process over 100 wafers per hour even for advanced applications such as high N, SiON and HfO2, high-k dielectrics.
