US6552812B1
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Method and system for measuring threshold length
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 2000-08-10
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Granted: 2003-04-22
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Expires: 2020-08-10
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for measuring threshold length of a planarization process, and for comparing the planarization abilities of such processes. The method and system measure a thickness profile of a film on a blanket wafer, and from the thickness profile, a threshold length is calculated.
Inventors
- 👤 Cangshan Xu
- 👤 Yuexing Zhao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 09:49
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/02; G01B11/06; G01B11/0616
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
46 words
A method for determining the threshold length of a planarization process, the method comprising: measuring a varying thickness of a film layer on a portion of a blanket wafer; calculating the threshold length based upon variations in the thickness of said portion of said blanket wafer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
46 words
A method for determining the threshold length of a planarization process, the method comprising: measuring a varying thickness of a film layer on a portion of a blanket wafer; calculating the threshold length based upon variations in the thickness of said portion of said blanket wafer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the planarization process is a chemical mechanical planarization process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: prior to said measuring, polishing said blanket wafer utilizing the planarization process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said film is an oxide film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said film is a nitride film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said film is a metal film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring comprises one dimensional thickness scanning of said portion of said blanket wafer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring comprises two dimensional thickness scanning of said portion of said blanket wafer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said portion comprises a line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said portion comprises an area.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein said area comprises substantially the entire surface of said blanket wafer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring comprises the use of reflectometry.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring comprises the use of dual beam spectrophotometry.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring comprises the use spectroscopic ellipsometry.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said measuring comprises the use of four point probe resistivity detection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said calculating comprises a Fourier transform to extract amplitudes at a plurality of various frequency domains.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein said calculating further comprising determination of a maximum amplitude of said extracted amplitudes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein said calculating further comprises identifying the threshold frequency having said maximum amplitude.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein said calculating further comprises calculating said threshold length as the inverse of said threshold frequency.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
51 words
A method for determining whether a planarization process is effective to planarize a wafer, comprising: calculating the threshold length of the planarization process; and comparing at least one feature length of a wafer to said calculated threshold length to determine whether the planarization process would be effective to planarize said wafer.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
51 words
A method for determining whether a planarization process is effective to planarize a wafer, comprising: calculating the threshold length of the planarization process; and comparing at least one feature length of a wafer to said calculated threshold length to determine whether the planarization process would be effective to planarize said wafer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein calculating the threshold length comprises: measuring a varying thickness of a film layer on a portion of a blanket wafer; calculating the threshold length based upon variations in the thickness of said portion of said blanket wafer.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for comparing two planarization processes, the method comprising; determining the threshold length of a first planarization process using a blanket wafer; determining the threshold length of a second planarization process using a blanket wafer; and comparing the threshold length of said first planarization process to the threshold length of said second planarization process.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for comparing two planarization processes, the method comprising; determining the threshold length of a first planarization process using a blanket wafer; determining the threshold length of a second planarization process using a blanket wafer; and comparing the threshold length of said first planarization process to the threshold length of said second planarization process.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein determining the threshold length for each planarization process comprises: measuring a varying thickness of a film layer on at least a portion of said blanket wafer; calculating the threshold length based upon variations in the film thickness of said portion of said blanket wafer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the planarization processes are chemical mechanical planarization processes.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for comparing two planarization processes, the method comprising: determining the threshold length of a first planarization process using a blanket wafer; determining the planarization length of a second planarization process using a patterned wafer; and comparing the threshold length of said first planarization process to the planarization length of said second planarization process.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for comparing two planarization processes, the method comprising: determining the threshold length of a first planarization process using a blanket wafer; determining the planarization length of a second planarization process using a patterned wafer; and comparing the threshold length of said first planarization process to the planarization length of said second planarization process.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein determining the threshold length for said first planarization process comprises: measuring a varying thickness of a film layer on at least a portion of said blanket wafer; calculating the threshold length based upon variations in the film thickness of said portion of said blanket wafer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein said comparing comprises: determining a calibrated planarization length corresponding to the threshold length of said first planarization process; comparing said calibrated planarization length to the planarization length of said second planarization process.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein said comparing comprises: determining a calibrated threshold length corresponding to the planarization length of said second planarization process; and comparing said calibrated threshold length to the threshold length of said first planarization process.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the planarization process is a chemical mechanical planarization process.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
79 words
A system for measuring the threshold length of a planarization process, the system comprising: a blanket wafer thickness determinator, said blanket wafer thickness determinator adapted to measure a varying thickness of a film layer of a blanket wafer and to create a signal indicative of said varying thickness; and a threshold length calculator in communication with said blanket wafer thickness determinator and adapted to calculate a threshold length based upon said signal received from said blanket wafer thickness determinator.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
79 words
A system for measuring the threshold length of a planarization process, the system comprising: a blanket wafer thickness determinator, said blanket wafer thickness determinator adapted to measure a varying thickness of a film layer of a blanket wafer and to create a signal indicative of said varying thickness; and a threshold length calculator in communication with said blanket wafer thickness determinator and adapted to calculate a threshold length based upon said signal received from said blanket wafer thickness determinator.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein said blanket wafer thickness determinator comprises a dual beam spectrophotometer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein said blanket wafer thickness determinator comprises a spectroscopic ellipsometer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein said blanket wafer thickness determinator comprises a reflectometer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein said blanket wafer thickness determinator comprises a four point probe resistivity detector.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein said threshold length calculator comprises a Fourier transformer.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein said threshold length calculator further comprises a maximum amplitude identifier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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