Optical film topography and thickness measurement

Details Optical film topography and thickness measurement Optical film topography and thickness measurement

2006-02-14

2006-02-14

Lee, Hwa (Andrew) (Department: 2877)

Optics: measuring and testing

By light interference

For dimensional measurement

C356S497000, C356S630000, C356S514000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06999180

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus capable of measuring topography and transparent film thickness of a patterned metal-dielectric layer on a substrate without contact with the layer. A broadband interferometer measures an absolute phase of reflection at a plurality of wavelengths from a plurality of locations within a field of view on the metal-dielectric patterned layer on the substrate, and produces reflection phase data. An analyzer receives the reflection phase data and regresses the transparent film thickness and the topography at each of the plurality of locations from the reflection phase data. In this manner, the apparatus is not confused by the phase changes produced in the reflected light by the transparent layers, because the thickness of the transparent layers are determined by using the reflection phase data from multiple wavelengths. Further, the surface topography of the layer, whether it be opaque or transparent is also determinable. Thus, the present invention provides a means by which both transparent layer thickness and topography can be determined on an array surface of transparent and opaque layers, without contacting the surface of the layers.

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Schwider et al.,Dispersive Interferometric Profilometer, Optics Letters, vol. 19, No. 13, Jul. 1, 1994, Optical Society of America.

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