Ellipsometer and method for estimating thickness of film
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsFeng Yuan Hsu, Chi-Ming Yang, Ching-Hsiang Hsu, Chyi Shyuan Chern
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ellipsometer includes a light source, a polarizer, an asymmetric wavelength retarder, an analyzer and an optical detection component. The light source is configured to provide a light beam having multiple wavelengths incident to a sample. The polarizer is disposed between the light source and the sample, and configured to polarize the light beam. The asymmetric wavelength retarder is configured to provide a varied retardation effect on the light beam varied by wavelength. The analyzer is configured to analyze a polarization state of the light beam reflected by the sample. The optical detection component is configured to detect the light beam from the analyzer.
Claims20
An ellipsometer, comprising:
- a light source, configured to provide a light beam having multiple wavelengths incident to a sample;
- a polarizer, disposed between the light source and the sample, and configured to polarize the light beam;
- a light dispersion device disposed between the light source and the polarizer, and configured to disperse the light beam into a plurality of monochromic sub-beams of different wavelengths;
- an asymmetric wavelength retarder, configured to provide a varied retardation effect on the light beam varied by wavelength;
- an analyzer, configured to analyze a polarization state of the light beam reflected by the sample;
- and
- an optical detection component, configured to detect the light beam from the analyzer.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a chamber;
- a supporter, disposed in the chamber and configured to support a substrate having a film formed thereon;
- and
- an ellipsometer, configured to in-situ estimate a thickness of the film, wherein the ellipsometer comprises:
- a light source configured to provide a light beam having multiple wavelengths incident to the film;
- an asymmetric wavelength retarder configured to provide a varied retardation effect on the light beam by wavelength;
- a light dispersion device configured to disperse the light beam provided by the light source into a plurality of monochromic sub-beams of different wavelengths onto the film;
- and
- an optical detection component, configured to detect the light beam reflected by the film.
A method for estimating a thickness of a film, comprising:
- providing a light beam having multiple wavelengths incident to a film;
- dispersing the light beam to form a plurality of monochromic sub-beams of different wavelengths;
- polarizing the light beam before the light beam is incident to the film;
- modulating the plurality of monochromic polarized sub-beams such that the plurality of monochromic polarized sub-beams of different wavelengths have different retardation effects;
- analyzing polarization states of the plurality of monochromic polarized sub-beams reflected by the sample;
- detecting the polarization states of the plurality of monochromic polarized sub-beams to obtain a plurality sets of first ellipsometric parameters;
- and
- estimating a thickness of the film according to the plurality sets of first ellipsometric parameters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.