Monitoring of contact hole production
AssigneeApplied Materials Israel Ltd.
InventorsAvi Simon, Alexander Kadyshevitch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for production testing includes receiving a wafer including a semiconductor substrate and a non-conducting layer formed over the substrate, following etching of contact openings through the non-conducting layer to the substrate, the contact openings including an array of the contact openings arranged in a predefined test pattern in a test area on the wafer. An electron beam is directed to irradiate the test area, a specimen current flowing through the substrate responsive to the electron beam is measured. The specimen current is analyzed so as to assess a dimension of the contact openings.
Claims46
A method for production testing, comprising:
- receiving a wafer comprising a semiconductor substrate and a non-conducting layer formed over the substrate, following etching of contact openings through the non-conducting layer to the substrate, the contact openings comprising an array of the contact openings arranged in a predefined test pattern in a test area on the wafer;
- directing an electron beam to irradiate the test area;
- measuring a specimen current flowing through the substrate responsive to the electron beam;
- and
- analyzing the specimen current so as to assess a dimension of the contact openings.
A method for producing microelectronic devices, comprising:
- etching contact openings through a non-conducting layer on a wafer to a semiconductor substrate over which the non-conducting layer is formed, the contact openings comprising an array of the contact openings arranged in a predefined test pattern in a test area on the wafer;
- directing an electron beam to irradiate the test area;
- measuring a specimen current flowing through the substrate responsive to the electron beam;
- and
- analyzing the specimen current so as to assess a dimension of the contact openings.
Apparatus for production testing of a wafer that includes a semiconductor substrate and a non-conducting layer formed over the substrate, following etching of contact openings through the non-conducting layer to the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- an electron beam source, adapted to direct an electron beam to irradiate a test area on the wafer comprising an array of the contact openings arranged in a predefined test pattern;
- a current measuring device, coupled to measure a specimen current flowing through the substrate responsive to the electron beam;
- and
- a controller, adapted to assess a dimension of the contact openings responsive to the measured specimen current.
A semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a non-conducting layer formed over the substrate, and having a plurality of contact openings etched therethrough to the substrate, the contact openings comprising an array of the contact openings arranged in a predefined test pattern in a test area of the wafer.
A cluster tool for producing microelectronic devices, comprising:
- an etching station, which is adapted to etch a wafer that includes a semiconductor substrate and a non-conducting layer formed over the substrate, so as to produce contact openings through the non-conducting layer to the substrate, the contact openings comprising an array of the contact openings arranged in a predefined test pattern in a predefined test area of the wafer;
- a testing station, comprising:
- an electron beam source, adapted to direct an electron beam to irradiate the test area on the wafer;
- and
- a current measuring device, coupled to measure a specimen current flowing through the substrate responsive to the electron beam;
- and
- a controller, adapted to assess a dimension of the contact openings based on the measured specimen current, and to adjust an operating parameter of the etching tool responsive to the assessed dimension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.