Apparatus and method for optical evaluation, apparatus and method for manufacturing semiconductor device, method of controlling apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor device, and semiconductor device

An optical evaluation apparatus for evaluating an electric property of an insulating film formed on a semiconductor region of a substrate, said apparatus comprising:

• a first light source for generating exciting light;
• a second light source for generating measurement light;
• a first light guiding member for intermittently supplying the exciting light generated from said first light source and transmitted by said insulating film to the semiconductor region immediately under the insulating film;
• a second light guiding member for supplying the measurement light generated from said second light source and transmitted by said insulating film to the semiconductor region intermittently supplied with said exciting light;
• reflectance measuring means for measuring a reflectance of the measurement light supplied to said semiconductor region;
• a third light guiding member for causing the measurement light reflected from said semiconductor region to be incident upon said reflectance measuring means;
• change calculating means for receiving an output from said reflectance measuring means and calculating a change rate of the reflectance of the measurement light by dividing a difference between the respective reflectances of the measurement light in the presence and absence of said exciting light supplied to said semiconductor region by the reflectance of the measurement light in the absence of the exciting light;
• and
• evaluating means for evaluating the electric property of said insulating film based on the change rate of the reflectance of said measurement light.

An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, said apparatus comprising:

• a chamber for containing a substrate having a semiconductor region;
• processing means for performing processing with respect to said substrate in said chamber;
• first light supplying means for intermittently supplying exciting light to the semiconductor region of said substrate placed in said chamber;
• a second light supplying means for supplying measurement light to said semiconductor region;
• reflectance measuring means for measuring a reflectance of the measurement light supplied to said semiconductor region;
• change calculating means for receiving an output from said reflectance measuring means and calculating a change rate of the reflectance of the measurement light by dividing a difference between the respective reflectances of the measurement light in the presence and absence of said exciting light supplied to said semiconductor region by the reflectance of the measurement light in the absence of the exciting light;
• and
• processing control means for receiving an output from said change calculating means during the processing performed by said processing means and controlling a condition for said processing based on said change rate of the reflectance.

An optical evaluation method for evaluating processing performed with respect to a substrate having a semiconductor region in a chamber, said method comprising the steps of:

• supplying measurement light to the semiconductor region of said substrate in said chamber;
• intermittently supplying exciting light to said semiconductor region;
• and
• calculating a change rate of a reflectance of the measurement light by dividing a difference between the respective reflectances of the measurement light in the presence and absence of said exciting light supplied to said semiconductor region by the reflectance of the measurement light in the absence of the exciting light.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

• a first step of forming-a substrate having a semiconductor region;
• a second step of evaluating an optical property of said semiconductor region;
• a third step of performing an etching process with respect to said semiconductor region;
• and
• a fourth step of controlling a condition for said etching process based on an optical property of said semiconductor region evaluated in said second step.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

• a first step of forming a substrate having a semiconductor region;
• a second step of evaluating an optical property of said semiconductor region;
• a third step of forming a thin insulating film on said semiconductor region;
• and
• a fourth step of controlling a condition for the formation of said insulating film based on the optical property of said semiconductor region evaluated in said second step.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

• a first step of forming a substrate having a semiconductor region and a thin insulating film overlying the semiconductor region;
• a second step of evaluating an optical property of said semiconductor region;
• a third step of removing said insulating film by dry etching;
• and
• a fourth step of controlling a condition for the removal of said insulating film based on the optical property of said semiconductor region evaluated in said second step.

A method of controlling an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a chamber for containing a substrate having a semiconductor region, processing means for performing processing with respect to said substrate in said chamber, first light supplying means for intermittently supplying exciting light to the semiconductor region of said substrate placed in said chamber, a second light supplying means for supplying measurement light to said semiconductor region, and reflectance measuring means for measuring a reflectance of the measurement light supplied to said semiconductor region, said method comprising:

• a first step of supplying the measurement light to said semiconductor region;
• a second step of intermittently supplying the exciting light to said semiconductor region;
• a third step of calculating a change rate of the reflectance of the measurement light by dividing a difference between the respective reflectances of the measurement light in the presence and absence of said exciting light supplied to said semiconductor region by the reflectance of the measurement light in the absence of the exciting light;
• a fourth step of operating said processing means for a specified time till the change rate of the reflectance calculated in said third step reaches a specified value;
• and
• a fifth step of monitoring said specified time in said fourth step and outputting a signal for causing maintenance to be performed with respect to said apparatus for manufacturing the semiconductor device when said specified time exceeds a limit value.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first semiconductor region provided in a top surface of said substrate to form a part of a semiconductor element to be formed on the substrate;
• and
• a second semiconductor region having an optical property monitored during processing performed in said first semiconductor region.