Semiconductor wafer having measurement area feature for determining dielectric layer thickness
OwnerShoaib Zaidiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor wafer includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer contacting the first dielectric layer, and a measurement area feature. The measurement area feature is laterally enclosed by the second dielectric layer. The measurement area feature is adapted to be used for determining a thickness of the first dielectric layer, and the measurement area feature includes a mixture of at least two materials.
Claims26
A semiconductor wafer comprising:
- a first dielectric layer;
- a second dielectric layer contacting the first dielectric layer;
- and
- a measurement area feature laterally enclosed by the second dielectric layer, the measurement area feature adapted to be used for determining a thickness of the first dielectric layer, the measurement area feature comprising a mixture of at least two materials.
A semiconductor wafer comprising:
- a first device feature;
- a second device feature contacting the first device feature;
- a measurement area feature comprising a mixture of a metal and a dielectric material;
- a first dielectric material layer laterally enclosing the first device feature;
- and
- a second dielectric material layer laterally enclosing the second device feature and the measurement area feature,
- wherein the measurement area feature is adapted to be used for determining a thickness of the first dielectric material layer.
A semiconductor wafer comprising:
- a first dielectric material layer;
- a second dielectric material layer contacting the first dielectric material layer;
- and
- means for optically determining a thickness of the first dielectric material layer.
A method for determining the thickness of a dielectric layer, the method comprising:
- providing a preprocessed wafer including a first dielectric layer;
- etching the first dielectric layer to provide an opening;
- filling the opening with a mixture of at least two materials to provide a measurement area feature;
- depositing a second dielectric layer over the preprocessed wafer and measurement area feature;
- and
- measuring a thickness of the second dielectric layer at the measurement area feature.
A method for determining the thickness of a dielectric material layer, the method comprising:
- providing a preprocessed wafer including a first dielectric material layer;
- etching the first dielectric material layer to provide device feature openings and measurement area feature openings;
- filling the device feature openings and measurement area feature openings with a material to provide device features and measurement area features such that an effective refractive index of the measurement area features is different than a refractive index of the first dielectric material;
- fabricating second device features contacting the first device features;
- depositing a second dielectric material layer over exposed portions of the preprocessed wafer and the second device features;
- and
- measuring a thickness of the second dielectric material layer at a measurement area feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.