X-ray enhanced SEM critical dimension measurement
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsPeter Benizri-Carl, Wolfgang Egert, Manfred Jung, Theodore Gerard van Kessel
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Abstract
Structures having high height to width ratios may be measured using X-ray techniques, where the surrounding base and the structure are composed of different substances. The technique combines X-ray detection with scanning electron microscope (SEM) beam scanning. The X-ray emission is set to detect the presence of a specific substance which is either in the structure or surrounding the structure.
Claims6
A method of measuring the lateral dimension of a structure where said structure is composed of at least two atomically different materials comprising the steps of:
- scanning an electron beam across a feature to be measured, said electron having a primary beam energy sufficient to excite flourescent X-rays characteristic of one of the at least two atomically different materials and having a lateral beam dimension that is sufficiently small compared to the lateral dimension of the feature being measured;
- detecting, counting and recording a counted number of characteristic X-rays so produced against a known position of the electron beam;
- and
- analyzing the recorded X-ray counts versus beam position to determine the width dimension of the feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.