Spectrometric method for analysis of film thickness and composition on a patterned sample

In a method for the production and management of an article, the steps comprising:

• providing a sample having a surface;
• subjecting at least part of said surface to treatment for effecting modification thereof so as to thereby produce an article comprised of at least first and second regions, each of said regions in turn being comprised of at least one layer having parameters that distinguish said regions from one another and that are attributable to at least one of:
• (1) the dielectric function, and (2) the thickness of said at least one layer thereof;
• irradiating a spot on a surface of said article that constitutes only a portion of said surface and that includes areas of both of said first and second regions;
• measuring radiation emanating from said irradiated spot to obtain measured spectral data;
• providing at least one reference spectrum having features that are indicative of values for said parameters of said at least one layer of said each of said first and second regions, and of the magnitudes of the spectral contributions from said each of said areas to said measured spectral data;
• comparing to said measured spectral data said at least one reference spectrum, and additional reference spectra, having said features, that may be provided, to achieve a substantial fit of one of said at least one and additional reference spectra to said measured spectral data;
• using the result of said comparing step to evaluate at least one of said parameters of said at least one layer of each of said first and second regions;
• and
• using the aforesaid evaluation for subsequent management of said article produced.

In a method for the production and management of an article, the steps comprising:

• providing a patterned sample comprised of at least first and second regions, each of said regions in turn being comprised of at least one layer having parameters that distinguish said regions from one another and that are attributable to at least one of:
• (1) the dielectric function, and (2) the thickness of said at least one layer thereof;
• irradiating a spot on a surface of said sample that constitutes only a portion of said surface and that includes areas of both of said first and second regions;
• measuring radiation emanating from said irradiated spot to obtain a first set of measured spectral data;
• subjecting at least part of said surface of said sample that includes both of said first and second regions to treatment for effecting modification thereof, so as to produce an article;
• irradiating, on a surface of said article that is in substantial alignment with said surface of said sample, a spot which constitutes only a portion of said surface of said article and that includes said areas of both of said first and second regions of said sample, as so modified;
• measuring radiation emanating from said irradiated spot on said article surface to obtain a second set of measured spectral data;
• relating said first and second sets of measured spectral data to one another, in either a differential or a ratio relationship to one another, and producing a relational spectrum that is indicative of said sets of measured spectral data, as so related;
• providing at least one reference spectrum having features that are indicative of values for said parameters of said at least one layer of said each of said first and second regions, both before and also after such modification and in said relationship to one another, and of the magnitudes of the spectral contributions from said each of said areas to said first set of measured spectral data;
• comparing to said relational spectrum said at least one reference spectrum, and additional reference spectra, having said features, that may be provided, to achieve a substantial fit of said at least one and additional reference spectra to said relational spectrum;
• and
• using the result of said comparing step to evaluate at least one of said parameters of at least one layer of each of said first and second regions, as so modified.

Apparatus for the fabrication of an article, comprising, in integrated combination:

• treating means for treating at least part of a substrate to effect surface modification thereof;
• evaluating means for evaluating at least one of the thickness and the composition of layers of which an article is comprised;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said evaluating means and said treating means for controlling the operation of said treating means based upon a signal received from said evaluating means, said evaluating means comprising:
• means for irradiating a spot on a surface of an article contained in said apparatus;
• means for measuring radiation emanating from said irradiated spot to obtain measured spectral data;
• means for providing at least one reference spectrum having features that are indicative of values for parameters that are attributable to at least one of:
• (1) the dielectric function, and (2) the thickness of at least one layer of each of first and second regions irradiated by said spot, and of the magnitudes of the spectral contributions from irradiated areas of each of said regions to said measured spectral data;
• means for comparing to said measured spectral data said at least one reference spectrum, and additional reference spectra, having said features, that may be provided, to achieve a substantial fit of one of said at least one and additional reference spectra to said measured spectral data;
• and
• means for using the result of said comparing step to evaluate said parameters of said at least one layer of each of said first and second regions, and for generating a signal indicative thereof.