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US 7,581,875 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for thin metal film thickness measurement
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsYehiel Gotkis, Mikhail Korolik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for measuring a metal film thickness is provided. The method initiates with heating a region of interest of a metal film with a defined amount of heat energy. Then, a temperature of the metal film is measured. Next, a thickness of the metal film is calculated based upon the temperature and the defined amount of heat energy. A chemical mechanical planarization system capable of detecting a thin metal film through the detection of heat transfer dynamics is also provided.
Claims6
A method for measuring a metal film thickness of a substrate, comprising:
- heating a region of interest of a metal film with a defined amount of heat energy through a heater embedded within a wafer carrier supporting the substrate while processing a surface of the substrate opposing a surface of the substrate closest to the heater;
- measuring a temperature of the metal film through a sensor, the metal film being located between the heater and the sensor while measuring the temperature;
- and
- calculating a thickness of the metal film based upon the temperature and the defined amount of heat energy.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.