Automated ellipsometer and the like systems

A system comprising:

• source of a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• stage for supporting a sample;
• data detector of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• said system further comprising, between said source and stage, means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof and providing it to the surface of a sample on said stage at any of at least two angles-of-incidence with respect to said surface, with at least one of said angles-of-incidence being available as a focused, and as a non-focused, beam onto said sample surface;
• said system being characterized by at least one selection from the group consisting of:
• a) said stage for supporting said sample comprises means for moving said sample in two orthogonal directions in a plane substantially parallel to said sample surface and/or in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto;
• and
• b) the presence of means for moving, as a group, said source;
• data detector;
• and
• means for receiving a beam of
• spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof and providing it to a sample on said stage;
• in two orthogonal directions in a plane substantially parallel to said sample surface and/or in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto;
• said system further comprising:
• means for controlling stage tip/tilt and therefor the orientation of the plane in which said sample surface is present;
• and
• optional means for causing rotation of said sample.

A method of aligning a beam of electromagnetic radiation onto a sample surface comprising:

• a) causing a beam of electromagnetic radiation to impinge upon a sample surface at an oblique angle of incidence such that it reflects into a data detector, said reflected beam optionally passing through a central hole in a multiple element alignment detector or being partially reflected via beam splitter means onto a multiple element alignment detector;
• b) causing said sample to be tilted/tipped to realize a selection from the group consisting of:
• the data detector signal is maximized;
• and
• the signals from the multiple elements of a multiple element alignment detector through which said beam is caused to pass or is reflected onto are essentially equal;
• c) at the same oblique angle of incidence, placing focusing and recollimating lenses into the pathway of said electromagnetic beam before and after said sample, respectively, and causing said sample to be raised or lowered such that a selection from the group consisting of:
• the data detector signal is maximized;
• and
• the signals from the multiple elements of a multiple element detector through which said beam is caused to pass or is reflected onto are essentially equal.

A method of aligning a beam of electromagnetic radiation onto a sample comprising:

• a) providing a system comprising:
• a source of a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• a stage for supporting a sample;
• a data detector of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• said system further comprising, between said source and stage, means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof and providing it to a surface of a sample on said stage at any of at least two oblique angles-of-incidence to said surface, with at least one of said oblique angles-of-incidence being available as a focused and as a non-focused beam onto said sample surface;
• said system being further characterized by at least one selection from the group consisting of:
• said stage for supporting said sample comprises means for moving said sample in two orthogonal directions in a plane parallel to said sample surface;
• and
• the presence of means for moving as a group, said source, data detector and means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof and providing it to a sample on said stage, in two orthogonal directions in a plane substantially parallel to said sample surface;
• said system further comprising:
• means for changing the distance between the sample and, as a group, said source, data
• detector, and said means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof along a loccus substantially perpendicular to a normal to said sample surface;
• said system further comprising means for controlling stage tip/tilt and therefor the orientation of the plane in which said sample surface is present;
• said system further comprising means for providing an alignment beam of electromagnetic radiation provided by a selection from the group consisting of:
• said source of a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• and
• an alternative source a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
• and an alignment detector, said alignment beam and alignment detector being oriented and positioned to detect when said sample is oriented with a normal to its surface projecting such that when said alignment beam approaches said sample surface, at the point of reflection therefrom, it reflects directly back upward along its incident trajectory;
• and
• said system optionally comprising a second alignment detector positioned and oriented to monitor spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation reflected from said sample surface at an oblique angle;
• b) placing a sample on said stage and causing an alignment beam of electromagnetic radiation to impinge upon a sample at a substantially normal angle to a surface of said sample, such that it reflects from said sample surface into said alignment detector, and causing said stage to cause said sample surface to be tilted/tipped such that the signals from the alignment detector indicate that said alignment beam of electromagnetic radiation caused to impinge upon the surface of said sample reflects therefrom along a normal angle to said sample surface;
• c) causing a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation to approach the surface of said sample at an oblique angle thereto, and placing focusing lenses before and after said sample into the pathway of said spectroscopic beam of electromagnetic radiation, then causing said sample and/or, as a group, said source, data detector, and said means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof, and providing it to a sample on said stage, to be moved along a locus substantially perpendicular to a normal to said sample surface, such that a selection from the group consisting of:
• the data detector signal strength is maximized;
• and
• signals from said optional second alignment detector indicate that the reflected beam is directed to substantially maximize data detector signal strength.

A method of aligning a beam of electromagnetic radiation onto a sample comprising

• a) providing a system comprising:
• source of a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• stage for supporting a sample;
• data detector of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• said system further comprising, between said source and stage, means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof and providing it to the surface of a sample on said stage at any of at least two angles-of-incidence to said surface, with at least one of said angles-of-incidence being available as a focused and as a non-focused beam onto said sample surface;
• said system being characterized by at least one selection from the group consisting of:
• said stage for supporting said sample comprises means for moving said sample in two orthogonal directions in a plane parallel to said sample surface;
• and
• the presence of means for moving as a group, said source, data detector and means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof and providing it to a sample on said stage, in two orthogonal directions in a plane substantially parallel to said sample surface;
• the presence of means for moving the sample in a direction to place it closer to or further away from said source, data detector, and said means for receiving a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said source thereof, and providing it to a sample on said stage;
• said system further comprising means for controlling stage tip/tilt and therefor the orientation of the plane in which said sample surface is present, and
• said system optionally further comprising means for causing rotation of said sample;
• said system further comprising means for providing an alignment beam of electromagnetic radiation provided by a selection from the group consisting of:
• said source of a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• and
• an alternative source a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
• and an alignment detector, said alignment beam and detector being oriented and positioned to detect when said sample is oriented and with a normal to its surface projecting such that said alignment beam approaches said sample surface and, at the point of reflection therefrom, reflects directly back upward along its incident trajectory, there being a known relationship between the loci of said alignment and said beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• b) placing a sample on said stage and causing an alignment beam of electromagnetic radiation to impinge upon a sample at a substantially normal angle to a surface of said sample, such that it reflects from said sample surface into said alignment detector, and causing said stage to cause said sample surface to be tilted/tipped such that the signals from the alignment detector indicate that said alignment beam of electromagnetic radiation caused to impinge upon the surface of said sample reflects therefrom along a normal angle to said sample surface;
• c) causing a beam of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation to approach the surface of said sample at an oblique angle thereto, and placing focusing lenses before and after said sample into the pathway of said spectroscopic beam of electromagnetic, and optionally placing and orienting a second alignment detector to monitor reflected spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation from said sample surface, then causing said sample to be moved along a locus substantially perpendicular to a normal to said sample surface, such that a selection from the group consisting of:
• the data detector signal strength is maximized;
• and
• signals from said second alignment detector indicate that the reflected beam is directed to substantially maximize data detector signal strength.