公开(公告)号：US06300756B2

公开(公告)日：2001-10-09

申请号：US08873819

申请日：1997-06-12

申请人： James C. Sturm ,  Kiran Pangal ,  Samara L. Firebaugh

发明人： James C. Sturm ,  Kiran Pangal ,  Samara L. Firebaugh

IPC分类号： G01R2912

CPC分类号： H01J37/32935

摘要： A method and apparatus for measuring a charge on a surface, such as on a semiconductor wafer, arising during plasma processing is provided. Such a charge may be measured on an insulating film applied to such a wafer. By the present invention, the charge on such an insulator exposed to plasma is measured in-situ using micro-cantilevers. The micro-cantilevers include an insulating base positioned on the substrate and a cantilevered beam extending therefrom to over the substrate. The beam is formed of a conductive material. A charge on the beam causes an opposite charge to form on the substrate. The opposite charges attract to move or deflect the beam towards the substrate. The amount of movement or deflection corresponds to the magnitude of the charge. This movement or deflection of the beam can be measured to determine the charge by bouncing a light source, such as a laser, off of the beam. In another embodiment, the cantilever includes a flexible bridge interconnected between the base and a rigid beam. In this embodiment, the surface of the beam does not bend. Rather, movement of the beam is accomplished by the bending of the flexible bridge. This allows for easier measurements of the movement of the beam because the surface of the beam remains planar.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于测量在等离子体处理期间产生的诸如半导体晶片的表面上的电荷的方法和装置。 可以在施加到这种晶片的绝缘膜上测量这样的电荷。 通过本发明，使用微悬臂梁原位测量暴露于等离子体的这种绝缘体上的电荷。 微型悬臂包括位于基板上的绝缘基体和从其延伸到基板上方的悬臂梁。 光束由导电材料形成。 光束上的电荷导致在基板上形成相反的电荷。 相反的电荷吸引将光束移向或偏转朝向衬底。 移动量或偏转量对应于电荷的大小。 可以测量光束的这种移动或偏转，以通过使诸如激光器的光源从光束反射来确定电荷。 在另一个实施例中，悬臂包括在基座和刚性梁之间互连的柔性桥。 在本实施例中，光束的表面不弯曲。 而是通过柔性桥的弯曲实现梁的移动。 这允许更容易地测量光束的运动，因为光束的表面保持平面。