Abstract:
Determining a property of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC), the layer being formed over an underlayer, is implemented by performing the steps of: irradiating the IC to thereby eject electrons from the IC; collecting electrons emitted from the IC and determining the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons to thereby calculate emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer calculating a ratio of the emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer; and using the ratio to determine material composition or thickness of the layer. The steps of irradiating IC and collecting electrons may be performed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF).
Abstract:
A detector module for use in an apparatus for analysing a specimen is provided. The detector module comprises a plurality of X-ray sensor elements and one or more electron sensor elements, and is adapted to be positioned below a polepiece of an electron beam assembly of the apparatus from which an electron beam generated by the assembly emerges towards a specimen in use, such that the detector module receives X-rays and backscattered electrons generated by interaction between the electron beam and the specimen. Each of the plurality of X-ray sensor elements is configured to monitor energies of individual received X-ray photons, and the plurality of X-ray sensor elements have a total active area greater than 20 mm2. The radial extent of the detector module with respect to the electron beam axis in use is less than 10 mm for at least a first portion of the detector module. An apparatus and method for analysing a specimen are also provided.
Abstract:
Determining a property of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC), the layer being formed over an underlayer, is implemented by performing the steps of: irradiating the IC to thereby eject electrons from the IC; collecting electrons emitted from the IC and determining the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons to thereby calculate emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer calculating a ratio of the emission intensity of electrons emitted from the layer and electrons emitted from the underlayer; and using the ratio to determine material composition or thickness of the layer. The steps of irradiating IC and collecting electrons may be performed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF).
Abstract:
A method for imaging a surface, including scanning a first region of the surface with a primary charged particle beam at a first scan rate so as to generate a first secondary charged particle beam from the first region, and scanning a second region of the surface with the primary charged particle beam at a second scan rate faster than the first scan rate so as to generate a second secondary charged particle beam from the second region. The method also includes receiving the first secondary charged particle beam and the second secondary charged particle beam at a detector configured to generate a signal in response to the beams, and forming an image of the first and the second regions in response to the signal.
Abstract:
The present invention is intended to provide improved patterned X-ray emitting targets as well as X-ray sources that include patterned X-ray emitting targets as well as X-ray reflectance scatterometry (XRS) systems and also including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) systems and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) systems which employ such X-ray emitting targets.
Abstract:
A method of calculating a thickness of a graphene layer and a method of measuring a content of silicon carbide, by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), are provided. The method of calculating the thickness of the graphene layer, which is directly grown on a silicon substrate, includes measuring the thickness of the graphene layer directly grown on the silicon substrate, by using a ratio between a signal intensity of a photoelectron beam emitted from the graphene layer and a signal intensity of a photoelectron beam emitted from the silicon substrate.
Abstract:
Systems and approaches for silicon germanium thickness and composition determination using combined XPS and XRF technologies are described. In an example, a method for characterizing a silicon germanium film includes generating an X-ray beam. A sample is positioned in a pathway of said X-ray beam. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) signal generated by bombarding said sample with said X-ray beam is collected. An X-ray fluorescence (XRF) signal generated by bombarding said sample with said X-ray beam is also collected. Thickness or composition, or both, of the silicon germanium film is determined from the XRF signal or the XPS signal, or both.
Abstract:
Systems and approaches for silicon germanium thickness and composition determination using combined XPS and XRF technologies are described. In an example, a method for characterizing a silicon germanium film includes generating an X-ray beam. A sample is positioned in a pathway of said X-ray beam. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) signal generated by bombarding said sample with said X-ray beam is collected. An X-ray fluorescence (XRF) signal generated by bombarding said sample with said X-ray beam is also collected. Thickness or composition, or both, of the silicon germanium film is determined from the XRF signal or the XPS signal, or both.
Abstract:
A method to determine a concentration of a target element in a sample is provide. The method comprises (i) positioning a sample containing a target element with respect to a reference material containing a reference element, (ii) simultaneously irradiating the sample and the reference material with Bremsstrahlung X-rays to thereby produce activated nuclei in the target element and to produce activated nuclei in the reference element, (iii) detecting deactivation gamma-rays' from the irradiated sample and deactivation gamma-rays from the irradiated reference material, (iv) determining a first number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from the irradiated sample and a second number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from the reference material, and (v) determining the concentration of the target element in the sample by first normalising the first number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from the irradiated sample by the second number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from the reference material. The variation of the reference element to target element cross section ratio over a range of electron beam energies is less than a predetermined measurement accuracy.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for determining a performance of a photolithographic mask at an exposure wavelength with the steps of scanning at least one electron beam across at least one portion of the photolithographic mask, measuring signals generated by the at least one electron beam interacting with the at least one portion of the photolithographic mask, and determining the performance of the at least one portion of the photolithographic mask at the exposure wavelength based on the measured signals.