Thin-film measurement

06/01/1997

Thin-film measurement

Tencor Instruments has introduced a production-worthy thin-film measurementsystem, the Prometrix UV-1280SE, which combines spectroscopic ellipsometry and broadband spectrophotometry in a single platform. The new capability supports etch, photolithography, and CMP applications, as well as advanced characterization of new materials, such as SiON antireflective layers, silicon-rich oxides, silicon carbide and SiGe. The UV-1280SE directly measures film thickness, refractive index, and the extinction coefficient of single- or multilayer, thin-film stacks simultaneously without needing to reference or extrapolate. It provides a means of accounting and compensating for surface roughness. The Prometrix UV-1280SE also includes an enhanced simultaneous multilayer measurement algorithm for higher throughput, and a new etch-to-clear algorithm for production environments. Tencor Instruments, Mountain View, CA; ph 408/571-3000.