Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Monitoring of contact hole production

A technology for production testing and contact opening, applied in non-contact circuit testing, electronic circuit testing, semiconductor/solid-state device testing/measurement, etc., which can solve problems such as deposition, different types of blocking, and insufficient etching

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-06-15
APPL MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD
View PDF0 Cites 12 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] The HAR technique using SEM is time-consuming and expensive to implement, and it does not yet distinguish between different types of blockages that cause contact hole closure (e.g. holes not etched in place or, conversely, residue deposited at the bottom of the hole)
In addition, HAR imaging techniques can generally only be used after the photoresist mask has been removed from the wafer surface
Therefore, if it is found that the contact hole is not etched in place during the inspection, it is impossible to continue the etching process at that time

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Monitoring of contact hole production
  • Monitoring of contact hole production
  • Monitoring of contact hole production

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0054] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1A and 1B, which schematically illustrate details of a semiconductor wafer 20 and test patterns 22 formed thereon, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1A is a top view of a wafer with an enlarged test pattern shown on the inset. FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a test pattern along line 1B-1B in FIG. 1A. Although only a single test pattern is shown in FIG. 1A , a plurality of test patterns may be distributed on the surface of the wafer 20 . Preferably, each test pattern is located at the scribe line between adjacent dice on wafer 20 to minimize the loss of useful space on the wafer.

[0055] Preferably, the test pattern 22 includes a contact hole array 26 . Typically, the contact holes are designed to have a diameter of approximately 100 nm and are spaced approximately 0.5 μm to 1 μm apart from each other. The entire test pattern typically includes an area of ​​at least 10x10 [mu]m, p...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A method for production testing comprising receiving a wafer comprising a semiconductor substrate and a non-conductive layer formed on the substrate and subsequently etching contact openings through the non-conductive layer to the substrate, the contact openings comprising testing on the wafer An array of contact openings arranged in a predetermined test pattern within the area. The electron beam is directed to hit the test area and the sample current flowing through the substrate in response to the electron beam is measured. The sample current was analyzed to estimate the etch dimensions of the contact openings.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to semiconductor device manufacturing and process control, and in particular to the monitoring of production contact holes on semiconductor wafers. Background technique [0002] Contact hole fabrication is a common step in semiconductor device fabrication. Typically, contact holes are used to electrically connect semiconductor or metal layers through an overlying non-conductive layer such as an oxide layer. To make the contact holes, a layer of photoresist is deposited on the wafer surface. The photoresist is hardened and developed by exposing it to UV radiation, forming a "mask" on the wafer, leaving openings at the contact holes. The wafer is then transported to an etch station to form contact holes through the non-conductive layer and onto the semiconductor layer. Then, the photoresist mask is removed, and the contact holes are filled with metal. A similar process can be used to create trenches or vias on ...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): H01L21/66H01L23/544
CPCH01L22/12H01L22/34H01L22/00
Inventor 亚历山大·凯蒂塞维奇艾维·西蒙
Owner APPL MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD