A method for detecting a material residual state of a semiconductor process

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for detecting a material residual state of a semiconductor process, the semiconductor process being used for preparing a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure comprising a target region, a material being located in the target region and comprising at least a first element, an area of the target region being denoted as S t . The target region comprises a to-be-detected region, an area of the to-be-detected region being denoted as S0, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises at least one standard semiconductor structure and at least one to-be-detected semiconductor structure. The method comprises: performing a first processing operation on the standard semiconductor structure to determine a correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure, and performing a second processing operation on the to-be-detected semiconductor structure to determine whether the material is residual in the target region.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more particularly to a method for detecting the residual state of materials in semiconductor manufacturing processes. Background Technology

[0002] In the fabrication of semiconductor structures, a common process involves first depositing semiconductor material onto a target area, then removing some of the semiconductor material through etching or other processes to form the target structure, and finally removing the initially deposited semiconductor material. If the initially deposited semiconductor material is not completely removed, leaving material residue, it can negatively impact subsequent processes and affect the electrical performance of the final semiconductor structure.

[0003] Therefore, in many cases, it is necessary to inspect the residual condition of the first deposited semiconductor material. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a method for detecting residual state of materials in a semiconductor fabrication process. The semiconductor fabrication process is used to prepare a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure including at least a target region, the material located in the target region and including at least a first element, and the area of ​​the target region is denoted as S. t The target region includes at least a region to be tested, the area of ​​which is denoted as S0; wherein, the semiconductor structure includes at least one standard semiconductor structure and at least one semiconductor structure to be tested; the detection method includes:

[0005] A first processing operation is performed on the standard semiconductor structure to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure;

[0006] Perform a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target region, including:

[0007] The first detection intensity I1 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the first process is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S0.

[0008] The second detection intensity I2 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the second process is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S0.

[0009] Based on W1, W2, and S tThe calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation result, and the presence of material residue in the target area is determined based on the calculation result.

[0010] In some embodiments, target structures are provided on both the area to be tested and the target area located outside the area to be tested; the portion located between the target structures is defined as an effective area; the material is located within the effective area; the area of ​​the effective area located within the area to be tested is denoted as S1; the detection method includes:

[0011] A first processing operation is performed on the standard semiconductor structure to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure;

[0012] Perform a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target region, including:

[0013] The first detection intensity I1 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the first process is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S1.

[0014] The second detection intensity I2 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the second process is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S1.

[0015] Based on W1, W2, and S t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation result, and the presence of material residue in the target area is determined based on the calculation result.

[0016] In some embodiments, a first processing operation is performed on the standard semiconductor structure to determine a correction coefficient k for the semiconductor structure, including:

[0017] Obtain the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure located in the region to be tested;

[0018] Perform a wet chemical processing step to obtain the material residue W of the first element in the target region of the standard semiconductor structure during the second process structure. X1 ;

[0019] Based on the W X1 The correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure is determined by I3.

[0020] In some embodiments, obtaining the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure located in the region to be tested includes:

[0021] The fourth detection intensity I4 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the standard semiconductor structure at the end of the first process was obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

[0022] The fifth detection intensity I5 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the standard semiconductor structure at the end of the second process was obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

[0023] The third detection intensity I3 of the first element is determined based on I4 and I5.

[0024] In some embodiments, based on the W X1 The correction coefficient k for the semiconductor structure is determined by I3, including:

[0025] W X1 Substituting into the following relationship (1), the content W of the first element introduced into the test area during the second process is calculated. X2 ;

[0026]

[0027] The I3 and the W X2 Substituting the following relationship (2), the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure is calculated:

[0028]

[0029] The I3 and the W X2 Substituting the following relationship (3), the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure is calculated:

[0030]

[0031] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0032] In some embodiments, calculating the content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process based on k, I1, and S0 includes:

[0033] Substituting k, I1, and S0 into the following relationship (4), the content W1 of the first element is calculated:

[0034]

[0035] The content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2, and S0, including:

[0036] Substituting k, I2, and S0 into the following relationship (5), the content W2 of the first element is calculated:

[0037]

[0038] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0039] In some embodiments, based on W1, W2, and S t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation result, including:

[0040] W1 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (6), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the first process is calculated. a1 ,

[0041]

[0042] W2 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (7), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the second process is calculated. a2 :

[0043]

[0044] W a2 and the W a1 Perform the difference operation to obtain the calculation result W. a3 :

[0045] Determining whether there is material residue in the target area based on the calculation results includes:

[0046] When W a3 When ≤0, there is no material residue in the target area;

[0047] When W a3 When the value is greater than 0, material residue exists in the target area.

[0048] In some embodiments, calculating the content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process based on k, I1, and S1 includes:

[0049] Substituting k, I1, and S1 into the following relationship (8), the content W1 of the first element is calculated:

[0050]

[0051] The calculation of the content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process, based on k, I2, and S1, includes:

[0052] Substituting k, I2, and S1 into the following relationship (9), the content W2 of the first element is calculated:

[0053]

[0054] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0055] In some embodiments, based on W1, W2, and S t The calculation of the material residue W in the target area by S0 includes:

[0056] W1 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (10), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the first process is calculated. a1 ,

[0057]

[0058] W2 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (11), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the second process is calculated. a2 :

[0059]

[0060] W a2 and the W a1 Perform the difference operation to obtain the calculation result W. a3 :

[0061] Determining whether there is material residue in the target area based on the calculation results includes:

[0062] When W a3 When ≤0, there is no material residue in the target area;

[0063] When W a3 When the value is greater than 0, material residue exists in the target area.

[0064] In some embodiments, when W a3 When the value is greater than 0, and material residue exists in the target area, the detection method further includes:

[0065] Based on the content ratio of the first element in the material, and based on the W a3 Calculate the amount of residual material W in the target area.

[0066] In some embodiments, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy is used to obtain the first detection intensity I1 and the second detection intensity I2.

[0067] In some embodiments, at the end of the first process, the semiconductor structure includes:

[0068] Substrate;

[0069] Multiple conductive structures are arranged at intervals, the conductive structures are located on the substrate; the region where the conductive structures are located is defined as the target region;

[0070] A first dielectric layer fills the gaps between the plurality of conductive structures and covers the surface of the conductive structures.

[0071] In some embodiments, at the end of the second process, the semiconductor structure further includes at least:

[0072] The target structure is located on the conductive structure, and the target structure is pore-shaped;

[0073] A lower electrode, the lower electrode covering the sidewalls and bottom of the target structure;

[0074] A second dielectric layer, which at least covers a portion of the outer wall of the target structure.

[0075] In some embodiments, the area of ​​the target structure is denoted as S. h The number of target structures located in the region to be measured is denoted as A; obtaining the area S1 of the portion of the effective region located in the region to be measured includes:

[0076] The S h Substituting A into the following relationship (12), the area S1 of the portion of the effective region located in the region to be measured is calculated:

[0077] S1 = S0 - S h ×A (12).

[0078] In some embodiments, the material comprises borosilicate glass, wherein the first element comprises one of boron or phosphorus.

[0079] This disclosure provides a method for detecting residual states of materials in a semiconductor fabrication process. The semiconductor fabrication process is used to prepare a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure including at least a target region, the material located in the target region and including at least a first element, and the area of ​​the target region is denoted as S. tThe target region includes at least a region to be tested, the area of ​​which is denoted as S0; wherein the semiconductor structure includes at least one standard semiconductor structure and at least one semiconductor structure to be tested; the detection method includes: performing a first processing operation on the standard semiconductor structure to determine a correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure; performing a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure to be tested to determine whether there is material residue in the target region, including: obtaining a first detection intensity I1 of the first element located in the region to be tested at the end of the first process of the semiconductor structure to be tested, and calculating the content W1 of the first element in the region to be tested at the end of the first process based on k, I1, and S0; obtaining a second detection intensity I2 of the first element located in the region to be tested at the end of the second process of the semiconductor structure to be tested, and calculating the content W2 of the first element in the region to be tested at the end of the second process based on k, I2, and S0; and calculating the content W2 of the first element in the region to be tested at the end of the second process based on W1, W2, and S0; ... k, I2, and S0; and calculating the content W2 of the first element in the region to be tested at the end of the second process based on k, I2, and S0; and calculating the content W t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation result, and the presence of material residue in the target area is determined based on the calculation result. Thus, in this embodiment of the disclosure, after obtaining the correction coefficient k using a standard semiconductor structure, the content of the first element in the semiconductor structure under test after each of the two processes is detected to obtain the first detection intensity I1 and the second detection intensity I2 of the first element, based on the area (S). t When the detection intensities (I1 and I2) of the first element and the correction parameter k are all known, the content of the first element introduced into the target region between two processes in the semiconductor structure under test can be determined solely through calculation. Based on the performance of this content, feedback can be obtained regarding whether material residue exists in the target region. In other words, in this embodiment, after performing the first processing operation a limited number of times (which can be once) to obtain the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure, a relatively convenient second processing operation (instrument detection plus calculation) can be used to obtain the material residue status of the target region. Therefore, the detection method provided in this embodiment has high detection efficiency and can effectively reduce the damage to the semiconductor structure during the detection process, thereby significantly reducing detection costs.

[0080] Additional aspects and advantages of this disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0081] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0082] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a method for detecting the residual state of materials in a semiconductor manufacturing process, provided in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0083] Figure 2 A top view of a semiconductor structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; wherein, (1) the figure is a top view of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process; and (2) the figure is a top view of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the second process.

[0084] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for detecting the residual state of materials in a semiconductor process, provided in another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0085] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process; wherein, (1) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process along one direction; (2) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process along another direction;

[0086] Figures 5 to 8 A process flow diagram of a semiconductor structure provided in a second process according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; wherein, (1) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure in a second process along one direction; (2) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure in a second process along another direction;

[0087] Figure 9 A top view of a semiconductor structure provided in another embodiment of this disclosure at the end of a second process;

[0088] Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating the process of obtaining the residual material state on a target region using a semiconductor structure provided in this embodiment of the disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0089] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0090] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, to avoid confusion with this disclosure, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described; that is, not all features of actual embodiments are described herein, nor are well-known functions and structures described in detail.

[0091] In the accompanying drawings, for clarity, the dimensions of layers, areas, and elements, as well as their relative dimensions, may be exaggerated. The same reference numerals denote the same elements throughout.

[0092] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as "on," "adjacent to," "connected to," or "coupled to" other elements or layers, it may be directly on, adjacent to, connected to, or coupled to other elements or layers, or there may be intervening elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly on," "directly adjacent to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" other elements or layers, there are no intervening elements or layers. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used to describe various elements, components, areas, layers, and / or portions, these elements, components, areas, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, area, layer, or portion from another element, component, area, layer, or portion. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of this disclosure, the first element, component, area, layer, or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, area, layer, or portion. And the discussion of a second element, component, area, layer, or portion does not imply that the first element, component, area, layer, or portion necessarily exists in this disclosure.

[0093] Spatial relation terms such as “below,” “under,” “below,” “under,” “above,” “above,” etc., are used herein for convenience of description to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figure and other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, spatial relation terms are intended to also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, then the element or feature described as “below,” “under,” or “below” other elements or features will be oriented “above” other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary terms “below” and “under” can include both above and below orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or otherwise) and the spatial descriptive terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0094] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. When used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprise” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, identify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups. When used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0095] In the fabrication of semiconductor structures, semiconductor material is typically deposited onto the target area first. Then, processes such as etching are used to remove some of the semiconductor material to form the target structure. Finally, the deposited semiconductor material is removed. If the deposited semiconductor material is not completely removed after these steps, leaving material residue, it can negatively impact subsequent processes and even the electrical properties of the final semiconductor structure.

[0096] In practice, elemental analysis can be used with the help of various instruments or wet processes to detect the residual condition of semiconductor materials. However, due to the limitations of the above detection methods, such as limited measurement depth, inability to accurately locate, and easy damage to the test sample, operators cannot quickly and accurately detect the residual condition of materials in the semiconductor structure. Moreover, destructive testing affects production costs.

[0097] Based on this, the following technical solutions for embodiments of this disclosure are proposed.

[0098] This disclosure provides a method for detecting residual state of materials in a semiconductor manufacturing process. The semiconductor manufacturing process is used to fabricate a semiconductor structure, which includes at least a target region. Material is located in the target region and includes at least a first element. The area of ​​the target region is denoted as S. t The target region includes at least the region to be tested, the area of ​​which is denoted as S0; the semiconductor structure includes at least one standard semiconductor structure and at least one semiconductor structure to be tested; such as Figure 1 As shown, the detection method includes the following steps:

[0099] Step S101: Perform a first processing operation on the standard semiconductor structure to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure;

[0100] Step S102: Perform a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target area, including:

[0101] The first detection intensity I1 of the first element in the test region located in the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the first process is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test region at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S0.

[0102] The second detection intensity I2 of the first element in the test region located at the end of the second process of the semiconductor structure under test is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test region at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S0.

[0103] Based on W1, W2, S t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation results, and the presence of material residue in the target area is determined based on the calculation results.

[0104] Thus, in this embodiment of the disclosure, after obtaining the correction coefficient k using a standard semiconductor structure, the first detection intensity I1 and the second detection intensity I2 of the first element can be obtained by detecting the content of the first element in the semiconductor structure under test after the completion of the two processes. This is achieved within the area (S) of each component. t When the detection intensities (I1 and I2) of the first element and the correction parameter k are all known, the content of the first element introduced into the target region between two processes in the semiconductor structure under test can be determined solely through calculation. Based on the performance of this content, feedback can be obtained regarding whether material residue exists in the target region. In other words, in this embodiment, after performing the first processing operation a limited number of times (which can be once) to obtain the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure, a relatively convenient second processing operation (instrument detection plus calculation) can be used to obtain the material residue status of the target region. Therefore, the detection method provided in this embodiment has high detection efficiency and can effectively reduce the damage to the semiconductor structure during the detection process, thereby significantly reducing detection costs.

[0105] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments of this disclosure in detail, for ease of explanation, the schematic diagrams may be partially enlarged without adhering to general proportions, and the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0106] Figure 2 A top view of a semiconductor structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; wherein, (1) the figure is a top view of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process; and (2) the figure is a top view of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the second process. Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for detecting the residual state of materials in a semiconductor process, provided in another embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 4A schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process; wherein, (1) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process along one direction; (2) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure at the end of the first process along another direction; Figures 5 to 8 A process flow diagram of a semiconductor structure provided in a second process according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; wherein, (1) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure in a second process along one direction; (2) the figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor structure provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure in a second process along another direction; Figure 9 A top view of a semiconductor structure provided in another embodiment of this disclosure at the end of a second process; Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating the process of obtaining the residual material state on a target region using a semiconductor structure provided in this embodiment of the disclosure.

[0107] The following will provide a more detailed description of a method for detecting the residual state of materials in a semiconductor process according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0108] In one embodiment of this disclosure, when the portion of the semiconductor structure located in the target area does not include other structures, such as holes, there is a possibility that material residue exists throughout the entire target area. In this case, the following detection method can be used to determine whether there is material residue in the target area.

[0109] like Figure 2 As shown, semiconductor fabrication processes can be used to fabricate semiconductor structures, which include at least a target region 21. The material is located in the target region 21 and includes at least a first element. The area of ​​the target region 21 is denoted as S. t The target region 21 includes at least the region to be tested 22, the area of ​​which is denoted as S0. The semiconductor structure includes at least one standard semiconductor structure A1 and at least one semiconductor structure to be tested A2. The detection method includes:

[0110] First, execute step S101, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, a first processing operation is performed on a standard semiconductor structure A1 to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure.

[0111] Here, the correction factor k of the semiconductor structure can be used to calculate the material residual state and material residual amount of the semiconductor structure A2 under test in subsequent steps.

[0112] In some embodiments, a first processing operation is performed on a standard semiconductor structure A1 to determine a correction coefficient k for the semiconductor structure, including:

[0113] Obtain the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure A1 located in the test region 22;

[0114] A wet chemical processing technique is performed to obtain the material residue W of the first element in the target region 21 of the standard semiconductor structure A1 during the second process structure. X1 ;

[0115] Based on W X1 And I3 determines the correction factor k for the semiconductor structure.

[0116] Here, the materials involved can be any materials that may be used in the semiconductor structure fabrication process, and the first element can be any element contained in the material. Optionally, when the material is borosilicate glass, the first element can be either boron or phosphorus, which provides high detection flexibility.

[0117] In practice, the selection of the test area 22 can be based on the convenience of instrument detection or calculation. For example, a suitable test area 22 can be selected according to the size of the instrument irradiation range used to obtain the third detection intensity I3. Alternatively, a suitable test area 22 can be selected based on its ease of calculation. Optionally, in some embodiments, a suitable test area 22 can be selected while simultaneously considering both ease of detection and ease of calculation.

[0118] It should be noted that the selection of the test area 22 is not limited to the considerations described above. In fact, the operator can also select a suitable test area 22 from other perspectives according to the needs, without making specific limitations here.

[0119] In some embodiments, obtaining the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure A1 located in the test region 22 includes:

[0120] The fourth detection intensity I4 of the first element in the test region 22 of the standard semiconductor structure A1 at the end of the first process was obtained using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (see details). Figure 2 (1) Figure in the middle;

[0121] The fifth detection intensity I5 of the first element in the test region 22 of the standard semiconductor structure A1 at the end of the second process was obtained using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (see details). Figure 2 (2) in the middle;

[0122] The third detection intensity I3 for the first element is determined based on I4 and I5.

[0123] Optionally, in some embodiments, determining the third detection intensity I3 of the first element based on I4 and I5 includes:

[0124] Perform a difference operation on I4 and I5 (I3 = I5 - I4) to obtain the third detection intensity I3 of the first element.

[0125] Here, the method of detecting the intensity of the first element in the standard semiconductor structure A1 after the first and second processes to obtain the third detection intensity I3 can effectively improve the accuracy of the final correction coefficient k.

[0126] Understandably, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) has a relatively large critical thickness for detection, allowing operators to accurately obtain the elemental distribution in the bottom and surface layers of semiconductor structures. Even when dealing with structures with large aspect ratios, XRF can accurately measure the intensity and distribution of the primary element in the semiconductor structure. Therefore, using XRF can significantly increase the reliability of detection results.

[0127] Optionally, in some embodiments, a wet chemical treatment process is performed, including:

[0128] First, a wet chemical treatment solution is provided, including but not limited to acidic or alkaline solutions. The specific solution composition and ratio can be selected according to the actual composition of the material, and no specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0129] Next, the standard semiconductor structure A1 was immersed in a wet chemical treatment solution.

[0130] Finally, the wet chemical treatment solution was analyzed to determine the residual amount W of the first element in the target region 21 of the standard semiconductor structure A1. X1 .

[0131] Understandably, when immersing the standard semiconductor structure A1 in a wet chemical treatment solution, a detection reagent can be added. In this case, the color change of the treatment solution can be observed to confirm whether the residual material 17 containing the first element has been completely dissolved.

[0132] In this process, the wet chemical treatment solution causes irreversible damage to the standard semiconductor structure A1, making it impossible to use the standard semiconductor structure A1 in subsequent semiconductor structure fabrication processes after the wet chemical treatment process.

[0133] Optionally, in practice, in addition to wet chemical processing, dry etching methods such as inductively coupled plasma etching can also be used to remove residual material 17. In this case, the amount of residual material W of the first element in the target region 21 of the standard semiconductor structure A1 can be determined based on the amount of reactive gas consumed in the process. X1Understandably, this process takes time and will unnecessarily occupy production equipment.

[0134] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 As shown, based on W X1 And I3 determines the correction factor k for the semiconductor structure, including:

[0135] W X1 Substituting into the following relationship (1), the content W of the first element introduced into the test area 22 during the second process is calculated. X2 ;

[0136]

[0137] I3, W X2 Substituting the following relationship (2), the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure can be calculated:

[0138]

[0139] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0140] Understandably, the detection intensity of an element measured by an instrument is usually strongly correlated with the area of ​​the measured region, the content of the element, and the relative atomic mass of the element. Therefore, in this embodiment, a correction coefficient k related to the characteristics of the semiconductor structure can be obtained by establishing an equation as shown in equation (2) among these factors. The correction coefficient k can be used to calculate the material residual state and material residual amount of the semiconductor structure A2 to be tested in subsequent steps.

[0141] It should be noted that in this step, the number of standard semiconductor structures A1 can be one or more. Using a single standard semiconductor structure A1 to obtain the correction coefficient k effectively reduces the amount of damage to the semiconductor structure during this step, lowering the detection cost. Using multiple standard semiconductor structures A1 to obtain the correction coefficient k effectively improves the accuracy of the final correction coefficient k, allowing the calculation results to more accurately reflect the material residue state or amount located in the target region 21.

[0142] Understandably, compared to the conventional method of using destructive methods to obtain the material residue state or amount on the target region 21 for all test samples, in this embodiment of the disclosure, regardless of whether the final number of standard semiconductor structures A1 is one or more, it is only to obtain the correction coefficient k. The acquisition of the correction coefficient k allows the subsequent testing of the semiconductor structure A2 to avoid destructive operations and conveniently obtain the result feedback of the material residue state or amount, which is beneficial to improve the detection efficiency, increase the reliability of the detection results, and significantly reduce the detection cost.

[0143] It is understood that, in this embodiment, the semiconductor structure includes, in addition to, the following: Figure 2 In addition to the substrate 10 shown, other structures may be included. For example, in some embodiments, the semiconductor structure may further include:

[0144] An isolation structure (not shown) and an active region (not shown), wherein the isolation structure (not shown) defines the substrate 10 as a plurality of spaced active regions (not shown);

[0145] The bit line structure (not shown) located on the active region (not shown) and the word line structure (not shown) passing through multiple isolation structures (not shown) and the active region (not shown), wherein the word line structure (not shown) and the bit line structure (not shown) extend in mutually perpendicular directions.

[0146] Next, proceed with step S102, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, a second processing operation is performed on the semiconductor structure A2 under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target region 21, including:

[0147] First, the first detection intensity I1 of the first element located in the test region 22 of the semiconductor structure A2 under test at the end of the first process is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test region 22 at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S0.

[0148] Then, the second detection intensity I2 of the first element located in the test region 22 at the end of the second process of the semiconductor structure A2 under test is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test region 22 at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S0.

[0149] In some embodiments, calculating the content W1 of the first element in the test region 22 at the end of the first process based on k, I1, and S0 includes:

[0150] Substituting k, I1, and S0 into the following relationship (4), the content W1 of the first element is calculated:

[0151]

[0152] The content W2 of the first element in the test region 22 at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2, and S0, including:

[0153] Substituting k, I2, and S0 into the following relationship (5), the content W2 of the first element is calculated:

[0154]

[0155] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0156] Optionally, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to obtain the first detection intensity I1 and the second detection intensity I2.

[0157] Finally, continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, based on W1, W2, S t The calculation is performed with S0 to obtain the calculation result, and the material residue in the target area 21 is determined based on the calculation result.

[0158] In some embodiments, based on W1, W2, S t The calculation is performed with S0 to obtain the results, including:

[0159] W1, S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (6), the content W of the first element located in the target region 21 at the end of the first process is calculated. a1 ,

[0160]

[0161] W2, S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (7), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the second process is calculated. a2 :

[0162]

[0163] W a2 and W a1 Perform the difference operation to obtain the calculation result W. a3 (W a3 =W a2 -W a1 ):

[0164] Determining whether there is material residue in the target area based on the calculation results includes:

[0165] When W a3 When the value is ≤0, there is no material residue in the target area;

[0166] When W a3 When the value is greater than 0, material residue exists in the target area.

[0167] As can be seen from this embodiment, after only a limited number of first processing operations (which are destructive), the content W1 of the first element in the test area can be obtained by calculation after obtaining the first detection intensity I1 of the first element; and the content W2 of the first element in the test area can be obtained by calculation after obtaining the second detection intensity I2 of the first element. After obtaining the contents W1 and W2 of the first element, the calculation results can be obtained again. Subsequently, based on the calculation results, it can be determined whether there is material residue in the target area. In other words, in this embodiment, the second processing operation method, which only includes intensity detection and calculation, can conveniently determine whether there is material residue in the target area.

[0168] Understandably, in practice, the number of standard semiconductor structures A1 can be one or more (one is sufficient to obtain the correction coefficient k, while multiple structures only serve to improve the accuracy of the correction coefficient k), while the number of semiconductor structures A2 to be tested can be several, a dozen, hundreds, thousands, or even more. Typically, the number of semiconductor structures A2 to be tested can be far greater than the number of standard semiconductor structures A1. Therefore, the method provided in this disclosure greatly reduces damage to the semiconductor structure during the testing process, thereby effectively reducing testing costs. Furthermore, after performing a limited number of first processing operations, the specific operations for performing the second processing operation can, under certain conditions, be primarily performed by the instrument, thus facilitating online measurement, improving testing efficiency, and effectively reducing labor costs.

[0169] Optionally, when it is determined that material residue exists in the target area, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a method for calculating the amount of material residue. For example, in some embodiments, when W a3 When the value is greater than 0, and material residue exists in the target area, the detection method also includes:

[0170] Based on the proportion of the first element in the material, and using W a3 Calculate the amount of residual material W in the target area.

[0171] Here, the content percentage of the first element in the material can be calculated based on the chemical formula of the material, and then based on W... a3 The value can be used to obtain the amount of material residue W in the target area.

[0172] In another embodiment of this disclosure, when the portion of the semiconductor structure located in the target region includes other structures, such as holes or other target structures, material residues may exist in the portion located outside the target structure. In this case, the following detection method can be used to determine whether there are material residues in the target region.

[0173] In another embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 3 As shown, the detection method includes the following steps:

[0174] Step S201: Perform a first processing operation on the standard semiconductor structure to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure;

[0175] Step S202: Perform a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target area, including:

[0176] The first detection intensity I1 of the first element in the test region located in the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the first process is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test region at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S1.

[0177] The second detection intensity I2 of the first element in the test region located at the end of the second process of the semiconductor structure under test is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test region at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S1.

[0178] Based on W1, W2, S t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation results, and the presence of material residue in the target area is determined based on the calculation results.

[0179] Understandable, such as Figure 9 As shown, before performing the detection operation, the area of ​​the effective region 23 located in the region to be tested 22 can be calculated first. For example, in some embodiments, the area of ​​the target structure 15 is denoted as S. h The number of target structures 15 located in the region to be measured 22 is denoted as A; the area S1 of the portion of the effective region 23 located in the region to be measured 22 is obtained, including:

[0180] S h Substituting A into the following relation (12), the area S1 of the portion of the effective region 23 located in the region to be measured 22 is calculated:

[0181] S1 = S0 - S h ×A (12).

[0182] It should be noted that, in Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8In order to make the image clear and easy to understand, only one effective area 23 is marked schematically. In fact, in actual detection operations, any area located between the target structures 15 can be regarded as the effective area 23.

[0183] The detection method provided by another embodiment of this disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0184] like Figures 6 to 9 As shown, in this embodiment, target structures 15 are provided on both the test area 22 and the target area 21 located outside the test area 22. The portion located between the target structures 15 is defined as the effective area 23, and the material is located in the effective area 23. The area of ​​the effective area 23 located in the test area 22 is denoted as S1. The detection method includes:

[0185] First, execute step S201, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, a first processing operation is performed on a standard semiconductor structure A1 to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure.

[0186] Here, the correction factor k of the semiconductor structure can be used to calculate the material residual state and material residual amount of the semiconductor structure A2 under test in subsequent steps.

[0187] Optionally, in this embodiment, the method for determining the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure can be similar to the method provided in the previous embodiment, for example,

[0188] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, a first processing operation is performed on a standard semiconductor structure A1 to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure, including:

[0189] Obtain the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure A1 located in the test region 22;

[0190] A wet chemical processing technique is performed to obtain the material residue W of the first element in the target region 21 of the standard semiconductor structure A1 during the second process structure. X1 ;

[0191] Based on W X1 And I3 determines the correction factor k for the semiconductor structure.

[0192] Here, the materials involved can be any materials that may be used in the semiconductor structure fabrication process, and the first element can be any element contained in the material. Optionally, when the material is borosilicate glass, the first element can be either boron or phosphorus, which provides high detection flexibility.

[0193] In practice, the selection of the test area 22 can be based on at least one of several aspects, such as facilitating the selection of a complete number of target structures, facilitating instrument detection, or facilitating calculation. Optionally, in some embodiments, a suitable test area 22 can be selected while taking into account multiple factors, such as facilitating the selection of a complete number of target structures, facilitating detection, or facilitating calculation.

[0194] It should be noted that the selection of the test area 22 is not limited to the considerations described above. In fact, the operator can also select a suitable test area 22 from other perspectives according to the needs, without making specific limitations here.

[0195] Optionally, in some embodiments, obtaining the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure A1 located in the test region 22 includes:

[0196] The fourth detection intensity I4 of the first element in the test region 22 of the standard semiconductor structure A1 at the end of the first process was obtained using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (see details). Figure 4 );

[0197] The fifth detection intensity I5 of the first element in the test region 22 of the standard semiconductor structure A1 at the end of the second process was obtained using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (see details). Figure 8 );

[0198] The third detection intensity I3 for the first element is determined based on I4 and I5.

[0199] Optionally, in some embodiments, determining the third detection intensity I3 of the first element based on I4 and I5 includes:

[0200] Perform a difference operation on I4 and I5 (I3 = I5 - I4) to obtain the third detection intensity I3 of the first element.

[0201] Here, the method of detecting the intensity of the first element in the standard semiconductor structure A1 after the first and second processes to obtain the third detection intensity I3 can effectively improve the accuracy of the final correction coefficient k.

[0202] In some embodiments, the wet chemical treatment process can be performed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment, for example:

[0203] First, a wet chemical treatment solution is provided, including but not limited to acidic or alkaline solutions. The specific solution composition and ratio can be selected according to the actual composition of the material, and no specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0204] Next, the standard semiconductor structure A1 was immersed in a wet chemical treatment solution.

[0205] Finally, the wet chemical treatment solution was analyzed to determine the residual amount W of the first element in the target region 21 of the standard semiconductor structure A1. X1 .

[0206] Understandably, when immersing the standard semiconductor structure A1 in a wet chemical treatment solution, a detection reagent can be added. In this case, the color change of the treatment solution can be observed to confirm whether the residual material 17 containing the first element has been completely dissolved.

[0207] Understandably, during this process, the wet chemical treatment solution will cause irreversible damage to the standard semiconductor structure A1, making it impossible for the standard semiconductor structure A1 to be used in subsequent semiconductor structure fabrication processes after the wet chemical treatment process.

[0208] In some embodiments, based on W X1 And I3 determines the correction factor k for the semiconductor structure, including:

[0209] W X1 Substituting into the following relationship (1), the content W of the first element introduced into the test area during the second process is calculated. X2 ;

[0210]

[0211] I3 and W X2 Substituting the following relationship (3), the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure is calculated:

[0212]

[0213] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0214] Understandably, the detection intensity of an element measured by an instrument is usually strongly correlated with the area of ​​the measured region, the content of the element, and the relative atomic mass of the element. Therefore, in the embodiment including the target structure 15, the correction coefficient k related to the characteristics of the semiconductor structure can be obtained by establishing an equation as shown in equation (3) among these factors. The correction coefficient k can be used to calculate the material residual state and material residual amount of the semiconductor structure A2 to be tested in subsequent steps.

[0215] It should be noted that in this step, the number of standard semiconductor structures A1 can be one or more. Using a single standard semiconductor structure A1 to obtain the correction coefficient k effectively reduces the amount of damage to the semiconductor structure during this step, lowering detection costs. Using multiple standard semiconductor structures A1 to obtain the correction coefficient k effectively improves the accuracy of the final correction coefficient k, allowing the calculation results to more accurately reflect the material residue state or amount located in the target region 21.

[0216] Understandably, compared to the conventional method of using destructive methods to obtain the material residue state or amount on the target region 21 for all test samples, in this embodiment of the disclosure, regardless of whether the final number of standard semiconductor structures A1 is one or more, it is only to obtain the correction coefficient k. The acquisition of the correction coefficient k allows the subsequent testing of the semiconductor structure A2 to avoid destructive operations and conveniently obtain the result feedback of the material residue state or amount, which is beneficial to improve the detection efficiency, increase the reliability of the detection results, and significantly reduce the detection cost.

[0217] Next, step S202 is performed to conduct a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target region 21, including:

[0218] First, such as Figure 4 As shown, the first detection intensity I1 of the first element located in the test region 22 at the end of the first process of the semiconductor structure A2 under test is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test region 22 at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S1.

[0219] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, at the end of the first process, the semiconductor structure includes:

[0220] Substrate 10;

[0221] Multiple conductive structures 13 are arranged at intervals and are located on the substrate 10; the region where the conductive structures 13 are located is defined as the target region 21;

[0222] The first dielectric layer 11 fills the gaps between the plurality of conductive structures 13 and covers the surface of the conductive structures 13.

[0223] Continue to refer to Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, after the first process is completed, the semiconductor structure further includes:

[0224] The isolation structure STI and the active region 101, wherein the isolation structure STI defines the substrate 10 as a plurality of spaced active regions 101;

[0225] Bit line contact plug 181 located on active region 101 and bit line structure BL located on bit line contact plug 181; wherein, bit line structure BL is connected to active region 101 through bit line contact plug 181;

[0226] The node contact plug 182, located on one side of the bit line contact plug 181 and on the active region 101, connects the conductive structure 13 to the active region 101 through the node contact plug 182.

[0227] The word line structure WL passes through multiple isolation structures STI and active region 101, and the word line structure WL and bit line structure BL extend in mutually perpendicular directions.

[0228] In some embodiments, after the first process is completed, an operation to form a capacitor structure is typically performed, such as first depositing multiple material layers and then performing an etching process to form the structure. Figure 6 The target structure 15 (capacitor aperture) is shown, and then the lower electrode 16 of the capacitor structure is deposited therein. A process is then performed to remove some material located between the target structure 15 (capacitor aperture). However, during the process of removing material between the target structure 15 (capacitor aperture), material residue is easily generated at the effective region 23, which adversely affects the electrical or other properties of the final semiconductor structure. Therefore, it is necessary to perform an operation to detect the residual material in the effective region 23.

[0229] In this step, in order to accurately assess the content of the first element introduced in subsequent process steps, it is necessary to test the obtained semiconductor structure A2 (e.g., ...) before the second process is executed. Figure 4 The content of the first element in the area (shown) is detected. Specifically, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to detect the intensity of the first element to obtain the first detection intensity I1. Then, the content W1 of the first element in the area to be tested can be obtained by calculation. W1 will be used for subsequent evaluation of the residual state of the material.

[0230] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 10 As shown, the content W1 of the first element in the test area 22 at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1, and S1, including:

[0231] Substituting k, I1, and S1 into the following relation (8), the content W1 of the first element is calculated:

[0232]

[0233] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0234] Then, the second detection intensity I2 of the first element located in the test region 22 at the end of the second process of the semiconductor structure A2 under test is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test region 22 at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S1.

[0235] Optionally, in some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the second process includes:

[0236] A first material layer 141 is formed on the first dielectric layer 11, and the first material layer 141 includes a material to be tested.

[0237] An intermediate dielectric layer 121 is formed on the first material layer 141, and the intermediate dielectric layer 121 covers the first material layer 141.

[0238] A second material layer 142 and a top material layer 122 are formed sequentially from bottom to top on the intermediate dielectric layer 121. The second material layer 142 covers the surface of the intermediate dielectric layer 121. The first material layer 141 and the second material layer 142 together constitute material layer 14. The intermediate dielectric layer 121 and the top material layer 122 together constitute the second dielectric layer 12.

[0239] Here, the materials constituting the material layer 14 may include, but are not limited to, borosilicate glass, silicon dioxide, etc., and the materials constituting the second dielectric layer 12 may include, but are not limited to, silicon nitride, silicon carbonitride, etc.

[0240] In some embodiments, such as Figures 6 to 9 As shown, after forming the material layer 14 and the second dielectric layer 12, the second process further includes:

[0241] An etching process is performed on the second dielectric layer 12 and the material layer 14 to form a plurality of target structures 15, the target structures 15 exposing the conductive structure 13, and the remaining second dielectric layer 12 and the remaining material layer 14 are located in the effective region 23.

[0242] A lower electrode 16 is formed, which covers the sidewalls and bottom of the target structure 15;

[0243] Remove material layer 14 and part of the second dielectric layer 12.

[0244] It can be seen that after material deposition (such as...) Figure 5 As shown), material etching (such as...) Figure 6 As shown), the lower electrode 16 is deposited (as shown). Figure 7 (as shown) and material re-etching (such as) Figure 8 and Figure 9Following a series of steps (as shown), at the end of the second process, the semiconductor structure still includes at least:

[0245] The target structure 15 is located on the conductive structure 13 and is pore-shaped.

[0246] The lower electrode 16 covers the sidewalls and bottom of the target structure 15;

[0247] The second dielectric layer 12 covers at least a portion of the outer wall of the target structure 15.

[0248] Understandably, due to limitations such as process conditions and the large aspect ratio of the target structure, residual material 17 may exist in the effective region 23. Therefore, when using instruments such as X-ray fluorescence spectrometers to detect the semiconductor structure after the second process, the detection intensity I2 of the first element may differ from the detection intensity I1 of the first element after the first process. Obtaining the detection intensity information of the first element after both processes can provide favorable conditions for judging the residual state of the material in subsequent processes.

[0249] Optionally, the residual material 17 can be composed of the portion of the first material layer 141 that remains on the effective region 23. Optionally, the composition of the residual material can include, but is not limited to, borosilicate glass. In this case, the first element can be either boron or phosphorus, providing high detection flexibility.

[0250] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 and 10 As shown, the content W2 of the first element in the test area 22 at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2, and S1, including:

[0251] Substituting k, I2, and S1 into the following relationship (9), the content W2 of the first element is calculated:

[0252]

[0253] Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

[0254] Finally, as Figure 9 and 10 As shown, based on W1, W2, S t The calculation is performed with S0 to obtain the calculation result, and the material residue in the target area 21 is determined based on the calculation result.

[0255] In some embodiments, based on W1, W2, S t The material residue W in target region 21 is calculated using S0, including:

[0256] W1, St Substituting S0 into the following relationship (10), the content W of the first element located in the target region 21 at the end of the first process is calculated. a1 ,

[0257]

[0258] W2, S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (11), the content W of the first element located in the target region 21 at the end of the second process is calculated. a2 :

[0259]

[0260] W a2 and W a1 Perform the difference operation to obtain the calculation result W. a3 (W a3 =W a2 -W a1 ):

[0261] Based on the calculation results, determine whether there is material residue in target area 21, including:

[0262] When W a3 When ≤0, there is no material residue in target area 21;

[0263] When W a3 When the value is greater than 0, there is material residue in target area 21.

[0264] As can be seen from this embodiment, after only a limited number of first processing operations (which are destructive), the content W1 of the first element in the test area can be obtained by calculation after obtaining the first detection intensity I1 of the first element; and the content W2 of the first element in the test area can be obtained by calculation after obtaining the second detection intensity I2 of the first element. After obtaining the contents W1 and W2 of the first element, the calculation results can be obtained again. Subsequently, based on the calculation results, it can be determined whether there is material residue in the target area. In other words, in this embodiment, the second processing operation method, which only includes intensity detection and calculation, can conveniently determine whether there is material residue in the target area.

[0265] Understandably, in practice, the number of standard semiconductor structures A1 can be one or more (one is sufficient to obtain the correction coefficient k, while multiple structures only serve to improve the accuracy of the correction coefficient k), while the number of semiconductor structures A2 to be tested can be several, a dozen, hundreds, thousands, or even more. Typically, the number of semiconductor structures A2 to be tested can be far greater than the number of standard semiconductor structures A1. Therefore, the method provided in this disclosure greatly reduces damage to the semiconductor structure during the testing process, thereby effectively reducing testing costs. Furthermore, after performing a limited number of first processing operations, the specific operations for performing the second processing operation can, under certain conditions, be primarily performed by the instrument, thus facilitating online measurement, improving testing efficiency, and effectively reducing labor costs.

[0266] Understandably, conventional methods using wet chemical methods result in low detection efficiency and damage to all samples, increasing detection costs. Instrumental detection methods, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and surface scanning, suffer from limitations in measurement depth and precise positioning, making it difficult to accurately measure the residual state of residual materials and thus difficult to make a correct judgment on the residual material condition in the target area.

[0267] In this embodiment, when X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is used to detect the intensity of the first element, the sample can have a large critical thickness, allowing the operator to accurately obtain the elemental distribution in the bottom and surface layers of the semiconductor structure. Therefore, even with structures having a large aspect ratio, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry can accurately measure the intensity and distribution of the first element in the semiconductor structure, thereby increasing the reliability of the detection results.

[0268] Furthermore, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy utilizes instruments with large spot sizes, such as up to 40 mm in diameter in some instruments, resulting in a large scanning area. Compared to the size of a single chip, the sufficiently large spot diameter minimizes the difference in detection results across different locations. This eliminates the need for operators to spend time selecting suitable locations on the wafer before detection, thus saving execution time. Simultaneously, this method offers faster detection speeds, effectively improving efficiency in first-element intensity detection and reducing labor costs.

[0269] In some embodiments, when W a3 When the value is greater than 0, and material residue exists in target area 21, the detection method also includes:

[0270] Based on the proportion of the first element in the material, and using W a3 Calculate the amount of residual material W in the target area 21.

[0271] Here, the content percentage of the first element in the material can be calculated based on the chemical formula of the material, and then based on W... a3 The value can be used to obtain the amount of material residue W in the target area.

[0272] In some embodiments, the material comprises borosilicate glass, and the first element comprises either boron or phosphorus. In this case, if it is determined that material residue exists in the target area and the first element includes boron, the specific amount of borosilicate glass residue can be calculated based on the proportion of boron in the chemical formula of the borosilicate glass. Similarly, if it is determined that material residue exists in the target area and the first element includes phosphorus, the specific amount of borosilicate glass residue can be calculated based on the proportion of phosphorus in the chemical formula of the borosilicate glass.

[0273] In other words, the detection method provided in this embodiment can not only determine the residual state of the material, but also obtain specific residual information of the material, providing operators with more options and greater flexibility in their actual operations.

[0274] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since only a limited number of standard semiconductor structures are used to perform the first processing operation, while the larger number of semiconductor structures to be tested subsequently employ a non-destructive second processing operation (intensity detection plus calculation), the semiconductor structures to be tested can continue to participate in subsequent semiconductor manufacturing processes after the testing is completed, effectively saving testing and production costs.

[0275] In some embodiments, after the detection operation is performed, the remaining semiconductor structure A2 under test may also perform the following operations, for example, performing the operation of sequentially forming a dielectric layer (not shown), an upper electrode layer (not shown), and a filling layer on the lower electrode 16 to form a capacitor structure.

[0276] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the composition of the residual material can also be any material that may be used in the semiconductor structure preparation process. As long as there is material residue in the preparation process, regardless of whether there is a target structure (including but not limited to hole structure, etc.) in the target area, the detection method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure can be used to obtain information related to the residual state and amount of material residue.

[0277] In summary, the detection method provided in this disclosure, after obtaining the trimming coefficient k, can determine whether there is material residue in the target area by using strength detection and calculation. Compared with the aforementioned conventional methods, this disclosure can effectively save detection costs and improve detection efficiency.

[0278] In addition, the detection method provided in this disclosure can not only determine the residual state of the material, but also obtain specific residual information of the material, providing operators with more options and greater flexibility in actual operation.

[0279] It should be noted that the method for detecting the residual state of materials in semiconductor manufacturing processes provided in this disclosure can be applied to DRAM structures or other arbitrary semiconductor devices, and is not limited in any way here.

[0280] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for detecting residual state of materials in semiconductor manufacturing processes, characterized in that, The semiconductor process is used to fabricate a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure including at least a target region, the material located in the target region and including at least a first element, and the area of ​​the target region is denoted as S. t The target region includes at least a region to be tested, the area of ​​which is denoted as S0; wherein, the semiconductor structure includes at least one standard semiconductor structure and at least one semiconductor structure to be tested; the detection method includes: Perform a first processing operation on the standard semiconductor structure to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure, including: Obtain the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure located in the region to be tested; Perform a wet chemical processing step to obtain the material residue W of the first element in the target region of the standard semiconductor structure during the second process structure. X1 ; Based on the W X1 And the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure is determined by I3; Perform a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target region, including: The first detection intensity I1 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the first process is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S0; The second detection intensity I2 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the second process is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S0; Based on W1, W2, and S t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation result, and the presence of material residue in the target area is determined based on the calculation result.

2. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the area to be tested and the target area located outside the area to be tested are provided with target structures. The portion located between the target structures is defined as the effective area, and the material is located in the effective area. The area of ​​the effective region located within the region to be measured is denoted as S1; the detection method includes: A first processing operation is performed on the standard semiconductor structure to determine the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure; Perform a second processing operation on the semiconductor structure under test to determine whether there is material residue in the target region, including: The first detection intensity I1 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the first process is obtained, and the content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1 and S1; The second detection intensity I2 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the semiconductor structure under test at the end of the second process is obtained, and the content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2 and S1; Based on W1, W2, and S t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation result, and the presence of material residue in the target area is determined based on the calculation result.

3. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Obtaining the third detection intensity I3 of the first element of the standard semiconductor structure located in the region to be tested includes: The fourth detection intensity I4 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the standard semiconductor structure at the end of the first process was obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The fifth detection intensity I5 of the first element located in the test area of ​​the standard semiconductor structure at the end of the second process was obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The third detection intensity I3 of the first element is determined based on I4 and I5.

4. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the W X1 The correction coefficient k for the semiconductor structure is determined by I3, including: W X1 Substituting into the following relationship (1), the content W of the first element introduced into the test area during the second process is calculated. X2 ; （1）; The I3 and the W X2 Substituting the following relationship (2), the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure is calculated: (2); or, The I3 and the W X2 Substituting the following relationship (3), the correction coefficient k of the semiconductor structure is calculated: （3）； Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

5. The detection method according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process is calculated based on k, I1, and S0, including: Substituting k, I1, and S0 into the following relationship (4), the content W1 of the first element is calculated: （4）； The content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process is calculated based on k, I2, and S0, including: Substituting k, I2, and S0 into the following relationship (5), the content W2 of the first element is calculated: （5）； Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

6. The detection method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Based on W1, W2, and S t The calculation is performed on S0 to obtain the calculation result, including: W1 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (6), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the first process is calculated. a1 , （6）； W2 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (7), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the second process is calculated. a2 : （7）； W a2 and the W a1 Perform the difference operation to obtain the calculation result W. a3 : Determining whether there is material residue in the target area based on the calculation results includes: When W a3 When ≤0, there is no material residue in the target area; When W a3 When the value is greater than 0, material residue exists in the target area.

7. The detection method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The calculation of the content W1 of the first element in the test area at the end of the first process, based on k, I1, and S1, includes: Substituting k, I1, and S1 into the following relationship (8), the content W1 of the first element is calculated: （8）； The calculation of the content W2 of the first element in the test area at the end of the second process, based on k, I2, and S1, includes: Substituting k, I2, and S1 into the following relationship (9), the content W2 of the first element is calculated: （9）； Where M is the relative atomic mass of the first element.

8. The detection method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Based on W1, W2, and S t The calculation of the material residue W in the target area by S0 includes: W1 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (10), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the first process is calculated. a1 , （10）； W2 and S t Substituting S0 into the following relationship (11), the content W of the first element located in the target region at the end of the second process is calculated. a2 : （11）； W a2 and the W a1 Perform the difference operation to obtain the calculation result W. a3 : Determining whether there is material residue in the target area based on the calculation results includes: When W a3 When ≤0, there is no material residue in the target area; When W a3 When the value is greater than 0, material residue exists in the target area.

9. The detection method according to claim 6 or 8, characterized in that, When W a3 When the value is greater than 0, and material residue exists in the target area, the detection method further includes: Based on the content ratio of the first element in the material, and based on the W a3 Calculate the amount of residual material W in the target area.

10. The detection method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first detection intensity I1 and the second detection intensity I2 were obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

11. The detection method according to claim 2, characterized in that, At the end of the first process, the semiconductor structure includes: Substrate; Multiple conductive structures are arranged at intervals, the conductive structures are located on the substrate; the region where the conductive structures are located is defined as the target region; A first dielectric layer fills the gaps between the plurality of conductive structures and covers the surface of the conductive structures.

12. The detection method according to claim 11, characterized in that, At the end of the second process, the semiconductor structure further includes at least: The target structure is located on the conductive structure, and the target structure is pore-shaped; A lower electrode, the lower electrode covering the sidewalls and bottom of the target structure; A second dielectric layer, which at least covers a portion of the outer wall of the target structure.

13. The detection method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Let the area of ​​the target structure be denoted as S. h The number of target structures located in the area to be tested is denoted as A; Obtaining the area S1 of the portion of the effective region located within the region to be measured includes: The S h Substituting A into the following relationship (12), the area S1 of the effective region located in the region to be measured is calculated: （12）。 14. The detection method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The material includes boron phosphosilicate glass, and the first element includes either boron or phosphorus.

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