NSLS-II Seminar

Semiconductor fabrication is a challenging filed of the thin film metallurgy due to the nanometer scale of the devise dimensions and the use of complex materials systems. One of the significant trends in the semiconductor metrology has been the incorporation of the sophisticated analytical probes as routine line monitoring tools. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has found its application in testing the quality of single crystal and polycrystalline ultra thin films and patterned structures. This presentation will discuss the unique requirements for the measurement techniques and data analyses necessary for the in-line XRD characterization of microstructure of thin films. The measured microstructure characteristics, such as the phase composition, crystallographic texture, domain size, and microstrains are important factors in process development and control. The microstructure of the stack of thin films may be tailored for the improved reliability and performance of the device. The microstructure may also serve as a internal sensor during the film processing since it is sensitive to variation in processing conditions. The examples of the applications of the XRD metrology in the current semiconductor processing, both in the front-end -of the line and the back-end-of the line will be presented together with the requirements for the future technology nodes.