n&k Technology Inc. Metrology System, Semiconductor,Flat Panel Display

Olympian Series: Olympian

n&k Olympian

General Overview

DUV-Vis-IR (Wavelength Range: 190nm – 15,000nm)
Scatterometers/Thin Film Metrology Systems:

The n&k Olympian Series is a DUV-Vis-IR scatterometer/thin film metrology system with micro-spot technology, covering the wavelength range from 190nm – 15,000nm. With the inclusion of the infra-red wavelength range, the Olympian Series extends the capabilities of n&k’s DUV-Vis-NIR scatterometer series – the OptiPrime-CD Series. The systems in the Olympian-Series are capable of determining thickness, n and k spectra from 190nm – 15,000nm of thin and thick films, as well as depths, CDs, and profiles of trenches and contact holes.

1000nm to 15,000nm Wavelength Range

The extended wavelength range of the Olympian, from 1000 nm – 15,000 nm, is needed for applications involving:

High aspect ratio structures, such as contact holes in silicon, or line/space trenches with narrow CD
Very complex line/space deep trench and contact hole structures, including depths of 60μm or greater
Conventional structures, if initial measurements using DUV-Vis-NIR wavelength range does not reveal sufficient information to determine depth, CD and profile
Complex ultra-thick film structures (i.e. very thick SOI structures)
Epi-Si thickness (silicon is transparent in the IR regime, but opaque in the DUV-Vis-NIR regime)
Ultra-Thick Photoresist: Pre and Post Etch

Thin FilmThin Film (click here to collapse)

Standard films such as SiOx, SiNx, Poly-Si, a-Si:H, SiCx, SiGex, a-C:H, TiNx, AlOx
Polyresists, polymers, polyimides
Thin metal films (less than ~ 800Å in general)
- – Al
- – CrSi
- – Ta
- – Ti
- – W
- – Cu
- – Fe
- – Au
- – Ag
High-k films
Low-k films
Chalcogenide films
SOI
Graphene
Inhomogeneous films
A variety of complex film stacks, including
- – Multi-Layer Film Stacks with Inhomogeneous Under-Layer
- – Multi-Layer Film Stacks with Unknown Under-Layer
Ultra-Thin Films (down to a few Å), e.g., a Monolayer of Graphene
Ultra-Thin Residual Layers
Films Deposited on Rough Surfaces
Films on Substrates Besides Silicon:
- – For example: GaAs, SiC, AlTiC
Films on rough surfaces
Surface and interface roughness of thin films
Energy Band Gap
Compositon (e.g., %Ge in SiGex; %N, %H, %O in SiOxNx:H,
%N in TiNx, etc.)
Crystallinity (e.g., degree of crystallinity of Poly-Si or GST)

OCD StructuresOCD Structures (click here to collapse)

Small (<100nm) pitch and large (>3μm) pitch trenches and contact holes structures
Complex 2-D (trenches) and 3-D (contact holes) structures
- – Profile
- – Sidewall Oxide Thickness
- – Underlayer Thicknesses
Etch Monitor for Power Devices at All Process Steps
- – Si Trench
- – Poly Recess
- – Contact Trench
FinFET Structures
- – Gate Height
- – Gate CD
- – Fin Height
- – Fin Top CD
- – Fin Bottom CD
- – Oxide Thickness
- – Dielectric Top Thickness
- – Dielectric Bottom Thickness
- – Dielectric Side Wall Thickness
Si Trench with Oxide Cutback
Detection of trench and contact hole issues:
In addition, tools within the Olympian Series are capable of measuring films associated with OCD structures, including hard masks on trenches and contact holes and films present at the bottom or lining of these structures.

Trench Array Capability Chart for the Olympian Series

Contact Hole Array Capability Chart for the Olympian Series

Olympian Series

Due to their ability to measure a large range of OCD and thin film structures that cover current and future applications, the tools belonging to the Olympian Series are used extensively for the most challenging applications of today’s semiconductor industry.

Any OCD and Thin Film measurements that are possible with the DUV-Vis-NIR OptiPrime-CD Series can also be achieved with the Olympian-Series (although the reverse is not true).