Product Description

The SURFmonitor system utilizes background scattering (haze) data from Surfscan SP2 and SP2^XP scans to monitor process signatures and low contrast defects, without affecting inspection throughput. SURFmonitor can correlate haze to process parameters such as surface roughness and grain size, serving as a high speed, full-wafer metrology solution for blanket films.

• Sub-threshold defects and film morphology information are captured in the same inspection, with no throughput impact to ordinary (LPD) Surfscan operation
• Innovative algorithms extract unique defect signatures and translate surface scatter results into useable metrology data
• SURFmonitor features industry-leading vertical (sub-Angstrom) and lateral resolution
• Available as an add-on module to the industry-leading Surfscan SP2 products, SURFmonitor results demonstrate unparalleled repeatability and matching
• SURFmonitor has demonstrated several proven applications across all process modules in the fab

Applications

Diffusion: High resolution haze technology enables detection of gate oxide pinholes and wet clean residues. The ability to quantify the data and correlate it to direct measurements allows for monitoring of poly grain size, implant damage, NiSi resistivity and SiGe/high-k crystallinity.

Films: In addition to monitoring grain size and roughness on copper, tungsten and aluminum films, SURFmonitor detects backside residue on BPSG, pinholes on SiCN, and other films-related defects not detectable in Surfscan's traditional LPD channels.

CMP: The ability to recognize faint or shallow defects having wide lateral extent enables slurry residue detection and enhanced scratch detection, key defect types for pad life optimization and monitoring.

Etch: In the etch module, the SURFmonitor system acts as a plasma-damage and wet-clean monitor, finding residue and other critical defects.

Lithography: SURFmonitor helps qualify immersion scanners by detection of immersion-unique defects such as water marks. It also serves as a lithography monitor, finding defocus and resist streak issues.

IQC: For incoming quality control, SURFmonitor provides the performance required to monitor SOI roughness and detect abnormal process defects.

• SURFmonitor Product Overview

• High-Speed, Full-Wafer Microroughness

• Generating High-Speed, Full-Wafer Maps of Surface Microroughness in YMS Magazine