Fiber-Optic Based Distributed Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for Film Growth Monitoring
- AccuStrata
This SBIR Phase IIB project DE-SC0013241 is a continuation of the SBIR Phase II project under the same award number. It was initiated by the Department of Energy Topic 5 (Optics Devices for Light Source Facilities), Subtopic a (Advanced in situ Thin Film Growth Monitors), associated with the low manufacturing yield of multi-layer Laue lenses (MLL). MLLs are critically needed for X-ray microscopy, which is required for advanced microbiology, nanotechnology, materials research, etc. Additionally, the manufacturing of similar mirrors for application in the emerging Extreme UV lithography (EUVL) for semiconductor chip manufacturing faces the same challenges as MLL. The manufacturing of the optical mirrors for both X-Ray optics and EUVL by physical vapor deposition (PVD) requires extremely precise process control to achieve the tight tolerances necessary for meeting the product specification. The multilayer structure consists of many alternating compound material (e.g. metal silicides) layers with precise and strictly varying thicknesses and controlled interfaces. The critical requirement in the manufacturing these mirrors is that the thickness of each film and interface must be controlled with sub-Angstrom precision. Furthermore, the individual films in the multilayer stacks are optically opaque and/or too thin for deploying any traditional deposition rate monitoring methods. As a result, these optical products are manufactured by a few very specialized companies (Zeiss, Nikon, Rigaku) and laboratories (such as Argonne and Brookhaven). This extreme specialization increases the cost and impedes the deployment of the X-ray and EUVL technologies. This SBIR Phase IIB project continues the effort to finalize the development of a novel process control system based on combined atomic absorption / optical emission spectroscopy, installable on a variety of vacuum deposition systems for the manufacturing of high-precision thin films. The system provides accurate and reliable deposition rate, film composition and film uniformity measurements for dynamic feedback process control. The system comprises two major components – a hardware module located outside the deposition chamber with element specific light sources and a portable fiber-optic-based monitoring frame installed inside the deposition chamber in the area surrounding the substrate. The prefabricated and optically aligned frame, installed inside the deposition chamber, eliminates costly equipment refurbishing and allows flexibility and customization. The unique system design allows accurate measurement of up to 4 individual element concentrations in the vicinity of the deposited substrate. During this Phase IIB project a commercial in situ atomic spectroscopy system for thin film process control was finalized. The system was validated for multiple chemical elements, needed for the new generation semiconductor lithography, compound semiconductors and aerospace applications. These are all new generation applications where no commercial metrology solution is available today. Next, the system was installed and integrated into mainstream manufacturing equipment and processes for semiconductor and aerospace application. Validating the system for operation in processes that are widely used by real manufacturers prepares the system for faster acceptance by the major of manufacturers and speeds up the time to market. During Phase IIB the developed system was also offered as a commercial product to multiple manufacturers in the MLL, EUVL and Aerospace industry.
- Research Organization:
- AccuStrata Inc
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Engineering & Technology
- Contributing Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0013241
- OSTI ID:
- 1643891
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- DE-SC0013241; 2403994192
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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