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Overview of optical microscopy and optical microspectroscopy

Journal Article · · AIP Conference Proceedings
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.56850· OSTI ID:678841
 [1]
  1. Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

Optical microscopy has historically been a major tool for semiconductor inspection. As the ULSI design rule continues to decline to 0.25 {mu}m and below, standard optical microscopy methods will arrive at their resolution limit. In the first part of this paper an overview of currently used optical microscopy techniques will be given. The resolution limit for optical imaging will be discussed, and novel methods for increasing resolution, including deep UV microscopy and confocal laser microscopy, will be presented. The second part of the paper will discuss an emerging technology for contamination analysis in semiconductor processing, microspectroscopy. Three topics in this area will be discussed with an emphasis on applications to off-line defect identification in process development: (1) micro-Raman spectroscopy, (2) micro-fluorescence or micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy, and (3) micro-reflectivity. It will be shown that these microspectroscopy methods can provide composition information for defects down to 1 {mu}m in size that is not accessible through the more commonly used methods such as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and scanning Auger microscopy. Classes of defects where optical micro-spectroscopy methods are useful include ceramic particles, thin films of organic material, and dielectric films. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
678841
Report Number(s):
CONF-980364--
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 449; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English