Title: Ion beam mill etch depth monitoring with nanometer-scale resolution

Abstract

A method for measuring conductance of a material real-time during etching/milling includes providing a fixture having a socket for receiving the material. The socket is attached to a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted on one side of a plate that has at least one opening for providing ion beam access to the material sample. Conductive probes extend from the other side of the PCB to contact and span a target area of the material. A measurement circuit in electrical communication with the probes measures the voltage produced when a current is applied across the material sample to measure changes in electrical properties of the sample over time.

Inventors:

Cybart, Shane A.; Dynes, Robert C.

Issue Date:

2021-01-19

Research Org.:

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1805403

Patent Number(s):

10896803

Application Number:

15/681,210

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

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G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS

G01B7/06 - for measuring thickness {
G01B7/26 - for measuring depth

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N27/041 - {of a solid body}

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01J - ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS

H01J2237/08 - Ion sources
H01J2237/30455 - Correction during exposure
H01J2237/30466 - Detecting endpoint of process
H01J2237/3174 - Etching microareas
H01J37/3005 - {Observing the objects or the point of impact on the object}
H01J37/304 - Controlling tubes by information coming from the objects {or from the beam}, e.g. correction signals
H01J37/3053 - {for evaporating or etching}
H01J37/3056 - {for microworking, e.g. etching of gratings, trimming of electrical components

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L22/26 - {Acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection, in-situ thickness measurement

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC02-05CH11231

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 08/18/2017

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English