Dynamic spectroscopic imaging ellipsometry.

Area of Science:

• Optical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Spectroscopic ellipsometry is a powerful technique for material characterization.
• Traditional methods can be time-consuming for large-area mapping.
• There is a need for faster, high-resolution imaging ellipsometers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel dynamic spectroscopic imaging ellipsometer (DSIE).
• To demonstrate the system's capability for ultrafast, high-resolution spatio-spectral mapping.
• To evaluate the DSIE performance on a patterned 8-inch wafer.

Main Methods:

• Development of a DSIE system utilizing a monolithic polarizing interferometer.
• Dynamic acquisition of spatio-spectral ellipsometric phase map data Δ(λ, x).
• Measurement of a patterned 8-inch wafer with high spatial resolution (<50×50 µm²).

Main Results:

• The DSIE system achieves dynamic data acquisition at 30 Hz.
• Ultrafast mapping of an 8-inch wafer was completed within one hour.
• High spatial resolution was maintained across the entire wafer surface.

Conclusions:

• The developed DSIE system provides a significant advancement in high-speed, high-resolution ellipsometric imaging.
• This technology enables efficient characterization of large-area samples, such as semiconductor wafers.
• The DSIE offers a powerful tool for in-line process monitoring and quality control in manufacturing.