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Non-contact Corona-Kelvin based Metrology for High-k Dielectric Characterization with an Extension to Micro-Scale Measurement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Marshall Wilson ,
Dmitriy Marinskiy ,
Carlos Almeida ,
Joseph N. Kochey ,
Anton Byelyayev ,
Alexandre Savtchouk ,
John D'Amico ,
Andrew Findlay ,
Lubek Jastrzebski  and
Jacek Lagowski
Marshall Wilson
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., Research and Development, 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States, 8139772244, 8139772455
Dmitriy Marinskiy
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
Carlos Almeida
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
Joseph N. Kochey
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
Anton Byelyayev
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
Alexandre Savtchouk
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
John D'Amico
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
Andrew Findlay
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
Lubek Jastrzebski
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
Jacek Lagowski
Affiliation:
[email protected], Semiconductor Diagnostics Inc., 3650 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 130, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
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Abstract

In-line monitoring of the electrical properties of high-k dielectrics in logic or memory fab-lines has become increasingly important in the semiconductor industry. Non-contact corona-Kelvin based metrology can be used to affectively monitor in-line key dielectric properties. Furthermore, we present an important extension of this metrology to the micro-scale that allows measurement of dielectric properties on test sites as small as 40μm × 70μm. This is achieved through miniaturization of the corona charging apparatus and of the Kelvin probe without a sacrifice in precision or repeatability. Corona-Kelvin micro-metrology allows for the monitoring of the critical dielectric properties directly on product wafers that can then be returned to the fab-line for continued processing. Application examples are given for dielectric capacitance of advanced dielectrics and for the properties of an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) memory structure. In the latter case we demonstrate programming and erasing of the ONO structure realized by corona charging. We also use the measured flatband voltage and total charge to identify the location of the programmed charge at the first SiO2/Si3N4 interface in the ONO structure.

Keywords

dielectric propertiesmemoryelectrical properties
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 917: Symposium E – Gate Stack Scaling – Materials Selection, Role of Interfaces, and Reliability Implications , 2006 , 0917-E09-01
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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