News Releases
IBM and ReVera Report Benefits of In-Line XPS (X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) for ALD Dielectric and Metal Film Process Control
Santa Clara, Calif., June 11, 2012 – IBM and ReVera, Inc. will jointly present a technical paper describing the use of In-Line XPS to control critical ALD (atomic layer deposition) process parameters in state of the art manufacturing. The paper will be presented on June 18th at the AVS-ALD 2012 / Baltic-ALD 2012 conference in Dresden, Germany.
XPS technology was selected for this work because historically conventional metrology approaches, like optical ellipsometry, struggle to determine complex film parameters found in critical ALD films, especially in the 0 to 5nm range. ReVera’s products provide the needed sensitivity because XPS is a direct measurement technology, simultaneously measuring composition while determining thickness; something model-based optical technologies cannot do.
The authors studied various aspects of the ALD process to determine the most important parameters. They observed strong correlation between physical parameters derived from XPS metrology including thickness and atomic composition, and electrical parameters such as film leakage and equivalent oxide thickness. Used in high volume manufacturing, ReVera’s implementation of In-Line XPS technology successfully detects ALD process excursions allowing users to react quickly and optimize yield.
Schedule and Location Details:
AVS-ALD 2012 / Baltic-ALD 2012 - June 17-20, 2012
Westin Bellevue, Große Meißner Landstraße 15, D-01097 Dresden, Germany
Monday, June 18 / Oral Session – Conference Hall 3 / Topics: Characterization I
14:15 – 14:30 Surface Characterization and Process Control for ALD using Inline XPS Technique
About ReVera
ReVera Incorporated, the materials metrology company, is a leader in high-k metal gate (HKMG) production metrology solutions for advanced semiconductor processing. Its products are used globally by device manufacturers to measure, monitor and control critical HKMG materials properties in high-volume production, and to enable rapid development and control of complex, new processes. ReVera systems set the standard for HKMG metrology applications including gate dielectrics, work function metals and metal gates, and are backed by a global network of support partners and an experienced staff of applications engineering, field service, sales and logistics personnel. Visit www.ReVera.com for more information.