US 11,733,035 B2
Feed-forward of multi-layer and multi-process information using XPS and XRF technologies
Heath Pois, Fremont, CA (US); Wei T Lee, San Jose, CA (US); Lawrence Bot, Maple Grove, MN (US); Michael Kwan, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Mark Klare, Poughkeepsie, NY (US); and Charles Larson, Belmont, CA (US)
Assigned to NOVA MEASURING INSTRUMENTS INC., Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by NOVA MEASURING INSTRUMENTS INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/303,834.
Application 17/303,834 is a continuation of application No. 16/872,568, filed on May 12, 2020, granted, now 11,029,148.
Application 16/872,568 is a continuation of application No. 16/536,132, filed on Aug. 8, 2019, granted, now 10,648,802, issued on May 12, 2020.
Application 16/536,132 is a continuation of application No. 16/140,340, filed on Sep. 24, 2018, abandoned.
Application 16/140,340 is a continuation of application No. 15/322,093, granted, now 10,082,390, issued on Sep. 25, 2018, previously published as PCT/US2015/036619, filed on Jun. 19, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/016,211, filed on Jun. 24, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2021/0372787 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01B 15/02 (2006.01); G01N 23/2251 (2018.01); G01N 23/225 (2018.01); G01N 23/223 (2006.01); G01N 23/2273 (2018.01); G01N 23/22 (2018.01)
CPC G01B 15/02 (2013.01) [G01N 23/223 (2013.01); G01N 23/225 (2013.01); G01N 23/2251 (2013.01); G01N 23/2273 (2013.01); G01N 23/22 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of thin film characterization, the method comprising:
measuring first XPS and XRF intensity signals for a sample having a first layer above a substrate, the first XPS and XRF intensity signals including information for the first layer and for the substrate;
determining a thickness of the first layer based on the first XPS and XRF intensity signals;
combining the information for the first layer and for the substrate to estimate an effective substrate;
measuring second XPS and XRF intensity signals for the sample, after forming a second layer above the first layer above the substrate, the second XPS and XRF intensity signals including information for the second layer, for the first layer, and for the substrate; and
determining a thickness of the second layer based on the second XPS and XRF intensity signals, the thickness accounting for the effective substrate.