| CPC G01N 21/65 (2013.01) [H01L 22/12 (2013.01)] | 10 Claims |
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1. A method for measuring a lateral recess depth in a microstructure positioned on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
directing an energy beam at the microstructure, the microstructure comprising:
an elongate sidewall in an upright position relative to the substrate and at least one lateral recess formed from the sidewall inwards and extending essentially parallel to a surface of the substrate, the at least one lateral recess having the lateral recess depth, and
at least one first layer oriented essentially parallel to the surface of the substrate, the at least one first layer being sandwiched between two adjacent layers oriented essentially parallel to the surface of the substrate, wherein the at least one first layer and the two adjacent layers extend from the elongate sidewall, wherein the at least one first layer is recessed relative to the adjacent layers, and wherein the at least one lateral recess is formed in the at least one first layer;
measuring a spectroscopic response generated by an interaction between an incident beam and the microstructure;
detecting one or more peaks in the response and deriving from said one or more peaks a parameter value that is representative of the lateral recess depth, said parameter value having a previously established one-on-one relation to the lateral recess depth; and
deriving the recess depth from the parameter value, using the previously established relation.
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