US 12,345,626 B2
Ellipsometer and apparatus for inspecting semiconductor device including the ellipsometer
Yasuhiro Hidaka, Yokohama (JP)
Assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Gyeonggi-Do (KR)
Filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Oct. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/967,228.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-187562 (JP), filed on Nov. 18, 2021; and application No. 10-2022-0009233 (KR), filed on Jan. 21, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0152213 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 21/21 (2006.01); G01N 21/45 (2006.01); G01N 21/88 (2006.01); G01N 21/95 (2006.01); G02B 5/30 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/211 (2013.01) [G01N 21/45 (2013.01); G01N 21/9501 (2013.01); G02B 5/3066 (2013.01); G02B 5/3083 (2013.01); H01L 21/67253 (2013.01); G01N 2021/215 (2013.01); G01N 2021/216 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8848 (2013.01); G01N 2201/0633 (2013.01); G03F 7/706851 (2023.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ellipsometer comprising:
a polarizing optical element unit configured to separate reflected light into two polarization components, the two polarization components having polarization directions that are orthogonal to each other in a radial direction with respect to an optical axis of a condensing optical system of the reflected light, the reflected light being light reflected from a measurement surface of a sample when illumination light illuminates the measurement surface of the sample, the illumination light comprising at least one of linear polarization, circular polarization, or elliptical polarization;
with respect to the two polarization components, an analyzer unit configured to transmit components in a direction, which is different from each of the polarization directions of the two polarization components, to make the two polarization components interfere with each other, and to form an interference fringe in a form of a concentric circle;
an image detector configured to detect the interference fringe; and
processing circuitry configured to calculate ellipsometry coefficients Y and A from the detected interference fringe.