Processing system for a catalytic layer of a noble metal formed on a surface of a substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10978358-B2
Application number	US-201916531718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 9, 2018
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

According to one embodiment, in a processing system and determining method, a X-ray intensity of character X-rays generated by irradiating a catalytic layer of a noble metal formed on a surface of a substrate with X-rays is detected. In the processing system and the determining method, either the detected X-ray intensity or a parameter calculated using the X-ray intensity is obtained as a determination parameter. In the processing system and the determining method, based at least on the determination parameter, whether or not the catalytic layer has been formed into a state suitable for etching the surface of the substrate is determined.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing system comprising one or more processing devices, the one or more processing devices being configured to:
detect an X-ray intensity of character X-rays that are generated by irradiating a catalytic layer of a noble metal formed on a surface of a substrate with X-rays;
obtain, as a first determination parameter, any one of the detected X-ray intensity and a parameter calculated using the X-ray intensity; and
determine, based at least on the first determination parameter, whether or not the catalytic layer has been formed into a state suitable for etching the surface of the substrate,
detect, using a laser microscope or a scanning electron microscope, a detection parameter in association with the catalytic layer;
obtain, as a second determination parameter, the detection parameter from the laser microscope or the scanning electron microscope or a parameter calculated using the detection parameter; and
determine, based on the second determination parameter in addition to the first determination parameter, whether or not the catalytic layer has been formed into a form suitable for the etching.

2. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to:
calculate, from the detected X-ray intensity, a deposition amount of the noble metal per unit area in the catalytic layer; and
obtain, as the first determination parameter, the calculated deposition amount.

3. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to determine, based on whether or not the first determination parameter is within a predetermined range, whether or not the catalytic layer is formed into a state suitable for the etching.

4. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to determine, based on whether or not the second determination parameter is within a predetermined range, whether or not the catalytic layer has been formed into a form suitable for the etching.

5. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to:
detect, as the detection parameter, using the laser microscope, a thickness of the catalytic layer; and
obtain, as the second determination parameter, the detected thickness of the catalytic layer.

6. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to obtain, as the second determination parameter, a parameter calculated using both the X-ray intensity and the detection parameter from the laser microscope or the scanning electron microscope.

7. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to:
detect, as the detection parameter, using the laser microscope, a thickness of the catalytic layer;
calculate, using both the X-ray intensity and the detected thickness of the catalytic layer, a density of the catalytic layer; and
obtain, as the second determination parameter, the calculated density of the catalytic layer.

8. A processing system comprising one or more processing devices, the one or more processing devices being configured to:
detect an X-ray intensity of character X-rays that are generated by irradiating a catalytic layer of a noble metal formed on a surface of a substrate with X-rays;
obtain, as a first determination parameter, any one of the detected X-ray intensity and a parameter calculated using the X-ray intensity;
determine, based at least on the first determination parameter, whether or not the catalytic layer has been formed into a state suitable for etching the surface of the substrate; and
perform, if it is determined that the catalytic layer has not been formed into a state suitable for the etching, at least one of: a notification that the catalytic layer is not in a suitable state and a change of conditions for forming the catalytic layer of the noble metal onto the substrate.

9. The processing system according to claim 8 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to:
detect, using a laser microscope or a scanning electron microscope, a detection parameter in association with the catalytic layer; and
obtain, as the first determination parameter, a parameter calculated using both the X-ray intensity and the detection parameter detected using the laser microscope or the scanning electron microscope.

10. The processing system according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to:
detect, as the detection parameter, using the laser microscope, a thickness of the catalytic layer;
calculate, using both the X-ray intensity and the detected thickness of the catalytic layer, a density of the catalytic layer; and
obtain, as the first determination parameter, the calculated density of the catalytic layer.

11. A processing system comprising one or more processing devices, the one or more processing devices being configured to:
detect an X-ray intensity of character X-rays that are generated by irradiating a catalytic layer of a noble metal formed on a surface of a substrate with X-rays;
calculate, from the detected X-ray intensity, a deposition amount of the noble metal per unit area in the catalytic layer;
detect a thickness of the catalytic layer by using a laser microscope;
calculate, using both the calculated deposition amount and the detected thickness of the catalytic layer, a density of the catalytic layer; and
determine, based at least on the calculated density, whether or not the catalytic layer has been formed into a state suitable for etching the surface of the substrate.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Sano Mitsuo
• Matsuo Keiichiro
• Obata Susumu
• Higuchi Kazuhito
• Shimokawa Kazuo

Classifications

• H10P50/642

  Chemical etching · CPC title

• H10P74/203 Primary

  Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects · CPC title

• H10P50/646

  of Group III-V materials · CPC title

• G01N2223/61

  thin films, coatings · CPC title

• G01N23/223

  by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence · CPC title