Film thickness measuring apparatus and film thickness measuring method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293750-B2
Application number	US-202017035519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2020
Priority date	Nov 11, 2019
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A film thickness measuring apparatus including: a measurement light path for irradiating a measurement target object with light from a light source; a correction light path for irradiating a reference member with light from the light source; and a light switching unit that selectively guides reflected light from the measurement target object or reflected light from the reference member, to a spectroscope.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A film thickness measuring apparatus comprising:
a measurement light path for irradiating a measurement target object with light from a light source;
a correction light path for irradiating a reference member with light from the light source;
a light switching unit that selectively guides reflected light from the measurement target object or reflected light from the reference member, to a spectroscope; and
a processor configured to
generate a spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object by selectively guiding reflected light from the measurement target object irradiated with light that travels to the measurement target object via the measurement light path, to a spectroscope;
generate a spectrum of reflected light from the reference member by selectively guiding reflected light from the reference member irradiated with light that travels to the reference member via the correction light path, to the spectroscope; and
calculate a thickness of the measurement target object based on the spectrum of the reflected light from the measurement target object and the spectrum of the reflected light from the reference member, wherein

the generating the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member is regularly or irregularly repeated,
in the generating the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member, a first reference spectrum that is the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member is generated, and
in the calculating the thickness of the measurement target object, a reflectance spectrum of the measurement target object is calculated by dividing the spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object by the first reference spectrum generated immediately before or immediately after the generation of the spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object, and the thickness of the measurement target object is calculated based on the reflectance spectrum thus calculated.

2. The film thickness measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the measurement light path, the correction light path, and the light switching unit are provided in a housing, and
the film thickness measuring apparatus further comprises
at least one of a light emitting fiber that guides light from the light source provided outside the housing, to the housing, and a light receiving fiber that guides reflected light guided by the light switching unit, which is reflected light from the measurement target object or reflected light from the reference member, to the spectroscope provided outside the housing.

3. A film thickness measuring method that is carried out by using a film thickness measuring apparatus that includes a measurement light path for irradiating a measurement target object with light from a light source, and a correction light path for irradiating a reference member with light from the light source, the film thickness measuring method comprising:
a step of generating a spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object by selectively guiding reflected light from the measurement target object irradiated with light that travels to the measurement target object via the measurement light path, to a spectroscope;
a step of generating a spectrum of reflected light from the reference member by selectively guiding reflected light from the reference member irradiated with light that travels to the reference member via the correction light path, to the spectroscope; and
a step of calculating a thickness of the measurement target object based on the spectrum of the reflected light from the measurement target object and the spectrum of the reflected light from the reference member, wherein
the step of generating the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member is regularly or irregularly repeated,
in the step of generating the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member, a first reference spectrum that is the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member is generated, and
in the step of calculating the thickness of the measurement target object, a reflectance spectrum of the measurement target object is calculated by dividing the spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object by the first reference spectrum generated immediately before or immediately after the generation of the spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object, and the thickness of the measurement target object is calculated based on the reflectance spectrum thus calculated.

4. A film thickness measuring method that is carried out by using a film thickness measuring apparatus that includes a measurement light path for irradiating a measurement target object with light from a light source, and a correction light path for irradiating a reference member with light from the light source, the film thickness measuring method comprising:
a step of generating a spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object by selectively guiding reflected light from the measurement target object irradiated with light that travels to the measurement target object via the measurement light path, to a spectroscope;
a step of generating a spectrum of reflected light from the reference member by selectively guiding reflected light from the reference member irradiated with light that travels to the reference member via the correction light path, to the spectroscope; and
a step of calculating a thickness of the measurement target object based on the spectrum of the reflected light from the measurement target object and the spectrum of the reflected light from the reference member, wherein
the step of generating the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member is regularly or irregularly repeated,
in the step of generating the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member, a first reference spectrum that is the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member is generated, and
the film thickness measuring method further comprises
a step in which, in a state where a reflection plate is placed on a sample platform, a spectrum of reflected light from the reflection plate is generated by selectively guiding reflected light from the reflection plate irradiated with light that travels to the reflection plate via the measurement light path, to a spectroscope, and a second reference spectrum that is the spectrum of reflected light from the reference member is generated by selectively guiding reflected light from the reference member irradiated with light that travels to the reference member via the correction light path, to the spectroscope, and
in the step of calculating the thickness of the measurement target object, a virtual criterion spectrum is calculated by dividing a product of the spectrum of reflected light from the reflection plate and the first reference spectrum generated immediately before or immediately after the generation of the spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object by the second reference spectrum, a reflectance spectrum of the measurement target object is calculated by dividing the spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object by the virtual criterion spectrum, and the thickness of the measurement target object is calculated based on the reflectance spectrum thus calculated.

5. The film thickness measuring method according to claim 3 , wherein
the measurement light path and the correction light path are provided in a housing,
at least one of the spectroscope and the light source is provided outside the housing, and
the film thickness measuring method comprises:
a step that includes the step of generating the spectrum of reflected light from the measurement target object and the step of generating the spectrum of a reflected light from the reference

Assignees

• Otsuka Denshi Kk

Inventors

• Kawaguchi Shiro
• Nakajima Kazuya

Classifications

• G01J3/06

  Scanning arrangements {arrangements for order-selection} · CPC title

• G01N21/314

  with comparison of measurements at specific and non-specific wavelengths (dual wavelength spectrometry G01J3/427) · CPC title

• G01B11/0625 Primary

  with measurement of absorption or reflection · CPC title

• G01B11/0616 Primary

  of coating · CPC title

• G01B21/042

  Calibration or calibration artifacts (G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence) · CPC title