光刻机硅片表面不平度原位检测技术

随着光刻特征尺寸的不断减小,硅片表面不平度对光刻性能的影响越来越显著.该文提出了一种新的硅片表面不平度的原位检测技术本文在分析特殊测试标记成像规律的基础上,讨论了测试标记的对准位置偏移量与硅片表面起伏高度的变化规律,提出了一种新的硅片表面不平度原位检测技术.实验表明,该技术可实现硅片表面不平度及硅片表面形貌的高准确度原位测量.该技术考虑了光刻机承片台吸附力的非均匀性对硅片表面不平度的影响,更真实反映曝光工作状态下的硅片表面不平度大小.与现有的原位检测方法相比,硅片表面不平度的测量空间分辨率提高了1.67%倍,可实现硅片表面形貌的原位检测.     

H2O−D2O solvent isotope effect in the volume behavior of some high-charge high-size electrolytes

The apparent molar volumes V of KCl, BaCl₂, K₂SO₄, LaCl₃, Co(en)₃Cl₃ [Tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) chloride], K₃Co(CN)₆, K₃Fe(CN)₆, K₄Fe(CN)₆, and Ba₃[Co(CN)₆]₂ have been determined at 25°C in both light and heavy water. The V values in D₂O are systematically lower and increase more rapidly with salt concentration than the V in H₂O. The volume of transfer from H₂O to D₂O as well as the partial molar volume at infinite dilution in both solvents have also been calculated. These results together with literature values for other electrolytes were used to estimate both of these quantities for D₂O solutions of individual ions. The predictions of ion hydration models and ion-ion interactions are compared with experimental observations.     

Thermodynamics of mixed electrolyte solutions. XI. An isopiestic study of the quaternary system NaCl−KCl−CaCl2−H2O at 25°C

Osmotic and activity coefficients in the aqueous quaternary system sodium chloride-potassium chloride-calcium chloride were derived from isopiestic measurements at 25°C. The isopiestic data were treated by the various procedures of Scatchard, Friedman, and Reilly, Wood, and Robinson. The results obtained showed good agreement with those obtained by pseudo-ternary transforms. Interaction parameters obtained indicated the preponderance of pairwise interactions. Excess Gibbs free energies of mixing were calculated.     

Quo Vadis total reflection X-ray fluorescence?

The multielement trace analytical method ‘total reflection X-ray fluorescence’ (TXRF) has become a successfully established method in the semiconductor industry, particularly, in the ultra trace element analysis of silicon wafer surfaces. TXRF applications can fulfill general industrial requirements on daily routine of monitoring wafer cleanliness up to 300 mm diameter under cleanroom conditions. Nowadays, TXRF and hyphenated TXRF methods such as ‘vapor phase decomposition (VPD)-TXRF’, i.e. TXRF with a preceding surface and acid digestion and preconcentration procedure, are automated routine techniques (‘wafer surface preparation system’, WSPS). A linear range from 10⁸ to 10¹⁴ [atoms/cm²] for some elements is regularly controlled. Instrument uptime is higher than 90%. The method is not tedious and can automatically be operated for 24 h/7 days. Elements such as S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Sn, Sb, Ba and Pb are included in the software for standard peak search. The detection limits of recovered elements are between 1×10¹¹ and 1×10⁷ [atoms/cm²] depending upon X-ray excitation energy and the element of interest. For the determination of low Z elements, i.e. Na, Al and Mg, TXRF has also been extended but its implementation for routine analysis needs further research. At present, VPD-TXRF determination of light elements is viable in a range of 10⁹ [atoms/cm²]. Novel detectors such as silicon drift detectors (SDD) with an active area of 5 mm², 10 mm² or 20 mm², respectively, and multi-array detectors forming up to 70 mm² are commercially available. The first SDD with 100 mm² (!) area and integrated backside FET is working under laboratory conditions. Applications of and comparison with ICP-MS, HR-ICP-MS and SR-TXRF, an extension of TXRF capabilities with an extremely powerful energy source, are also reported.     

Thermodynamic issues associated with combined cyclic voltammetry and wafer curvature measurements in electrolytes

A thermodynamic framework has been provided for the interpretation of combined cyclic voltammetry and surface stress measurements, the latter being obtained from wafer curvature or beam deflection measurements of a solid electrode as a function of applied potential (so-called voltstressograms). Firstly, the derivation of electrocapillarity equations for solid electrodes has been critically reviewed by starting from the Gibbs adsorption equation appropriate for solid–electrolyte interfaces. This allowed us to demonstrate the critical importance of elastic surface strain in the thermodynamic boundary conditions of the partial derivatives intervening in the interpretation of voltstressograms. From these considerations, it was shown for the first time that the electrocapillarity equations for solid electrodes are not appropriate for describing the variation of surface stress with potential obtained from wafer curvature measurements, because such measurements are intrinsically incompatible with the constant strain condition implied in the electrocapillarity equations. An alternative explanation is provided for the experimentally observed proportionality between the current density, measured in cyclic voltammograms, and the first derivative of surface stress with respect to potential, obtained from voltstressograms.     

Heat capacities of concentrated multicomponent aqueous electrolyte solutions at various temperatures

The specific heat capacities of the aqueous multicomponent system NaCl +KCl+MgCl₂+CaCl₂ with ionic strength between 8.3 and 9.6 (resembling Dead Sea waters) were measured between 15°C and 45°C. The obtained data were fitted to an empirical equation as a function of concentration and temperature. The thermodynamic functions of the studied multicomponent system were found to be strongly influenced by changes in MgCl₂ concentrations. The application of Young's rule to such concentrated systems was checked at 25°C. The calculated (by Young's rule) specific heat capacitiesC _p and apparent molar heat capacities C_p, of these multicomponent electrolyte solutions were in reasonable agreement with the measured values (–0.008 J-g^–1-K^–1 and –2.6 J-mol^–1-K^–1, respectively).     

Ternary mutual diffusion coefficients of ZnCl2−KCl−H2O at 25°C by Rayleigh interferometry

Mutual diffusion coefficients and densities were measured for aqueous ZnCl₂–KCl mixtures at 25° by using free-diffusion Rayleigh interferometry and pycnometry, respectively. The ZnCl₂ concentrations were fixed at 1.5 mol-dm^–3, whereas those of KCl were 0.5, 1.25, 2.0, or 4.0 mol-dm^–3. This corresponds to a half charged zinc-chlorine storage battery at various suporting electrolyte concentrations. The main-term coefficient of ZnCl₂ only varies by 10% with KCl concentration, whereas that of KCl varies by about 22%. The ZnCl₂ cross-term coefficient remains small and positive; in contrast the KCl cross-term coefficient goes through a maximum and is negative at high and low KCl concentrations. At KCl concentrations of 0.5 and 4.0 mol-dm^–3, solutions with the KCl c0 are statically and dynamically (diffusively) unstable at the top and bottom of the boundary. Evaluation of the parameters of the non-linear least-squares solution to the diffusion equation is difficult for the 1.25 mol-dm^–3 KCl case, since this system has nearly equal eigenvalues in its diffusion coefficient matrix.     

Role of cleaning methods on bond quality of Ti coated glass/imidex system

Thin film materials are widely used in the fabrication of semiconductor microelectronic devices. In thin film deposition, cleanliness of substrate surface have become critically important as over 50% of yield losses in integrated circuit fabrication are caused by microcontamination [1]. There are many wafer cleaning techniques. The most successful approach for silicon wafer cleaning technique is RCA clean [2]. But for glass substrate it is still not known which procedure of cleaning is the best. This paper provides an understanding of the right way of glass wafer cleaning method, with a focus towards identifying good bond strength. Two wafer cleaning techniques have been used for cleaning glass substrates in the context of laser micro-joining of dissimilar substrates. First cleaning procedure involves two steps, first cleaning in acetone solution and then in DI water solution. After each step dried with N₂. Second cleaning procedure involves four steps, first cleaning with 1% Alconox solution, second in DI water, third in acetone solution and finally in a methanol solution and dried with N₂ after each step. Deposition of Ti thin film on top of these two types of substrate using DC magnetron sputtering method also showed better adhesion of Ti film on glass for the second type of cleaning method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses of the lap shear tested failed surfaces for these two kinds of samples revealed strong bond for samples prepared by second cleaning method compared to first cleaning method. Characterization of these two sets of samples using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has shown excellent contamination removal for the second cleaning method. This modification is believed to be due to reduction of carbon contamination.     

UV–vis absorption spectroscopic study for on-line monitoring of uranium concentration in LiCl–KCl eutectic salt

UV–vis absorption spectroscopy of uranium in LiCl–KCl eutectic salt at 773 K was studied for the on-site use in pyrochemical process. Uranium(III) chloride was electrochemically prepared from uranium metal in LiCl–KCl eutectic salt at 773 K by using chronopotentiometry. Three absorption peak positions were selected and calibrated for the quantitative analysis of uranium in the molten salt medium. The molar absorptivity and minimum detectable concentration for the selected wavelength were obtained with a confidence level of 99%.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of ionic transport on molten Li–KCl interface

A molecular dynamics study is performed to determine the dynamics and transport properties of the ions on the molten interface between anode metal Li and electrolyte KCl. Radial distribution function of the ionic pair and the behavior of the mean‐square displacement (MSD) as a function of time (t) indicate that KCl and metal Li are in the molten state at 2,200 K in the canonical ensemble. The dynamics of the ionic transport are characterized by studying MSD for the centers of mass of the ions at different temperatures. Diffusion coefficient is evaluated from the linear slope of the MSD (t) function in the range of 0–500 ps. The MSD and diffusion coefficient of the Li⁺ ions are much larger than those of the Cl^? and K⁺ ions due to the difference in ionic characteristic. The transport process has been dominated by the Li⁺ ions on the molten interface and the Li⁺ ions are main charge carriers. The energy barrier of the Li⁺ ions transporting into the molten KCl is fitted to be 5.28 kcal/mol in the light of the activation model. The electrical conductivity of the Li⁺ ions transporting into the molten KCl are calculated from the Nernst–Einstein formula to be in the range of 0.2–0.3 S cm^?1. The current density resulted from the Li⁺ ions through the interface are estimated to be an order of 10⁶ A cm^?2, which may be the value corresponding to a larger concentration gradient of the Li⁺ ions. Simulated results at different temperatures show that the diffusion coefficient, conductivity and current density have increased with the temperature. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011