Advanced Metrology for Next Generation Transistors

This paper overviews advances in optical and electrical measurements for advanced transistor materials and processes. Optical measurements such as ellipsometry require advances in both optical methods and optical measurement, technology [1, 2]. Although laboratory based optical measurements are capable of measuring into the VUV, the availability of in-line systems is a recent development. The Cody Lorentz model is used to describe the optical response of high k materials and advance traditional measurements such as ellipsometry [1]. Electrical measurements provide a well recognized means of quantifying defect states in transistor film stacks. Advanced charge pumping methods extend capacitance - voltage measurements to high k materials [3]. Non-traditional optical approaches such as second harmonic generation which confirm the observation of trapped charge induced changes in the silicon dielectric function by ellipsometry are also discussed [4, 5]. The paper ends with a discussion of impact, of quantum confinement on the optical measurement of thin SOI films [6, 7].