Defect Management Deals with New Materials, Tools

摘要

Perpetually shrinking features and higher aspect ratios combined with copper interconnect and low-k materials poss a challenge for defect detection and reduction, requiring a rethinking and redesigning not only of processes and inspection tools, but also of how the field of inspection itself is considered. Void detection in the copper damascene structure is difficult to detect during processing. Ultrathin film layers integrity is a concern today," said Alec Reader, line of business manager, semiconductor, for Philips Analytical (Almelo, Netherlands). "We've been working on barrier layer measurement. Barrier layers are getting thinner and becoming susceptible to pinholes."