Synchrotron Radiation Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence - Spectroscopy for Microcontamination Analysis on Silicon Wafer Surfaces

As dimensions in state-of-the-art CMOS devices shrink to less than 0.1 pm, even low levels of impurities on wafer surfaces can cause device degradation. Conventionally, metal contamination on wafer surfaces is measured using Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (TXRF). However, commercially available TXRF systems do not have the necessary sensitivity for measuring the lower levels of contamination required to develop new CMOS technologies. In an attempt to improve the sensitivity of TXRF, this research investigates Synchrotron Radiation TXRF (SR TXRF). The advantages of SR TXRF over conventional TXRF are higher incident photon flux, energy tunability, and linear polarization. We made use of these advantages to develop an optimized SR TXRF system at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL). The results of measurements show that the Minimum Detection Limits (MDLs) of SR TXRF for 3-d transition metals are typically at a level-of 3x10* atoms/cm2, which is better than conventional TXRF by about a factor of 20. However, to use our SR TXRF system for practical applications, it was necessary to modify a commercially available Si (Li) detector which generates parasitic fluorescence signals. With the modified detector, we could achieve true MDLs of 3x10* atoms/cm2 for 3-d transition metals. In addition, the analysis of Al on Si wafers is described. Al analysis is difficult because strong Si signals overlap the Al signals. In this work, the Si signals are greatly