Some aspects on the uncertainty calculation in Mueller ellipsometry

Characterisation of nanowire structures with scatterometric and ellipsometric measurements

Nanowire structures arranged in a hexagonal lattice are to be characterized in terms of their diameter, height and pitch. A scatterometer and an imaging Mueller matrix ellipsometer, which is a combination of a commercial Mueller matrix ellipsometer and a microscope, have been used as measurement tools. These measurements are supported by numerical simulations using the finite element method to characterize the structure parameters.

Measurement uncertainty evaluation procedures and applications for various types of multichannel rotating-element spectroscopic ellipsometers

A universal measurement uncertainty evaluation procedure is required for different types of multichannel rotating-element spectroscopic ellipsometers (RE-SEs) used in modern semiconductor industry. Herein, an improved uncertainty evaluation procedure, based on the universal measurement model functions and implicit function theorem, is introduced for unknown optical parameters of a sample. In addition, we develop a measurement standard instrument that can solve the error problems related to the basic principles of the multichannel RE-SEs used in the industrial field and present an example of applying the proposed uncertainty evaluation method to this standard instrument. Accordingly, the measurement performance for several types of real-time RE-SEs can be quantitatively compared. It can also be used for standardization, instrumentation, and measurement optimization.

In-line characterization of nanostructures produced by roll-to-roll nanoimprinting

We present an in-line metrology solution for dimensional characterization of roll-to-roll imprinted nanostructures. The solution is based on a scatterometric analysis of optical data from a hyperspectral camera deployed at a production facility, where nanostructures are produced at speeds of 10m/min. The system combines the ease of use of a real-space imaging system with the spectral information used in scatterometry. We present nanoscale dimensional measurements on one-dimensional line gratings with various periods and orientations. The depths of the produced structures are accurately characterized with uncertainties on the scale of a few nanometers. The hyperspectral imaging capabilities of the system can also be used to avoid vibrational effects.