Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for measuring the X-ray emission produced by an object, or specimen, exposed to an electron beam. The device includes at least one subassembly or electron column, which is used to produce and control the electron beam, and a support for positioning the object measured. It also includes spectral analysis means for analyzing the X-rays emitted by the specimen to be analyzed and optical means for controlling the position of the specimen relative to the beam. The energy of the beam created and the intensity of the electron current obtained are used to meet the sensitivity, resolution and precision requirements demanded by semiconductor manufacturers. The invention applies especially to checking the fabrication of an integrated-circuit wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for measuring the X-ray emission produced by an object, or specimen, exposed to an electron beam. The device includes at least one subassembly or electron column, which is used to produce and control the electron beam, and a support for positioning the object measured. It also includes spectral analysis means for analyzing the X-rays emitted by the specimen to be analyzed and optical means for controlling the position of the specimen relative to the beam. The energy of the beam created and the intensity of the electron current obtained are used to meet the sensitivity, resolution and precision requirements demanded by semiconductor manufacturers. The invention applies especially to checking the fabrication of an integrated-circuit wafer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring the depth of the bottoms of craters under formation on a sample placed within an analysis chamber of a physico-chemical analyzer, by optical interferometry. The method consists in splitting an incident bi-frequency laser beam into two parallel paths, a measurement path and a reference path, focusing each of the two paths on the surface of the sample, respectively one in the crater and the other in the vicinity, along an incident direction inclined in relation to the surface of the sample, recombining the two beams reflected on the surface of the sample to form only one beam, and applying the recombined beam to an interferometric detector to measure the path difference between the two reflected beams. Application to ion analyzers.