Abstract: In a surface voltmeter (1), a surface voltage on a measurement area on a semiconductor substrate (9) on which an insulating film is formed is measured while applying light to the measurement area. With this operation, a voltage induced on a main body of the substrate (9) by charge which is charged on a surface of the insulating film is balanced out. Consequently, it is possible to measure a surface voltage on the measurement area with high accuracy. Since an electrode wiring (164) used for application of an electrode voltage to an electrode (12) extends from the electrode (12) in a direction away from the substrate (9) along a vibration direction, it is possible to prevent influences of noises caused by vibration of the electrode wiring (164) in vibrating the electrode (12) and to measure the surface voltage on the measurement area more accurately.

Abstract: A method is for measuring the characteristics of an insulator film (inner charge amount, film thickness, relative dielectric constant, surface voltage change due to a surface adsorbed substance, etc.) formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: In a body of a film-thickness measuring apparatus (1), an organic contamination remover (3) for removing organic contamination adsorbed onto a substrate (9) is provided. The organic contamination remover (3) includes a chamber body (31), an interior of which is kept clean. In the chamber body (31), a hot plate (32) for heating the substrate, a cooling plate (33) for cooling the substrate, and a transfer arm (34) for moving the substrate (9) from the hot plate (32) to the cooling plate (33) in the chamber body 31, are provided. With this structure, it is possible to keep the substrate (9) in a clean atmosphere within the chamber body (31), to thereby suppress re-adsorption of organic contamination onto the substrate during a time period from a time when organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate (9) is removed to a time when cooling is completed.

Abstract: In a surface voltmeter (1), a surface voltage on a measurement area on a semiconductor substrate (9) on which an insulating film is formed is measured while applying light to the measurement area. With this operation, a voltage induced on a main body of the substrate (9) by charge which is charged on a surface of the insulating film is balanced out. Consequently, it is possible to measure a surface voltage on the measurement area with high accuracy. Since an electrode wiring (164) used for application of an electrode voltage to an electrode (12) extends from the electrode (12) in a direction away from the substrate (9) along a vibration direction, it is possible to prevent influences of noises caused by vibration of the electrode wiring (164) in vibrating the electrode (12) and to measure the surface voltage on the measurement area more accurately.

Abstract: A memory (43) of a control unit (4) stores correction data (81) indicating a relationship between a decrement in a measurement value of a film thickness by removal of organic contamination adsorbed onto a substrate and an amount of adsorbed organic contamination corresponding to a difference between a true film thickness and the measurement. The difference is caused by organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate before removal of organic contamination. In a film-thickness measuring apparatus (1), a calculating/measuring part 41 obtains a first measurement value of a film thickness on a substrate (9) using an ellipsometer (23), and further obtains a second measurement value which is affected by remaining organic contamination after organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate (9) is removed by an organic contamination remover (3).

Abstract: A relative-dielectric-constant measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes an ellipsometer and a capacitance measuring part. The ellipsometer allows non-contact measurements of the film thickness and optical constants of an insulation film formed on the upper surface of a wafer. The capacitance measuring part, on the other hand, allows non-contact measurements of the gap between the insulation film and an electrode and accumulation capacitance. The relative-dielectric-constant measuring apparatus can calculate the relative dielectric constant of the insulation film based on the measured film thickness, gap, and accumulation capacitance. Thus, the relative dielectric constant of the insulation film can be determined without contact and with high precision.

Abstract: A method is for measuring the characteristics of an insulator film (inner charge amount, film thickness, relative dielectric constant, surface voltage change due to a surface adsorbed substance, etc.) formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: A relative-dielectric-constant measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes an ellipsometer and a capacitance measuring part. The ellipsometer allows non-contact measurements of the film thickness and optical constants of an insulation film formed on the upper surface of a wafer. The capacitance measuring part, on the other hand, allows non-contact measurements of the gap between the insulation film and an electrode and accumulation capacitance. The relative-dielectric-constant measuring apparatus can calculate the relative dielectric constant of the insulation film based on the measured film thickness, gap, and accumulation capacitance. Thus, the relative dielectric constant of the insulation film can be determined without contact and with high precision.

Abstract: A memory (43) of a control unit (4) stores correction data (81) indicating a relationship between a decrement in a measurement value of a film thickness by removal of organic contamination adsorbed onto a substrate and an amount of adsorbed organic contamination corresponding to a difference between a true film thickness and the measurement. The difference is caused by organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate before removal of organic contamination. In a film-thickness measuring apparatus (1), a calculating/measuring part 41 obtains a first measurement value of a film thickness on a substrate (9) using an ellipsometer (23), and further obtains a second measurement value which is affected by remaining organic contamination after organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate (9) is removed by an organic contamination remover (3).

Abstract: In a body of a film-thickness measuring apparatus (1), an organic contamination remover (3) for removing organic contamination adsorbed onto a substrate (9) is provided. The organic contamination remover (3) includes a chamber body (31), an interior of which is kept clean. In the chamber body (31), a hot plate (32) for heating the substrate, a cooling plate (33) for cooling the substrate, and a transfer arm (34) for moving the substrate (9) from the hot plate (32) to the cooling plate (33) in the chamber body 31, are provided. With this structure, it is possible to keep the substrate (9) in a clean atmosphere within the chamber body (31), to thereby suppress re-adsorption of organic contamination onto the substrate during a time period from a time when organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate (9) is removed to a time when cooling is completed.

Abstract: A non-contact method of measuring the thickness of an insulator film on a semiconductor substrate includes: (i) charging the insulator film surface in a non-contact manner; (ii) obtaining a first flat band voltage by conducting, prior to the charging processing step, a C-V measurement on the semiconductor substrate; obtaining a second flat band voltage by conducting, after the charging processing step, a C-V measurement on the semiconductor substrate; and calculating, based on a difference between the first and second flat band voltages, the charge amount given to the insulator film surface by the charging processing step; (iii) then measuring the insulator film surface potential and (iv) calculating the insulator film thickness based on the charge amount measured at the charge amount measuring step and on the surface potential measured at the surface potential measuring step.

Abstract: A method of measuring the thickness of an insulator film formed on one surface of a semiconductor substrate, in a non-contact manner with respect to the insulator film.