Abstract: A method of operation of a measurement system includes: providing a specimen having a film; controlling a beam generator to direct a charged particle beam into the specimen; detecting a reference signal emitted from the specimen; normalizing the reference signal to create a film L-ratio; and determining a thickness of the film by correlating the film L-ratio to a calibration curve.

Abstract: Methods for forming a integrated gate dielectric layer on a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a silicon oxide layer on a substrate, plasma treating the silicon oxide layer, depositing a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer by an ALD process, and thermal annealing the substrate. In another embodiment, the method includes precleaning a substrate, forming a silicon oxide layer on the substrate, plasma treating the silicon oxide layer, depositing a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer by an ALD process, and thermal annealing the substrate, wherein the formed silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer has a total thickness less than 30 ? utilized as a gate dielectric layer in a gate structure.

Abstract: Methods for forming a integrated gate dielectric layer on a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a silicon oxide layer on a substrate, plasma treating the silicon oxide layer, depositing a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer by an ALD process, and thermal annealing the substrate. In another embodiment, the method includes precleaning a substrate, forming a silicon oxide layer on the substrate, plasma treating the silicon oxide layer, depositing a silicon nitride layer on the silicon oxide layer by an ALD process, and thermal annealing the substrate, wherein the formed silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer has a total thickness less than 30 ? utilized as a gate dielectric layer in a gate structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that accurately marks a wafer at selected locations such as a defect location on the surface of a wafer such that a wafer analysis system (e.g., SEM or AFM) may rapidly find the defect. The apparatus contains a wafer platen for retaining a wafer in a substantially horizontal orientation and a marking assembly mounted above the wafer platen. The marking assembly further contains an optical microscope and a marking head. In operation, a user locates a defect using the optical microscope and places a pattern of fiducial marks at a predetermined distance from the defect, e.g., four marks in a diamond pattern circumscribing the defect.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that accurately marks a wafer at selected locations to form a wafer coordinate system. The apparatus contains a wafer platen for retaining a wafer in a substantially horizontal orientation, a wafer orientation detector assembly and a marking assembly mounted above the wafer platen. In operation, the apparatus orients the wafer by identifying an orientation attribute of the wafer, then applies fiducial marks to the wafer. The wafer marking apparatus forms a portion of an integrated analytical tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately transforming coordinates within a first coordinate system (e.g., a two-dimensional coordinate system associated with a substrate (or portion thereof)) into coordinates in a second coordinate system (e.g., a three-dimensional coordinate system of substrate (or portion thereof) tilted within a wafer analysis tool.

Abstract: An automated method for aligning wafer surface scan maps and locating defects such as particle contaminant distributions on a wafer surface. More specifically, the invention is an automated method for locating added and removed contaminants and other defects on a semiconductor wafer surface after the wafer has undergone wafer-handling and/or processing. A second data set of a second scan of a wafer surface is misalignment-corrected to a first coordinate system of a first scan of the wafer surface. Thereafter, a final match is made between a first data set of the first scan and the misalignment-corrected data of the second scan. Non-matching locations in the misalignment-corrected data of the second scan represent added defects on the surface of the wafer. Non-matching locations in the base data of the first scan represent removed defects from the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus suitable for marking a substrate comprises a holder for holding a substrate and a ground for electrically grounding the substrate. At least one needle electrode has a tip located proximate to the substrate so that there is a gap between the substrate and the tip. A high voltage source provides a current to the electrode tip to ionize the gas in the gap so that the ionized gas can impinge upon and mark the substrate.