INSITU CHARACTERIZATION OF SPUTTERED THIN-FILMS USING A NORMAL INCIDENCE LASER REFLECTOMETER

We will demonstrate the implementation and the use of a normal incidence semiconductor laser reflectometer as an in situ monitoring tool in a computer automated system for reactive sputter deposition of Si/SiO(x)/SiN(x) dielectric films. An anode with a viewing hole that was designed specifically for this purpose enables the introduction of both the sputtering gases and the collimated laser beam into the vacuum chamber normal to the processed wafer surface. We will discuss the reflectometer design considerations and the automated data acquisition. We will also demonstrate the use of a normal incidence reflectivity measurement system for in situ determination of the optical deposition rate and material properties such as the refractive index and the absorption loss.