Some surface and interface characterization and metrology requirements in the wafer processing industry

With the rapid decrease in thickness of deposited layers during silicon wafer processing, there has been a parallel increase in the use of surface/interface materials analysis techniques. There is now little distinction between surface/interface and thin film analysis when films are only a few nm thick. This brief review presents some of the general concepts and needs for both materials characterization and metrology; some of the current requirements these needs impose on analytical methods; and briefly reviews the status of a few of the techniques better known to the surface/interface analysis community, particularly XPS. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.