Patent ID: 6519045
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An apparatus for accurately determining the actual thickness of thin inorganic, dielectric film on a wafer, the film over time absorbing organic compounds onto its surface to increase the apparent, measured thickness thereof, said apparatus comprising;a cassette station for a cassette in which wafers having thin inorganic, dielectric films to be measured are placed; a heating station having a heater for heating a wafer to a temperature of at least 250Â° C. and for a time to cause desorption of organic compounds from a thin inorganic, dielectric film on the wafer; a measurement stage upon which a wafer can be placed for measurement of the thickness of a thin inorganic, dielectric film on the wafer; a measurement system to measure the thickness of a thin inorganic, dielectric film on a wafer on said measurement stage; a robotics and wafer handling system for holding and moving a wafer from a cassette at said cassette station to said heating station, from said heating station to said measurement stage, and from said measurement stage back to a cassette at said cassette station; and a controller in electronic communication with said cassette station, said heating station, said measurement stage, said measurement system and said robotics and wafer handling system.