Patent ID: 6801326
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: B24B,H01L

Abstract:
A method for optical control of the quality of a process of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) by determining the existence of residues of a metal-containing layer on the surface of an article resulting from the CMP process applied to said article, the CMP processed article having a surface with at least one pattern in the form of spaced-apart metal-containing regions, the method comprising the steps of:selecting at least one predetermined site on the article to apply local spectral measurements to said at least one predetermined site to thereby control the quality of the CMP process applied to said at least one predetermined site, said selecting comprising at least one of the following procedures: (i) analysing a structure which is similar to that of said article to be controlled but under-polished by the CMP process, and detecting the presence of residues on said under-polished structure, said at least one predetermined site being that where the presence of residues is detected; (ii) utilizing product related information defining potential sites for the presence of the residues in the article to be controlled; (iii) utilizing process related information defining potential sites for the presence of the residues in the article to be controlled; (iv) acquiring an image of at least a part of the article and carrying out an image processing of the acquired image; applying the spectral measurements to said at least one selected predetermined site on the article by illuminating said at least one predetermined site on said article, detecting light returned from the illuminated site, and generating data indicative of the detected light; and analysing said data indicative of the detected light for determining the existence of the residues.