CHARACTERIZATION OF PATTERNED STRUCTURES USING ACOUSTIC METROLOGY

• Main Authors: Mehendale, Manjusha, Kotelyanskii, Michael, Mair, Robin, Mukundhan, Priya
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.10.2021
• Subjects: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TESTING

Systems and methods for inspecting or characterizing samples, such as by characterizing patterned features or structures of the sample. In an aspect, the technology relates to a method for characterizing a patterned structure of a sample. The method includes directing a pump beam to a first position on a surface of the sample to induce a surface acoustic wave in the sample and directing a probe beam to a second position on the sample, wherein the probe beam is affected by the surface acoustic wave when the probe beam reflects from the surface of the sample. The method also includes detecting the reflected probe beam, analyzing the detected reflected probe beam to identify a frequency mode in the reflected probe beam, and based on the identified frequency mode, determining at least one of a width or a pitch of a patterned feature in the sample.