Nanometer-Scale Planar Reference Materials

Summary

Characterization and metrology of planar films is often the first step for integrating new materials into semiconductor production. Reference materials of planar films will accelerate the adoption of new materials into production, improve the yield from current process technologies, and allow for manufacturers to better compare metrology and process monitoring results between foundries. Currently, NIST does not provide reference materials for this fundamental aspect of semiconductor manufacture. 

This project will provide semiconductor industry partners and researchers across the CHIPS R&D Programs direct access to thin film, blanket test materials, in the form of diced pieces and/or full 300 mm wafers, with measured physical properties, such as thickness and roughness determined by NIST.

Grand Challenge 6: Standardizing New Materials, Processes, and Equipment for Microelectronics

Description

Credit: NIST

In most industrial fabs today, foundry test artifacts (wafers) are used to test metrology tools and monitor process stability. These wafers are made in partnerships between specific materials providers and metrology tool providers and may have limited or no adoption across foundries. In some instances, metrology tool developers have produced either wafers or other smaller artifacts that are embedded within the tool which can be used for self-calibration.  Neither of these approaches is ideal, as these standards, are by their nature non-transferrable.

To help integrate new materials into semiconductor production, members of the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem need reference materials for nanoscale dimensional and materials characterization. These standards are essential for materials discovery, process optimization, and metrology tool validation. 

Characterization and metrology of planar films is often the first step for integrating new materials into semiconductor production. This project will provide an agile means of providing thin film standards to customers, and for sharing measurements of the structural parameters of these thin films, much faster than is possible through traditional reference material development approaches.

Additionally, the choice of test materials produced by this project is based on industry requests, and the CHIPS Metrology Community, advancing CHIPS for America’s aims to invent and commercialize the future of semiconductor technology in the United States and promote domestic advanced semiconductor manufacturing at scale.