COMBINED USE OF OSCILLATING MEANS AND ELLIPSOMETRY TO DETERMINE UNCORRELATED EFFECTIVE THICKNESS AND OPTICAL CONSTANTS OF MATERIAL DEPOSITED FROM A FLUID

TECHNICAL AREA

The disclosed invention relates to systems and methods for simultaneously determining thickness and refractive indicies or densities of materials, and more specifically to a combined ellipsometer and oscillating means system and method, wherein said oscillating means changes frequency of oscillation when material is deposited from a fluid, thereupon.

BACKGROUND

It is well known to use ellipsometry to determine thickness and optical constants of thin film materials. It is also known that ellipsometry provides a correlated product of thickness and refractive index. One known approach to breaking the correlation is to investigate two samples which have different thicknesses of the same material thereupon, and simultaneously perform regression of mathematical models for the two samples onto ellipsometric data obtained from each. The presently disclosed invention proposes a different approach to breaking the identified, correlation involving gaining insight to the "effective thickness", (ie. thickness per se. as modified by surface coverage, roughness and/or porosity etc.) of a material caused to accumulate on the surface of an oscillating means, and using said insight in evaluating the product of the

"effective" thickness and optical constants via ellipsometr ic techniques. That is, if an effective thickness of a material is determined by other techniques, and the product of said effective thickness and refractive index of a material is determined by ellipsometric techniques, then the refractive index can be determined by a simple division.

A Search for relevant reference material has provided Patents:

No. 7.030,982 to Woollam et al. describes a system combining vibrating means and spectroscopic ellipsometry.

No. 6,125,687 to McClelland et al. which describe a system for determining outgasεing comprising a microbalance .

No. 4,561,286 to Sekler et al. which disclosed a piezoelectric detector.

No.- 4,735,081 to Luoma et al. which discloses a detector for detecting vapors is gaseous fluids comprising a crystal oscillator.

Articles which were identified are:

"Surface Specific Kinetics of Lipid Vesicle Adsorbtion Measured With a Quartz Microbalance", Keller et al., Biophysical Journal, Vol. 75, (1998). This article discusses simultaneous frequency and dissipation measurements performed on QCM provide an efficient

approach to measuring the kinetics of lipid vesicle adsorbtion and characterizing adsorbed layers.

"Simultaneous Monitoring of Protein Adsorbtion at the Solid-Liquid Interface From Sessile Solution Droplets by Ellipεometry and Axisyπunetric Drop Shape Analysis by Profile", Noordmans et al., Colloids and Surfaces

B: Biointerfaces 15, (1999). This article discusses combination of aqueous phase atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry and axisymmetric drop shape analysis by profile (ADSA-P).

"Characterization of PNA and DNA Immobilization and Subsequent Hybridization with DNA Using Acoustic Shear-Wave Attenuation Measurements", Hook et al., Langmuir 17, (2001). This article discusses combined use of a quartz microbalance and dissipation monitoring can characterize the bound state of single-stranded peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA).

"Relaxation Dynamics in Ultrathin Polymer Films", Forrest et al., Physical Review E, Vol. 58, No. 2, (1998). This paper describes combined application of Photon Correlation Spectroscopy and Quartz Balance Microbalance .

"Structural Changes in Hemoglobin During Adsorbtion to Solid Surfaces: Effects of Ph, Ionic Strength, and Ligand Binding", Hook et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., Vol. 95, (1998). This article describes application of a Quartz Microbalance technique to follow Hb adsorption onto a surface. The Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) system is described in this article

as comprising a disk, shaped, AT-eut Piezoelectric Quartz Crystal with metal electrodes deposited on two faces. In use the crystal is excited to oscillation in the thickness shear mode at its fundamental resonance frequency (f), by applying a RF Voltage across the electrodes near the resonant frequency. A. small mass (δ M ) added to the electrode induces a decrease in the resonant frequency (δf)f which is proportional to the (δm), providing that the mass is evenly distributed, does not slip on the electrode and is sufficiently rigid and/or thin to have negligible internal friction. An equation is given which provides a quantitative descriptions:

δM =(Cδf)/n where C (= 17.7 ng cm ² Hz ¹ at f = 5 MHz), is the mass-sensitivity constant and n(=l,3,...) is the overtone number .

Also disclosed are materials from "Q-SEKSE" which disclose Quartz Micro-Balance systems:

"Q-SENSE D300";

"QCM-D Applications, Biosurfaces in Depth";

"Investigating the Sticking Power of Blue Mussels".

Finally, the methodology . of ellipsometry is described in many references such as Patents 5,373,359 to Woollam et al., 5,872,630 to* ^' jόhs et al . , 5,963,327 to He et al., 6,353,477 to Johs' et al., 6,034,777 to

Jons et al., 6,456,376 to Liphardt et al., 5,706,212 to Thompson et al. and 5,666,201 to Jons et al. An article by Johs titled ¹ "Regression Calibration Method

for Rotating Element Ellipsometer", Thin Film Solids 234 (1993); an Article by Collins titled " Automatic Rotating Element Ellipsometers : Calibration, Operation and Real-time Applications", Rev. Sci. instrum. 61 (8) (1990), and a book by Azzam & Bashara titled "Ellipsometry and Polarized Light", North-Holland (1977) is also disclosed.

Briefly, ellipsometry causes a polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation to interact with a sample surface and then enter a detector. Changes in polarization state in the beam caused by the sample are represented by ellipsometric PSI and DELTA which are identified by: p =rp/rs = Tan(ψ) exρ(iδ) where r and r are orthogonal components of the beam perpendicular and parallel to, respectively, the sample surface. A mathematical model of the Sample is proposed and a regression procedure applied to convert the PSI and DELTA values to Sample representing values such as correlated thickness and optical constant values corresponding to various wavelengths and angles of incidence of the beam to the sample surface.

The forgoing references are incorporated by reference herein _. .

Even in view of known Prior 'Art, need remains for a system and method to combine Spectroscopic Ellipsometry and Quartz Microbalance techniques to the end of providing uncorrelated determination of both thickness and optical constants of deposited materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an objective and/or purpose of the disclosed invention to teach a system comprising a Quartz Microbalance and an ellipsometer system.

It is another objective and/or purpose of the disclosed invention to teach a method for uncorrelated determination of thickness and optical constants of materials.

It is yet another objective and/or purpose of the disclosed invention to teach a method for determining density of a material where its optical constants are known or can be otherwise determined, where ellipsometry is applied to determine thickness of a material on an oscillating means surface of known geometry.

Other objectives and/or purposes of the disclosed invention will be apparent upon a reading of the Specification and Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1, there is demonstrated an Ellipsometry system.

Fig. 2 demonstrates a system for depositing materials present in fluids onto Samples (SS) which are in a Chamber (CH), including Ports (Pl) (P2) for use in providing fluid thereinto.

Fig. 3 shows that the Sample (SS) which is subjected to ellipsometr ic investigation, can have a Monitor (MON) electrically connected thereto which includes excitation and resonant frequency detecting capability.

Fig. 4 demonstrates that the small mass can be added to a witness sample (WS) which is separately monitored for change in resonant frequency, thereby not requiring the Sample (SS) which is subjected to ellipsometr ic investigation to be changed by attachment of electrodes thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to Fig. 1, there is demonstrated an Ellipsometry system. Note that a Source of Electromagnetic Radiation (LS) provides a beam (LB) which has a polarization state set by Polarizer (P) and Optional Compensator (Cl) prior to interaction with a Sample (SS). Shown after the Sample (SS) are both Reflection and Transmission scenarios, each of comprise an Analyzer (A) and Optional Compensator (C2) (C3). Note that indications of Polarization State Generator (PSG) and Polarization State Detector (PSD) are shown.

Fig. 2 demonstrates a system for depositing materials onto Samples (SS) form a fluid entered via Port (Pl) or P2). Shown are a Chamber (C) to which are affixed Polarization State Generator (PSG) and Polarization State Detector (PSD), as well Ports (Pl) and (P2) for entry and exit of material containing fluids for Deposit onto the Sample (SS), or at least release into the vicinity thereof. It is noted that materials to be deposited can be dielectrics, metals, insulators etc., or can comprise organic materials and the Sample (SS) can have a surface which has an affinity for deposited materials entered in a flow of fluid. Typical application of ellipsometry in a Fig. 2 configuration provides data that identifies a product of thickness and refractive index of, for instance, a thin film deposited on the upper surface of the shown Sample (SS),

Fig. 3 shows that the Sample (SS) which is subjected to ellipsometric investigation, can have a

Monitor (MON) electrically connected thereto which includes excitation and resonant frequency detecting capability. As disclosed in the Background Section, a small mass ( ) added to the Sample (SS) induces a decrease in the resonant frequency ( f) which is proportional to the ( m). Fig. 4 demonstrates that the small mass can be added to a witness sample (WS) which is separately monitored for change in resonant frequency, thereby not requiring the Sample (SS) which is subjected to ellipsometric investigation to be changed by attachment of electrodes thereto. Similar separate system configurations are often utilized in Vacuum Deposition of materials onto Samples (SS), but not in conjunction with application of ellipsometry to enable de-correlation of deposited layer effective thickness and optical constants.

In general it is to be understood that the Chamber (CH) can be a controlled ambient chamber in which fluid is caused to be present, and can provide any functional material which deposits onto the surface of a Sample (SS), and optionally onto another surface which is part of an oscillating circuit. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, material can be caused to be present on a surface of a Sample (SS) outside of a chamber .

It is noted that the change in frequency of an oscillating means, as a function of deposited material, is directly proportional to the mass of the deposited material. Based on surface geometry, this correlates to density and thickness of the material. Further, ellipsometric models can include parameters which correspond to surface coverage, roughness and

material porosity. Depending on what is known and what is desired to be evaluated, the various methods o£ this invention are applied.

Finally, the terminology "fluid" typically means liquid which remains liquid throughout to procedure, although a gas which contains a depositable material is also to be considered within the definition unless excluded by Claim language.

Having hereby disclosed the subject matter of the present invention, it should be obvious that many modifications, substitutions, and variations of the present invention are possible in view of the teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described, and should be limited in its breadth and scope only by the Claims.