Measure the structure that was actually manufactured.

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High Aspect Ratio Etch

Measure the structure that was actually manufactured.

After-Etch Inspection (AEI) measures post-etch features to ensure proper structure formation and protect device yield. As advanced nodes move toward sub-2nm logic GAA nanosheets and increasingly complex memory device structures, verifying the true 3-dimensional profile of high aspect ratio (HAR) structures at angstrom level accuracy and inline speed is critical.

Metron3D leverages RPM's direct interferometric position measurement with purpose-engineered probes for narrow and deep HAR trenches at inline speed. 

Getting full access along narrow and deep trenches to reveal profiles.
Critical Dimension (CD): Monitoring CD to ensure the feature remains within spec and avoid bottlenecking or pinch-off in narrow structures.
Depth: Ensuring full access to the bottom of trenches to confirm the etch reaches the target layer free of residual scumming.
Sidewall Profile & Roughness: Understanding sidewall angle, surface roughness and footing to prevent resistance spikes, leakage, and metal fill voids.
Uniformity: Monitoring across-die and wafer-to-wafer variation to identify plasma loading, chamber drift, and pattern-density effects before yield is impacted.

Characterisation of the profile of High Aspect Ratio CFET devices