KLA four probe resistivity measuring instrument

KLA four probe resistivity measuring instrumentIt is KLA's resistivity measurement product. From semiconductor manufacturing to flexible electronic products required for wearable technology, thin film resistance monitoring is crucial for any industry that uses conductive thin films. The KLA R54 four probe resistivity measuring instrument has been optimized in terms of functionality for metal film uniformity mapping, ion implantation characterization and annealing characteristics, film thickness and resistivity measurement, as well as non-contact film thickness measurement.

Advantage:

• Custom editing of test points, including rectangles, lines, polar coordinates, and custom configurations

• Optional to accommodate up to 300mm round or A4 (210mm * 297mm) samples

• Conductor and semiconductor thin film resistors, applicable in a range of 10 orders of magnitude

• Configurable four probe (4PP) or non-contact eddy current (EC) mode

• Closed systems facilitate the measurement of photosensitive or environmentally sensitive samples

• Supports a maximum sample height of 15mm

• High precision X-Y platform

• Smaller EC probe size

• Automatic EC probe height error correction

• Compatible with KLA thin film resistance measurement probes;

Measurement principle:

The four point probe (4PP) consists of four conductive probes that make controllable contact with the surface of the conductive layer, with a non-conductive barrier layer between the measured conductive layer and the substrate. The standard measurement probe configuration involves applying current between two outer probes and measuring voltage between two inner probes. When measuring film resistance, the thickness of the conductive layer should be less than half of the distance between the two probes. KLA has developed dual-mode technology on the R54 four probe resistivity measuring instrument, which allows for the measurement of voltage on spaced probes and is equipped with boundary effect dynamic correction and probe spacing error compensation functions. KLA provides a wide range of probe types for characterizing and optimizing the properties of different surface materials, which can be used for almost any conductive thin film or ion implantation layer.

Eddy current (EC) is a non-contact conductive thin film measurement technique. Applying a time-varying current through a coil to generate a time-varying magnetic field, when the magnetic field approaches a conductive surface, it induces a time-varying current (eddy current) in the surface. These eddy currents in turn generate their own time-varying magnetic fields, which couple with the probe coil and produce signal changes proportional to the resistance of the sample. KLA's special EC technology, with a single probe located at the top of the sample, allows for dynamic adjustment of the probe height at each measurement point, which is crucial for measurement accuracy and repeatability. The EC method is not affected by probe size or surface oxidation, making it very suitable for softer or other samples that are not suitable for 4PP contact method measurement.

Industry applications:

Product Application:

1、 Uniformity of metal thin film

The uniformity of thin film resistance of metal thin films is crucial for ensuring component performance, and most metal thin films can be measured using 4PP and EC. EC is recommended for thicker highly conductive metal films, while 4PP is suitable for thinner metal films (>10 Ω/sq). However, regardless, 4PP/EC exhibits high correlation, making it possible to obtain accurate results using any method. The resistance distribution map of KLA R54 four probe resistivity measuring instrument can characterize the uniformity of thin films, deposition quality, and other process fluctuations.

2、 Characterization of ion implantation

The 4PP method is a standard measurement technique for measuring ion implantation processes. Hot and cold spots caused by lamp failure, poor wafer/platform contact, or changes in implantation dose can be identified by testing the ion implantation distribution after hot annealing. For silicon ion implantation layers, thermal annealing process is necessary for activating doped ions.

3、 Film thickness/resistivity/film resistance

By collecting wafer data, the KLA R54 four probe resistivity measuring instrument can draw maps of film resistance, film thickness, or resistivity distribution. By inputting the resistivity of the material, the distribution of film thickness can be calculated and displayed; Alternatively, by inputting film thickness data, the resistivity distribution can be calculated.

4、 Data collection and visualization

The RSMapper software of the KLA R54 four probe resistivity measuring instrument combines data acquisition and analysis functions, with an intuitive visual interface that can be used for the device itself or offline. The various coordinate layout tools that come with the software can help users easily set data measurement points.

Product Parameters:

KLA four probe resistivity measuring instrumentMeasurement diagram: