Randall Cher Liang Cha

In-line plasma induced charging monitor for 0.15 /spl mu/m polysilicon gate etching

Plasma induced charging damage from polysilicon gate etch was studied using both end-of-line polysilicon antenna test structures and in-line surface potential measurement (SPM) techniques. This study is performed on a 0.15 /spl mu/m gate patterning process using two different polysilicon etch chambers. In the study, the standard deviation and range of surface potentials obtained from the SPM technique show the same trend as those of threshold voltages obtained from polysilicon antenna test structures. The SPM technique could be used as an add-on method to antenna test structures for monitoring plasma induced charging damage.