Spectrophotometric Measurement Of Thin Film Thickness In The 90 To 10,000 Nanometer Region

Fred Alan Wolf

doi:10.1117/12.971081

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8 February 1985 Spectrophotometric Measurement Of Thin Film Thickness In The 90 To 10,000 Nanometer Region

Fred Alan Wolf

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Proceedings Volume 0499, Optical Radiation Measurements; (1985) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.971081
Event: 28th Annual Technical Symposium, 1984, San Diego, United States

Abstract

We report here a new measurement technique (patents pending), using a modified, commercially available spectroradiometer and software program which instantly and directly measures thin film thicknesses in the range from 90 nm (3.5 microinches) up to as much as 10,000 nm (394 pin). This measurement technique is applicable to "flying height" determination and other thin film applications. The computer software algorithm determines the thin film thickness directly (within seconds) from the broadband whitelight interference spectra. The algorithm uses the theoretical physics formula for thin film interference and uses the measured intensities and wavelengths to solve for the thickness directly. Because of the "closeness to theory" it is not necessary to absolute spectral-radiance-calibrate the spectroradiometer. Since the algorithm predicts the theoretical (perfect) energy spectrum, it compares its distance estimate to the theoretical spectrum, thus providing an estimate of "goodness of fit" of the thickness measurement.

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Fred Alan Wolf "Spectrophotometric Measurement Of Thin Film Thickness In The 90 To 10,000 Nanometer Region", Proc. SPIE 0499, Optical Radiation Measurements, (8 February 1985); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.971081

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