JPH04332810A - Method for monitoring film thickness - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To monitor film thickness of an evaporated region itself by applying X-rays to an evaporation substance flying in vacuum and measuring scattered X-rays due to interaction with incident X-rays. CONSTITUTION:An evaporation substance 6 is evaporated on a substrate 8 through a mask 7 from an electron gun 5 set in a vacuum chamber 4. Incident X-rays 2 from an X-ray generator 1 are applied through a Be window 3 to atoms of an evaporation substance 9 flying in the chamber 4. Most part of the rays become transmittant X-rays 14 to pass through the substance 9, but part of them cause scattered X-rays 10 due to interaction with the atoms. The X-rays 10 are emitted through a Be window 11 and measured by a scintillation counter 13 through a slit 12. An amount of the substance 9 is determined from the amount of the X-rays 10, thereby allowing film thickness of an evaporated region itself to be monitored. Thus film thickness is correctly obtained, wherein evaporation is possible while interaction to the substance 6 of the X-rays is small and adverse influence is not caused.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the thickness of a thin film when depositing the film in vacuum.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, when monitoring the thickness of a thin film deposited in a vacuum, the film thickness is usually monitored at a location adjacent to the deposition area using a film thickness monitoring method using a crystal oscillator. It is common to do so.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional film thickness monitoring method, the film thickness of the evaporation region itself is not monitored, so the film thickness of the evaporation region and the adjacent region is monitored. If there is a difference in the amount of evaporation, there is a problem that it cannot be said that the film thickness in the evaporation area is being accurately monitored.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for monitoring the film thickness of the vapor deposition region itself.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in a film thickness monitoring method according to the present invention, a deposition material flying in a vacuum is irradiated with X-rays to monitor the thickness of a deposited film formed by the deposition material. This is a film thickness monitoring method that measures the scattered X-rays generated from the interaction between incident X-rays and the vapor-deposited material to quantify the amount of the vapor-deposited material in flight corresponding to the thickness of the vapor-deposited film. .

[0006]

[Operation] When X-rays are irradiated onto a vapor-deposited substance flying toward a vapor-deposition area, scattered X-rays are generated in proportion to the amount of the substance. Therefore, by measuring the amount of scattered X-rays, the amount of the substance can be determined. Furthermore, since X-rays have a small interaction with substances, they do not have a negative effect on the vapor deposition itself.

[0007]

[Embodiments] Examples of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a deposition substance 6 is deposited from an electron gun 5 with an output of 1 KW set in a vacuum chamber 4 onto a substrate 8 through a mask 7. In the present invention, X-rays are irradiated onto the vapor deposition material 9 while it is flying toward the substrate 8 . The vacuum chamber 4 has Be windows 3 and 11 on opposing surfaces,
The X-ray generator 1 is facing one Be window 3, and the other B
e Install the scintillation counter 13 facing the window 11.

[0008] Output 60KW, 300 using copper as a rotating anode
Incident X-rays 2 emitted from the mA X-ray generator 1 are introduced into the vacuum chamber 4 through the Be window 3 . When the atoms of the vapor deposition material 9 flying in the chamber 4 are irradiated with X-rays, most of the incident X-rays become transmitted X-rays 14 and pass through the flying vapor deposition material 9, but some of the incident X-rays become atoms and The interaction produces scattered X-rays 10. The scattered X-rays 10 are emitted through the Be window 11, and the emitted scattered X-rays 10 are passed through the slit 12.
The amount of vapor deposited substance 9 is determined from the amount of scattered X-rays 10 through the scintillation counter 13, thereby monitoring the film thickness of the vapor deposition region.

According to experiments, the deposition rate is 0.1 nm/s.
For ec deposition, the intensity of scattered X-rays is 1000cou
nts/sec (background 2 counts/s
ec), and exhibited sufficient performance for practical use as a film thickness monitor.

0010

As described above, according to the present invention, since the film thickness of the evaporation region itself is monitored, the film thickness due to the evaporation material can be accurately determined, and X-rays do not interact with the evaporation material. Because of their small size, vapor deposition can be performed without adverse effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. X-ray generator 2 Incident X-rays 3 Be window 4 Vacuum chamber 5 Electron gun 6 Vapor deposition substance 7 Mask 8 Board 9. Deposited substances during flight 10 Scattered X-rays 11 Be window 12 Slit 13. Scintillation counter 14 Transmission X-ray

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A film thickness monitoring method for monitoring the thickness of a vapor-deposited film by irradiating a vapor-deposited material flying in a vacuum with X-rays, the method comprising: monitoring the thickness of a vapor-deposited film formed by the vapor-depositing material by irradiating the vapor-depositing material flying in a vacuum; A film thickness monitoring method characterized in that the amount of a deposited substance in flight corresponding to the thickness of a deposited film is determined by measuring the scattered X-rays generated.