Bathless wafer measurement apparatus and method

摘要

A wafer measurement apparatus (10, 110) and method for measuring a film thickness property of a wafer (30) that does not require a water bath or complicated wafer handling apparatus. The apparatus includes a chuck (16) having an upper surface (20) for supporting the wafer, and a perimeter (18). Also included is a metrology module (50) for measuring one or more film thickness properties. The metrology module is arranged adjacent the chuck upper surface and has a measurement window (60) with a lower surface (64) arranged substantially parallel to the chuck upper surface, thereby defining an open volume (68). The apparatus includes a water supply system in fluid communication with the open volume via nozzles (70) for flowing water through and back-filling the volume in a manner that does not produce bubbles within the volume. A catchment (40) surrounding the chuck may be used to catch water flowing out of the volume. Methods of performing measurements of one or more wafer film properties are also described.