Sources of error in electrical measurements of dimensional offset and sheet resistance in the near- and sub-micron region

Abstract

The accuracy of the measurements of the sheet resistance and dimensional offsets for several conducting layers is investigated using various test structures with design widths ranging from 0.6 mu m to 32 mu m. Width-independence as well as electric field-dependence of the sheet resistance is found to be a main source of error. Different topography beneath resistor stripes and nonisotropic processing in the submicron region further affect the measurement results.<>