Semiconductor wafer having measurement area feature for determining dielectric layer thickness

1 . A semiconductor wafer comprising:

a first dielectric layer;

a second dielectric layer contacting the first dielectric layer; and

a measurement area feature laterally enclosed by the second dielectric layer, the measurement area feature adapted to be used for determining a thickness of the first dielectric layer, the measurement area feature comprising a mixture of at least two materials.

2 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises a metal and a dielectric material.

3 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises tungsten and boro-phosphorous silicate glass.

4 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric layer comprises an oxide layer and the second dielectric layer comprises a boro-phosphorous silicate glass layer.

5 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises portions of the second dielectric layer and at least one other material.

6 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 1 , wherein an effective refractive index of the mixture is different from a refractive index of the first dielectric layer such that the thickness of the first dielectric layer can be determined based on optical spectra.

7 . A semiconductor wafer comprising:

a first device feature;

a second device feature contacting the first device feature;

a measurement area feature comprising a mixture of a metal and a dielectric material;

a first dielectric material layer laterally enclosing the first device feature; and

a second dielectric material layer laterally enclosing the second device feature and the measurement area feature,

wherein the measurement area feature is adapted to be used for determining a thickness of the first dielectric material layer.

8 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 7 , wherein the measurement area feature comprises a mixture of tungsten and boro-phosphorous silicate glass.

9 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 7 , wherein the first dielectric material layer comprises an oxide and the second dielectric material layer comprises boro-phosphorous silicate glass.

10 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 7 , wherein the mixture comprises portions of the second dielectric material layer and at least one other material.

11 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 7 , wherein an effective refractive index of the mixture is different from a refractive index of the first dielectric material layer such that the thickness of the first dielectric material layer can be determined based on optical spectra.

12 . A semiconductor wafer comprising:

a first dielectric material layer;

a second dielectric material layer contacting the first dielectric material layer; and

means for optically determining a thickness of the first dielectric material layer.

13 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 12 , wherein the first dielectric material layer comprises an oxide.

14 . The semiconductor wafer of claim 12 , wherein the second dielectric material layer comprises boro-phosphorous silicate glass.

15 . A method for determining the thickness of a dielectric layer, the method comprising:

providing a preprocessed wafer including a first dielectric layer;

etching the first dielectric layer to provide an opening;

filling the opening with a mixture of at least two materials to provide a measurement area feature;

depositing a second dielectric layer over the preprocessed wafer and measurement area feature; and

measuring a thickness of the second dielectric layer at the measurement area feature.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein filling the opening with the mixture comprises filling the opening with a mixture having an effective refractive index different than a refractive index of the second dielectric layer such that the thickness of the second dielectric layer can be determined based on optical spectra.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining an effective refractive index of the mixture,

wherein measuring the thickness of the second dielectric layer comprises measuring the thickness of the second dielectric layer based on the effective refractive index.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein filling the opening with the mixture comprises filling the opening with a mixture of tungsten and boro-phosphorous silicate glass.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein depositing the second dielectric layer comprises depositing an oxide layer.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein providing the preprocessed wafer comprises providing the preprocessed wafer including a boro-phosphorous silicate glass layer.

21 . A method for determining the thickness of a dielectric material layer, the method comprising:

providing a preprocessed wafer including a first dielectric material layer;

etching the first dielectric material layer to provide device feature openings and measurement area feature openings;

filling the device feature openings and measurement area feature openings with a material to provide device features and measurement area features such that an effective refractive index of the measurement area features is different than a refractive index of the first dielectric material;

fabricating second device features contacting the first device features;

depositing a second dielectric material layer over exposed portions of the preprocessed wafer and the second device features; and

measuring a thickness of the second dielectric material layer at a measurement area feature.

22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

planarizing the second dielectric material layer to provide a third dielectric material layer; and

measuring a thickness of the third dielectric material layer at the measurement area feature.

23 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

determining an effective refractive index of the measurement area features,

wherein measuring the thickness of the second dielectric material layer comprises measuring the thickness of the second dielectric material based on the effective refractive index.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein filling the device feature openings and the measure area feature openings comprises filling the device feature openings and the measurement area feature openings with tungsten.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein depositing the second dielectric material layer comprises depositing an oxide layer.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein providing the preprocessed wafer comprises providing a boro-phosphorous silicate glass layer.