System and method for performing photothermal measurements and relaxation compensation

1. A method for evaluating a semiconductor sample during fabrication, comprising:

adjusting an intensity modulated pump beam power;

adjusting a probe beam power to increase a response measurement location temperature and increase a modulated optical reflectance signal;

directing the intensity modulated pump beam and the probe beam along a measurement path to a response measurement location on a sample for periodically exciting a region on the sample;

detecting a reflected portion of the probe beam; and

calculating an implantation dose by using a detected reflected portion of the probe beam.

2. The method in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting an intensity modulated pump beam power comprises:

inducing an amorphous phase to crystalline phase change.

3. The method in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting an intensity modulated pump beam power comprises:

adjusting an intensity modulated pump beam power less than approximately 10 mW.

4. The method in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting a probe beam power to increase a response measurement location temperature and increase a modulated optical reflectance signal comprises:

adjusting the probe beam greater than approximately 15 mW.

5. The method in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting a probe beam power to increase a response measurement location temperature and increase a modulated optical reflectance signal comprises:

increasing modulated optical reflectance signal to maintain a signal to noise ratio to make a repeatable dose measurement.

6. The method in claim 1 , wherein the directing the intensity modulated pump beam and the probe beam along a measurement path to a response measurement location on a sample for periodically exciting a region on the sample comprises:

directing the intensity modulated pump beam where the pump beam wavelength is shorter than the probe beam wavelength.

7. The method in claim 1 , wherein the directing the intensity modulated pump beam and the probe beam along a measurement path to a response measurement location on a sample for periodically exciting a region on the sample comprises:

increasing temperature at the response measurement location for annealing a specimen.

8. The method in claim 1 , wherein the directing the intensity modulated pump beam and the probe beam along a measurement path to a response measurement location on a sample for periodically exciting a region on the sample comprises:

selecting at least one of a pump beam spot size or a probe beam spot size to be from about 0.5 μm to about 5 μm.

9. The method in claim 1 , wherein the directing the intensity modulated pump beam and the probe beam along a measurement path to a response measurement location on a sample for periodically exciting a region on the sample comprises:

directing the intensity modulated pump beam and the probe beam to a silicon wafer.

10. The method in claim 1 , wherein the calculating an implantation dose comprises:

calculating a decay factor.

11. The method in claim 1 , further comprising:

relaxing an entire semiconductor wafer prior to performing a measurement.

12. The method in claim 1 , further comprising:

utilizing a third light source to anneal the sample.

13. The method in claim 12 , wherein the utilizing a third light source to anneal the sample comprises:

limiting exposure of the sample to short wavelength radiation by reducing the intensity of a short wavelength beam and annealing with the third light source simultaneously with measuring a decay factor.

14. The method in claim 12 , wherein the utilizing a third light source to anneal the sample comprises:

limiting exposure of the sample to short wavelength radiation by reducing exposure time of the sample to a short wavelength beam and annealing with the third light source non-simultaneously with the measurement of the decay factor.

15. The method in claim 12 , wherein the utilizing a third light source to anneal the sample comprises:

utilizing a third laser at 780 nm that anneals the sample in a separate path from a pump beam path and a probe beam path.

16. The method in claim 12 , wherein the utilizing a third light source to anneal the sample comprises:

utilizing a third laser configured to be turned on to relax the sample before a MOR measurement.

17. A method for evaluating a semiconductor sample during fabrication, comprising:

performing a first modulated optical reflectance measurement;

blocking a short wavelength beam to avoid further modulated optical reflectance changes unrelated to relaxation;

annealing a specimen with at least one of a probe beam or a third light source;

performing a second modulated optical reflectance measurement; and

determining a decay factor from the first modulated optical reflectance measurement and the second modulated optical reflectance measurement.

18. The method in claim 17 , wherein the performing a first modulated optical reflectance measurement comprises:

exposing the sample for about one second.

19. The method in claim 17 , wherein the annealing a specimen with at least one of a probe beam or a third light source comprises:

annealing the sample for about ten seconds.

20. A device for evaluating a semiconductor sample, comprising:

means for adjusting an intensity modulated pump beam power;

means for adjusting a probe beam power to increase a response measurement location temperature and increase a modulated optical reflectance signal;

means for directing the intensity modulated pump beam and the probe beam along a measurement path to a response measurement location on a sample for periodically exciting a region on the sample;

means for detecting a reflected portion of the probe beam; and

means for calculating an implantation dose.