Method and apparatus for characterizing objects and monitoring manufacturing processes

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a measurement site within an object, a composition of the object as a function of depth within the object; and

based on the determining, quantitatively estimating at least one property of the object within a region of the object adjacent to the measurement site.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the composition of the object as a function of depth within the object at a plurality of discrete measurement sites within the object.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, based on the determining, determining quantitatively estimating at least one property of the object within a region of the object adjacent to the plurality of measurement sites.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object includes a substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the object includes at least one layer disposed on the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one layer is an epitaxial layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, at the measurement site, determining the composition of the object as a function of depth within the object comprises:

obtaining a sample of the object; and

analyzing the composition of the sample.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein, at the measurement site, determining the composition of the object as a function of depth within the object further comprises:

obtaining a plurality of discrete samples from different depths within the object; and

analyzing the composition of at least two of the plurality of discrete samples.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein obtaining the sample of the object comprises directing a pulse of laser energy onto the object.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein obtaining a sample of the object includes removing the portion of the object while exposing a pressure in a range from 0.1 atm to 5 atm.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein analyzing the composition of the sample of the object includes analyzing the composition by mass spectroscopy (MS).

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining a depth within the object from which at least a portion of the sample was obtained.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein quantitatively estimating the at least one property includes quantitatively estimating at least one property selected from a group consisting of a composition of the object, an electrical property of the object, an optical property of the object, a thermal property of the object, a mechanical property of the object and a magnetic property of the object.

14. A method of monitoring a manufacturing process implementable by manufacturing system including at least one process apparatus, the method comprising:

determining, at a measurement site within an object, a composition of the object as a function of depth within the object;

based on the determining, quantitatively estimating at least one property of the object within a region of the object adjacent to the measurement site;

generating regional property data based on the quantitative estimating; and

providing the estimated property data to a controller coupled to a process apparatus of the manufacturing system configured to manufacture the object or modify the object.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the object has a maximum dimension of at least 50 mm.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the object has a maximum dimension of at least 150 mm.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the determining is performed outside a process apparatus of the manufacturing system.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising, before determining the composition of the object, receiving the object from a first process apparatus of the manufacturing system, wherein the first process apparatus is configured to manufacture the object.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, after determining the composition of the object, transferring the object to a second process apparatus of the manufacturing system, wherein the second process apparatus is configured to modify the object.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the estimated property data comprises providing the estimated property data to a controller coupled to a process apparatus of the manufacturing system configured to manufacture the object, wherein the process apparatus is a metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus.

21. A method comprising:

providing a metrology tool including:

a measurement region within which an object is at least partially disposable;

a controller configured to designate a zone within the measurement region as a measurement site; and

a measurement system coupled to the controller, wherein the measurement system is configured to perform a compositional analysis of material occupying the measurement site;

disposing at least a portion of an object within the measurement region, wherein the object includes a feature;

aligning the feature and a location of the measurement site within the measurement region relative to each other; and

performing a compositional analysis of the portion of the disposed object occupying the measurement site, including determining a composition of the portion of the disposed object at the occupied measurement site as a function of depth within the object.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to designate a plurality of discrete measurement sites within measurement region, wherein the method further comprises:

aligning the feature with respect to the measurement system such that a portion of the disposed object occupies a measurement site; and

performing a compositional analysis of a portion of the disposed object at the occupied measurement site.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising quantitatively estimating at least one property of a portion of the object based on the determining.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein aligning the feature and a location of the measurement site relative to each other includes at least one selected from the group consisting of: adjusting a position of the object, adjusting a position of the measurement system, and adjusting a spatial position of the measurement site within the measurement region.