Method and apparatus for observing porous amorphous film, and method and apparatus for forming the same

Abstract

A reactant gas is introduced into a process chamber under a temperature which is lower than reactive temperature of the reactant gas so that voids in a porous amorphous insulation film on a sample is filled with the introduced reactant gas. And chemical vapor deposition is carried out with heating the porous amorphous insulation film up to a temperature which is higher than the reactive temperature of the reactant gas to form a crystalline thin film on inner surfaces of the voids. Image data representing the porous amorphous insulation film in which the crystalline thin film is formed are generated with using a transmission electron microscope, and the porous amorphous insulation film is observed based on the image data to measure topographical characteristics of the porous amorphous insulation film such as void's size, porosity, etc.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for observing a porous amorphous film comprising: 
 forming a crystalline thin film on inner surfaces of voids in a porous amorphous film; and    generating image data representing said porous amorphous film having said crystalline thin film with using a transmission electron microscope.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising calculating topographical characteristics of said porous amorphous film by processing the generated image data.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said crystalline thin film is formed by chemical vapor deposition.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said forming said crystalline film comprises: 
 filling the voids in said porous amorphous film with a reactant gas for forming said crystalline thin film under a temperature which is lower than reactive temperature of the reactant gas; and    carrying out chemical vapor deposition with heating the said porous amorphous film up to temperature which is higher than the reactive temperature of the reactant gas to form said crystalline thin film on the inner surfaces of the void.    
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said porous amorphous film is an insulation film, and 
 said processing the image data measures at least any one of sizes of the voids in said porous amorphous film and porosity of said porous amorphous film.    
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said filling the voids in said porous amorphous film with a reactant gas for forming said crystalline thin film under a temperature which is lower than reactive temperature of the reactant gas, and said chemical vapor deposition with heating the said porous amorphous film up to temperature which is higher than the reactive temperature of the reactant gas are successively carried out under vacuumed pressure, to form said crystalline thin film on the inner surfaces of the voids.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said porous amorphous film is an opened pore type porous amorphous film.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for observing a porous amorphous film comprising: 
 a process chamber in which deposition of a crystalline thin film onto inner surfaces of voids in a porous amorphous film on a sample is carried out;    an observation chamber being communicated with said process chamber, in which a transmission electron microscope for generating image data of said porous amorphous film having said crystalline thin film, is disposed; and    a sample transportation which transfers said sample on which said porous amorphous film is formed, to said observation chamber from said process chamber, and sets said sample to said transmission electron microscope.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  further comprising image data processor which processes the image data to calculate topographical characteristics of said porous amorphous film.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  further comprising a pressure controller which controls pressure in said process chamber and said observation chamber so that said process chamber and said observation chamber are substantially vacuumed, 
 wherein said sample transportation transfers said sample to said observation chamber from said process chamber under substantially vacuumed atmosphere.  
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  further comprising: 
 a gas introduction unit which introduces reactant gas for forming said crystalline thin film into said process chamber; and  
 a temperature controller which controls temperature of said sample being installed in said process chamber.  
 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a porous amorphous film comprising: 
 forming a porous amorphous film on a substrate;    dicing a measurement sample having predetermined shape from said substrate;    forming a crystalline thin film on inner surfaces of voids in said porous amorphous film on said sample;    generating image data representing said porous amorphous film, in which said crystalline thin film is formed, with using a transmission electron microscope;    calculating topographical characteristics of said porous amorphous film by processing said image data; and    forming said porous amorphous film based on said topographical characteristics.    
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said crystalline thin film is formed by chemical vapor deposition.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said forming said crystalline thin film comprises: 
 filling the voids in said porous amorphous film with a reactant gas for forming said crystalline thin film under a temperature which is lower than reactive temperature of the reactant gas; and    carrying out chemical vapor deposition with heating the said porous amorphous film up to temperature which is higher than the reactive temperature of the reactant gas to form said crystalline thin film on the inner surfaces of the void.    
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said porous amorphous film is an insulation film, and 
 said processing the image data measures at least any one of sizes of the voids in said porous amorphous film and porosity of said porous amorphous film.    
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said filling the voids in said porous amorphous film with a reactant gas for forming said crystalline thin film under a temperature which is lower than reactive temperature of the reactant gas, and said chemical vapor deposition with heating the said porous amorphous film up to temperature which is higher than the reactive temperature of the reactant gas are successively carried out under vacuumed pressure, to form said crystalline thin film on the inner surfaces of the voids.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said porous amorphous film is an opened pore type porous amorphous film.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for forming a porous amorphous film comprising: 
 a deposition chamber in which deposition of a porous amorphous film onto a substrate is carried out;    a sample preparation chamber in which dicing a measurement sample having predetermined shape from said substrate is carried out;    a process chamber in which deposition of a crystalline thin film onto inner surfaces of voids in said porous amorphous film on said sample is carried out;    an observation chamber being communicated with said process chamber, in which a transmission electron microscope for generating image data representing said porous amorphous film having said crystalline thin film, is disposed; and    a sample transportation which transfers said sample among said deposition chamber, said sample preparation chamber, said process chamber, and said observation chamber.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising an image data processor which processes the image data to calculate topographical characteristics of said porous amorphous film.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising a pressure controller which controls pressure in said deposition chamber, said sample preparation chamber, said process chamber, and said observation chamber so that said deposition chamber, said sample preparation chamber, said process chamber, and said observation chamber are substantially vacuumed, 
 wherein said sample transportation transfers said sample under substantially vacuumed atmosphere.  
 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising: 
 a gas introduction unit which introduces reactant gas for forming said crystalline thin film into said process chamber; and  
 a temperature controller which controls temperature of said sample being installed in said process chamber.