High precision micro-ellipsometry based on a pixelated polarizing camera

Micro-ellipsometry, an on-axis optical configuration, offers submicron spatial resolution compared to conventional ellipsometry. However, its lower precision, inaccurate system calibration, and alignment requirements have prevented its widespread use for semiconductor inspection. To address these limitations, we propose an enhanced micro-ellipsometry equipped with a pixelated polarizing camera. This approach enables real-time and high-precision characterization of the optical properties of thin films and semiconductor devices. Additionally, we propose a simple and fast alignment method for polarizing optical elements, utilizing the symmetric property of micro-ellipsometry along the azimuth angle. Experimental results were in good agreement with commercial ellipsometry, validating our proposed technique as a powerful tool for real-time semiconductor inspection.