A system and method are disclosed for providing in-situ monitoring of an
oxidized ARC layer disposed over an ARC layer. By monitoring the thickness
of the oxidized portion of the ARC layer during semiconductor processing,
one or more process control parameters may be adjusted to help achieve a
desired oxidized portion thickness. As a result, the number of process
steps required to achieve the desired oxidized portion thickness may be
reduced, providing a more efficient and economical process