A semiconductor wafer having two regions of different dopant concentration
profiles is evaluated by performing two (or more) measurements in the two
regions, and comparing measurements from the two regions to obtain a
reflectivity change measure indicative of a difference in reflectivity
between the two regions. Analyzing the reflectivity change measure yields
one or more properties of one of the regions if corresponding properties
of the other region are known. For example, if one of the two regions is
doped and the other region is undoped (e.g. source/drain and channel
regions of a transistor), then a change in reflectivity between the two
regions can yield one or more of the following properties in the doped
region: (1) doping concentration, (2) junction or profile depth, and (3)
abruptness (i.e. slope) of a profile of dopant concentration at the
junction. In some embodiments, the just-described measurements in the two
regions are performed by use of only one beam of electromagnetic
radiation. In several such embodiments, as reflectivity is a function of
wavelength of an incident beam, three sets of measurements are made using
laser beams of three different wavelengths, to obtain three reflectivity
change measures (one at each wavelength). Next, the three reflectivity
change measures are used to solve for each of three properties of the
doped region, namely junction depth, doping concentration, and profile
abruptness.