公开(公告)号：US20190079023A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-14

申请号：US16125107

申请日：2018-09-07

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Sandip Halder ,  Philippe Leray

IPC: G01N21/88 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to methods for detecting defects of a lithographic pattern. One example embodiment includes a method for detecting defects of a lithographic pattern on a semiconductor wafer that includes a plurality of die areas. Each of the die areas has a region of interest (ROI) that includes a plurality of features forming the lithographic pattern. The method includes acquiring an image of at least one of the ROIs. The method also includes removing features touching an edge of the image. Further, the method includes counting a number of remaining features in the image.

公开(公告)号：US09874821B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-23

申请号：US15134616

申请日：2016-04-21

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Sandip Halder ,  Dieter Van Den Heuvel ,  Vincent Truffert ,  Philippe Leray

IPC: G01N21/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G01N21/88 ,  G01N21/956

CPC classification number: G03F7/7065 ,  G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/95607 ,  G01N2021/8854 ,  G01N2021/95676 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/70441 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70641

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a method for detecting and ranking hotspots in a lithographic mask used for printing a pattern on a substrate. According to example embodiments, the ranking is based on defect detection on a modulated focus wafer or a modulated dose wafer, where the actual de-focus or dose value at defect locations is taken into account, in addition to a de-focus or dose setting applied to a lithographic tool when a mask pattern is printed on the wafer. Additionally or alternatively, lithographic parameters other than the de-focus or dose can be used as a basis for the ranking method.

公开(公告)号：US20190189458A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-20

申请号：US16218749

申请日：2018-12-13

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Waikin Li ,  Danilo De Simone ,  Sandip Halder ,  Frederic Lazzarino

IPC: H01L21/308 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: A method for producing a pattern of features on a substrate may involve performing two exposure steps on a resist layer applied to the substrate, followed by a single etching step. In the two exposures, the same pattern of mask features is used, but with possibly differing dimensions and with the pattern applied in the second exposure being shifted in position relative to the pattern in the first exposure. The shift, lithographic parameters, and/or possibly differing dimensions are configured such that a number of resist areas exposed in the second exposure overlap one or more resist areas exposed in the first exposure. When the pattern of mask features is a regular 2-dimensional array, the method produces of an array of holes or pillars that is denser than the original array. Varying the mask patterns can produce different etched structure shapes, such as a zig-zag pattern.

公开(公告)号：US09983154B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-29

申请号：US15349363

申请日：2016-11-11

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Sandip Halder ,  Philippe Leray

IPC: G01B15/04 ,  G01N23/22 ,  G01N23/225

CPC classification number: G01N23/2251 ,  G01B15/04 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  G01N2223/646 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/7065

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a method for detection of defects in a printed pattern of geometrical features on a semiconductor die, the pattern comprising an array of features having a nominal pitch, the method comprising determining deviations from the nominal pitch in the printed pattern, and comparing the printed pattern with another version of the pattern, the other version having the same or similar pitch deviations as the printed pattern. According to various embodiments, the other version of the pattern may a printed pattern on a second die, or it may be a reference pattern, obtained by shifting features of the array in a version having no or minimal pitch deviations, so that the pitch deviations in the reference pattern are the same or similar to the pitch deviations in the printed pattern under inspection.

公开(公告)号：US20170052452A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-23

申请号：US15149905

申请日：2016-05-09

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU LEUVEN R&D

Inventor： Julien Mailfert ,  Philippe Leray ,  Sandip Halder

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/50 ,  G03F1/36

CPC classification number: G03F7/705 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/70 ,  G06F17/5081 ,  G06F2217/12 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for verifying a printed pattern. In an example embodiment, the method includes defining sectors of at least a portion of the features in the reference pattern, determining a contour of the printed pattern, and superimposing the contour of the printed pattern on the reference pattern. The method also includes determining surface areas of sectors of the printed pattern that correspond to the sectors of the reference pattern and calculating one or more parameters as a function of at least one of the surface areas, the parameters being related to a single sector or to multiple sectors. The method additionally includes evaluating the parameters with respect to a reference value.

Abstract translation: 本公开涉及一种用于验证印刷图案的方法。 在示例实施例中，该方法包括定义参考图案中的特征的至少一部分的扇区，确定打印图案的轮廓，以及将印​​刷图案的轮廓叠加在参考图案上。 所述方法还包括确定与所述参考图案的扇区相对应的所述打印图案的扇区的表面积，以及计算作为至少一个所述表面区域的函数的一个或多个参数，所述参数与单个扇区相关，或者与 多个部门。 该方法另外包括相对于参考值评估参数。