公开(公告)号：US10677586B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-09

申请号：US16047818

申请日：2018-07-27

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： John Hench ,  Andrei Veldman

IPC: G01N21/94 ,  G01B11/06 ,  G01N23/083 ,  G06T9/20 ,  G01N21/95

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed herein can enable a target on a semiconductor wafer to be reconstructed and/or imaged. A surface of a target on a semiconductor wafer is measured using a wafer metrology tool. A voxel map of the surface is fixed to match geometry measurements and using scattering density of expected materials. Uniform scaling of the scattering density of all fixed surface voxels can occur.

公开(公告)号：US20200080836A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-12

申请号：US16047818

申请日：2018-07-27

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： John Hench ,  Andrei Veldman

IPC: G01B11/06 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G06T9/20 ,  G01N23/083

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed herein can enable a target on a semiconductor wafer to be reconstructed and/or imaged. A surface of a target on a semiconductor wafer is measured using a wafer metrology tool. A voxel map of the surface is fixed to match geometry measurements and using scattering density of expected materials. Uniform scaling of the scattering density of all fixed surface voxels can occur.

公开(公告)号：US20190195782A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-27

申请号：US16284950

申请日：2019-02-25

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Lawrence D. Rotter ,  David Y. Wang ,  Andrei Veldman ,  Kevin Peterlinz ,  Gregory Brady ,  Derrick A. Shaughnessy

IPC: G01N21/21 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01B11/06 ,  G01N21/55

CPC classification number: G01N21/211 ,  G01B11/0616 ,  G01N21/4738 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G01N2021/213 ,  G03F7/70608 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633

Abstract: The system includes a modulatable illumination source configured to illuminate a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage, a detector configured to detect illumination emanating from a surface of the sample, illumination optics configured to direct illumination from the modulatable illumination source to the surface of the sample, collection optics configured to direct illumination from the surface of the sample to the detector, and a modulation control system communicatively coupled to the modulatable illumination source, wherein the modulation control system is configured to modulate a drive current of the modulatable illumination source at a selected modulation frequency suitable for generating illumination having a selected coherence feature length. In addition, the present invention includes the time-sequential interleaving of outputs of multiple light sources to generate periodic pulse trains for use in multi-wavelength time-sequential optical metrology.

公开(公告)号：US10185303B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-22

申请号：US15048981

申请日：2016-02-19

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrei Veldman

IPC: G01N21/25 ,  G05B19/406 ,  G01N21/21 ,  G01B11/06 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Methods and systems for solving measurement models of complex device structures with reduced computational effort and memory requirements are presented. The computational efficiency of electromagnetic simulation algorithms based on truncated spatial harmonic series is improved for periodic targets that exhibit a fundamental spatial period and one or more approximate periods that are integer fractions of the fundamental spatial period. Spatial harmonics are classified according to each distinct period of the target exhibiting multiple periodicity. A distinct truncation order is selected for each group of spatial harmonics. This approach produces optimal, sparse truncation order sampling patterns, and ensures that only harmonics with significant contributions to the approximation of the target are selected for computation. Metrology systems employing these techniques are configured to measure process parameters and structural and material characteristics associated with different semiconductor fabrication processes.

公开(公告)号：US20180106735A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-19

申请号：US15419130

申请日：2017-01-30

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Antonio Arion Gellineau ,  Thaddeus Gerard Dziura ,  John J. Hench ,  Andrei Veldman ,  Sergey Zalubovsky

IPC: G01N23/205 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G01N23/203

Abstract: Methods and systems for characterizing dimensions and material properties of semiconductor devices by full beam x-ray scatterometry are described herein. A full beam x-ray scatterometry measurement involves illuminating a sample with an X-ray beam and detecting the intensities of the resulting zero diffraction order and higher diffraction orders simultaneously for one or more angles of incidence relative to the sample. The simultaneous measurement of the direct beam and the scattered orders enables high throughput measurements with improved accuracy. The full beam x-ray scatterometry system includes one or more photon counting detectors with high dynamic range and thick, highly absorptive crystal substrates that absorb the direct beam with minimal parasitic backscattering. In other aspects, model based measurements are performed based on the zero diffraction order beam, and measurement performance of the full beam x-ray scatterometry system is estimated and controlled based on properties of the measured zero order beam.

公开(公告)号：US20140347666A1

公开(公告)日：2014-11-27

申请号：US14278224

申请日：2014-05-15

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrei Veldman ,  Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Gregory Brady ,  Thaddeus Gerard Dziura ,  Stilian Ivanov Pandev ,  Alexander Kuznetsov

IPC: G01N21/21 ,  G01N21/95

CPC classification number: G01N21/211 ,  G01B11/0625 ,  G01B11/0641 ,  G01B2210/56 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2021/213

Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating the capability of a measurement system to track measurement parameters through a given process window are presented herein. Performance evaluations include random perturbations, systematic perturbations, or both to effectively characterize the impact of model errors, metrology system imperfections, and calibration errors, among others. In some examples, metrology target parameters are predetermined as part of a Design of Experiments (DOE). Estimated values of the metrology target parameters are compared to the known DOE parameter values to determine the tracking capability of the particular measurement. In some examples, the measurement model is parameterized by principal components to reduce the number of degrees of freedom of the measurement model. In addition, exemplary methods and systems for optimizing the measurement capability of semiconductor metrology systems for metrology applications subject to process variations are presented.

Abstract translation: 本文介绍了用于评估测量系统通过给定过程窗口跟踪测量参数的能力的方法和系统。 性能评估包括随机扰动，系统扰动或两者，以有效表征模型误差，计量系统缺陷和校准误差等的影响。 在一些示例中，度量目标参数被预先确定为实验设计（DOE）的一部分。 将度量目标参数的估计值与已知的DOE参数值进行比较，以确定特定测量的跟踪能力。 在一些示例中，测量模型由主要组件参数化，以减少测量模型的自由度数。 此外，提出了用于优化用于受过程变化的度量应用的半导体测量系统的测量能力的示例性方法和系统。

公开(公告)号：US10775323B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-15

申请号：US15419130

申请日：2017-01-30

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Antonio Arion Gellineau ,  Thaddeus Gerard Dziura ,  John J. Hench ,  Andrei Veldman ,  Sergey Zalubovsky

IPC: G01N23/2055 ,  G01N23/20066 ,  G06T7/60 ,  G01N23/205

Abstract: Methods and systems for characterizing dimensions and material properties of semiconductor devices by full beam x-ray scatterometry are described herein. A full beam x-ray scatterometry measurement involves illuminating a sample with an X-ray beam and detecting the intensities of the resulting zero diffraction order and higher diffraction orders simultaneously for one or more angles of incidence relative to the sample. The simultaneous measurement of the direct beam and the scattered orders enables high throughput measurements with improved accuracy. The full beam x-ray scatterometry system includes one or more photon counting detectors with high dynamic range and thick, highly absorptive crystal substrates that absorb the direct beam with minimal parasitic backscattering. In other aspects, model based measurements are performed based on the zero diffraction order beam, and measurement performance of the full beam x-ray scatterometry system is estimated and controlled based on properties of the measured zero order beam.

公开(公告)号：US20200271595A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-27

申请号：US16283690

申请日：2019-02-22

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Aaron J. Rosenberg ,  Jonathan Iloreta ,  Thaddeus G. Dziura ,  Antonio Gellineau ,  Yin Xu ,  Kaiwen Xu ,  John Hench ,  Abhi Gunde ,  Andrei Veldman ,  Liequan Lee ,  Houssam Chouaib

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  G06F17/50 ,  H01L27/02 ,  H01L27/088 ,  H01L27/108 ,  H01L27/115 ,  G06T17/10 ,  G06T15/20 ,  G01N21/956

Abstract: A semiconductor metrology tool inspects an area of a semiconductor wafer. The inspected area includes a plurality of instances of a 3D semiconductor structure arranged periodically in at least one dimension. A computer system generates a model of a respective instance of the 3D semiconductor structure based on measurements collected during the inspection. The computer system renders an image of the model that shows a 3D shape of the model and provides the image to a device for display.

公开(公告)号：US10215688B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-26

申请号：US15217549

申请日：2016-07-22

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Lawrence D. Rotter ,  David Y. Wang ,  Andrei Veldman ,  Kevin Peterlinz ,  Gregory Brady ,  Derrick A. Shaughnessy

IPC: G01J4/00 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G01N21/21 ,  G01B11/06 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: The system includes a modulatable illumination source configured to illuminate a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage, a detector configured to detect illumination emanating from a surface of the sample, illumination optics configured to direct illumination from the modulatable illumination source to the surface of the sample, collection optics configured to direct illumination from the surface of the sample to the detector, and a modulation control system communicatively coupled to the modulatable illumination source, wherein the modulation control system is configured to modulate a drive current of the modulatable illumination source at a selected modulation frequency suitable for generating illumination having a selected coherence feature length. In addition, the present invention includes the time-sequential interleaving of outputs of multiple light sources to generate periodic pulse trains for use in multi-wavelength time-sequential optical metrology.

公开(公告)号：US20160246285A1

公开(公告)日：2016-08-25

申请号：US15048981

申请日：2016-02-19

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrei Veldman

IPC: G05B19/406 ,  G01N21/21 ,  G01N21/25

CPC classification number: G05B19/406 ,  G01B11/0641 ,  G01B2210/56 ,  G01N21/211 ,  G01N21/255 ,  G01N2021/213 ,  G01N2201/061 ,  G01N2201/0683 ,  G01N2201/12 ,  G03F7/705 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G05B2219/45031

Abstract: Methods and systems for solving measurement models of complex device structures with reduced computational effort and memory requirements are presented. The computational efficiency of electromagnetic simulation algorithms based on truncated spatial harmonic series is improved for periodic targets that exhibit a fundamental spatial period and one or more approximate periods that are integer fractions of the fundamental spatial period. Spatial harmonics are classified according to each distinct period of the target exhibiting multiple periodicity. A distinct truncation order is selected for each group of spatial harmonics. This approach produces optimal, sparse truncation order sampling patterns, and ensures that only harmonics with significant contributions to the approximation of the target are selected for computation. Metrology systems employing these techniques are configured to measure process parameters and structural and material characteristics associated with different semiconductor fabrication processes.

Abstract translation: 提出了减少计算量和存储要求的复杂器件结构测量模型的方法和系统。 基于截断空间谐波序列的电磁仿真算法的计算效率对于表现出基本空间周期和基本空间周期的整数分数的一个或多个近似周期的周期性目标进行了改进。 空间谐波根据显示多个周期的目标的每个不同周期进行分类。 为每组空间谐波选择明显的截断顺序。 这种方法产生最优的稀疏截断序列采样模式，并确保仅选择具有对目标近似值的重要贡献的谐波进行计算。 采用这些技术的计量系统被配置为测量与不同半导体制造工艺相关联的工艺参数和结构和材料特性。