公开(公告)号：US11709433B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-25

申请号：US17689934

申请日：2022-03-08

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Vladimir Levinski ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Eran Amit ,  Nuriel Amir ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  Amit Shaked

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70683

Abstract: Metrology targets, production processes and optical systems are provided, which enable metrology of device-like targets. Supplementary structure(s) may be introduced in the target to interact optically with the bottom layer and/or with the top layer of the target and target cells configurations enable deriving measurements of device-characteristic features. For example, supplementary structure(s) may be designed to yield Moiré patterns with one or both layers, and metrology parameters may be derived from these patterns. Device production processes were adapted to enable production of corresponding targets, which may be measured by standard or by provided modified optical systems, configured to enable phase measurements of the Moiré patterns.

公开(公告)号：US11075126B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-27

申请号：US16477552

申请日：2019-06-04

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Roie Volkovich ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  Nadav Gutman

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A misregistration metrology system useful in manufacturing semiconductor device wafers including an optical misregistration metrology tool configured to measure misregistration at at least one target between two layers of a semiconductor device which is selected from a batch of semiconductor device wafers which are intended to be identical, an electron beam misregistration metrology tool configured to measure misregistration at the at least one target between two layers of a semiconductor device which is selected from the batch and a combiner operative to combine outputs of the optical misregistration metrology tool and the electron beam misregistration metrology tool to provide a combined misregistration metric.

公开(公告)号：US20200266112A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-20

申请号：US16477552

申请日：2019-06-04

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Roie Volkovich ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  Nadav Gutman

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A misregistration metrology system useful in manufacturing semiconductor device wafers including an optical misregistration metrology tool configured to measure misregistration at at least one target between two layers of a semiconductor device which is selected from a batch of semiconductor device wafers which are intended to be identical, an electron beam misregistration metrology tool configured to measure misregistration at the at least one target between two layers of a semiconductor device which is selected from the batch and a combiner operative to combine outputs of the optical misregistration metrology tool and the electron beam misregistration metrology tool to provide a combined misregistration metric.

公开(公告)号：US20200033737A1

公开(公告)日：2020-01-30

申请号：US16077214

申请日：2018-07-30

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Liran Yerushalmi ,  Roie Volkovich

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  H01L23/544 ,  H01L21/68 ,  G01B11/27

Abstract: Process control methods, metrology targets and production systems are provided for reducing or eliminating process overlay errors. Metrology targets have pair(s) of periodic structures with different segmentations, e.g., no segmentation in one periodic structure and device-like segmentation in the other periodic structure of the pair. Process control methods derive metrology measurements from the periodic structures at the previous layer directly following the production thereof, and prior to production of the periodic structures at the current layer, and use the derived measurements to adjust lithography stage(s) that is part of production of the current layer. Production system integrate lithography tool(s) and metrology tool(s) into a production feedback loop that enables layer-by-layer process adjustments.

公开(公告)号：US20190252270A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-15

申请号：US16072657

申请日：2018-06-24

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Choon Hoong Hoo ,  Fangren Ji ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  Antonio Mani ,  Allen Park ,  Stilian Pandev ,  Andrei Shchegrov ,  Jon Madsen

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L23/544 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G06F17/50 ,  G06T7/00

CPC classification number: H01L22/12 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/5068 ,  G06F2217/12 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/20216 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L23/544 ,  H01L2223/54426

Abstract: A method and system for measuring overlay in a semiconductor manufacturing process comprise capturing an image of a feature in an article at a predetermined manufacturing stage, deriving a quantity of an image parameter from the image and converting the quantity into an overlay measurement. The conversion is by reference to an image parameter quantity derived from a reference image of a feature at the same predetermined manufacturing stage with known overlay (“OVL”). There is also disclosed a method of determining a device inspection recipe for use by an inspection tool comprising identifying device patterns as candidate device care areas that may be sensitive to OVL, deriving an OVL response for each identified pattern, correlating the OVL response with measured OVL, and selecting some or all of the device patterns as device care areas based on the correlation.

公开(公告)号：US20190004438A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-03

申请号：US16102424

申请日：2018-08-13

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Eran Amit ,  Daniel Kandel ,  Dror Alumot ,  Amit Shaked ,  Liran Yerushalmi

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: An overlay metrology system includes one or more processors coupled to an illumination source to direct illumination to a sample and a detector to capture diffracted orders of radiation from the sample. The system may generate overlay sensitivity calibration parameters based on differential measurements of a calibration target including two overlay target cells on the sample, where first-layer target elements and second-layer target elements of the overlay target cells are distributed with a common pitch along a measurement direction and are misregistered with a selected offset value in opposite directions. The system may further determine overlay measurements based on differential measurements of additional overlay target cells with two wavelengths, where first-layer target elements and second-layer target elements of the additional overlay target cells are distributed with the common pitch and are formed to overlap symmetrically. The system may further adjust the overlay measurements with the overlay sensitivity calibration parameters.

公开(公告)号：US20180188663A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-05

申请号：US15442111

申请日：2017-02-24

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Vladimir Levinski ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Eran Amit ,  Nuriel Amir ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  Amit Shaked

IPC: G03F9/00 ,  G01B11/27

CPC classification number: G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70683

Abstract: Metrology targets, production processes and optical systems are provided, which enable metrology of device-like targets. Supplementary structure(s) may be introduced in the target to interact optically with the bottom layer and/or with the top layer of the target and target cells configurations enable deriving measurements of device-characteristic features. For example, supplementary structure(s) may be designed to yield Moiré patterns with one or both layers, and metrology parameters may be derived from these patterns. Device production processes were adapted to enable production of corresponding targets, which may be measured by standard or by provided modified optical systems, configured to enable phase measurements of the Moiré patterns.

公开(公告)号：US20160266505A1

公开(公告)日：2016-09-15

申请号：US15159009

申请日：2016-05-19

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Eran Amit ,  Daniel Kandel ,  Dror Alumot ,  Amit Shaked ,  Liran Yerushalmi

IPC: G03F9/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70633 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L27/0207 ,  H01L27/092

Abstract: Metrology methods and targets are provided, that expand metrological procedures beyond current technologies into multi-layered targets, quasi-periodic targets and device-like targets, without having to introduce offsets along the critical direction of the device design. Several models are disclosed for deriving metrology data such as overlays from multi-layered target and corresponding configurations of targets are provided to enable such measurements. Quasi-periodic targets which are based on device patterns are shown to improve the similarity between target and device designs, and the filling of the surroundings of targets and target elements with patterns which are based on device patterns improve process compatibility. Offsets are introduced only in non-critical direction and/or sensitivity is calibrated to enable, together with the solutions for multi-layer measurements and quasi-periodic target measurements, direct device optical metrology measurements.

Abstract translation: 提供了计量方法和目标，将计量过程超越现有技术扩展到多层目标，准周期目标和设备样目标，而不必沿着设备设计的关键方向引入偏移量。 公开了用于导出诸如来自多层目标的覆盖层的度量数据的几个模型，并且提供了相应的目标配置以实现这种测量。 显示基于设备模式的准周期性目标，以改善目标和设备设计之间的相似性，并且使用基于设备模式的模式来填充目标和目标元素的环境，从而提高了流程兼容性。 偏移仅在非关键方向引入，和/或灵敏度被校准，以便与多层测量和准周期性目标测量的解决方案一起使用直接设备光学测量测量。