公开(公告)号：US20070261636A1

公开(公告)日：2007-11-15

申请号：US11615080

申请日：2006-12-22

申请人： Bharath Rangarajan ,  Ramkumar Subramanian ,  Khoi Phan ,  Ursula Quinto ,  Michael Templeton

发明人： Bharath Rangarajan ,  Ramkumar Subramanian ,  Khoi Phan ,  Ursula Quinto ,  Michael Templeton

IPC分类号： B05B1/28

CPC分类号： H01L21/6715 ,  B05B15/50 ,  B05C11/08

摘要： The present invention provides a system and methodology for dummy-dispensing resist though a dispense head while mitigating waste associated with the dummy-dispense process. The dummy dispensed resist is returned to a reservoir from which it was taken. Between substrate applications, the dispense head can be positioned to dispense resist into a return line. The flow of resist from the dispense head keeps resist from drying at the dispense head. By funneling the dummy-dispensed resist into a return line with low volume, for example, waste from the dummy-dispensing process can be mitigated.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种用于分配头的虚拟分配抗蚀剂的系统和方法，同时减轻与虚拟分配过程相关的废物。 虚拟分配的抗蚀剂返回到被采集的储存器。 在基板应用之间，分配头可以被定位成将抗蚀剂分配到返回线中。 来自分配头的抗蚀剂的流动在分配头保持抗干燥。 通过将虚拟分配的抗蚀剂漏出到具有低体积的返回管线中，例如，可以减轻来自虚拟分配过程的废物。

公开(公告)号：US07224456B1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-29

申请号：US10858759

申请日：2004-06-02

申请人： Khoi Phan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Ramkumar Subramanian

发明人： Khoi Phan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Ramkumar Subramanian

IPC分类号： G01N15/02

CPC分类号： G01N21/47 ,  G01N2015/0011 ,  G03F7/70341

摘要： A system and method for detecting bubbles in a lithographic immersion medium and for controlling a lithographic process based at least in part on the detection of bubbles is provided. A bubble monitoring component emits an incident beam that passes through the immersion medium and is incident upon a substrate to produce a reflected and/or diffracted beam(s). The reflected and/or diffracted beam(s) is received by one or more optical detectors. The presence or absence of bubbles can be derived from information extracted by scatterometry from the reflected and/or diffracted beams. A process control component interacts with a positioning component and an optical exposure component to alter a lithographic process based at least in part on the results of the scatterometry.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于在光刻浸渍介质中检测气泡并且至少部分地基于气泡检测来控制光刻工艺的系统和方法。 气泡监测部件发射穿过浸没介质并入射到基板上以产生反射和/或衍射光束的入射光束。 反射和/或衍射光束被一个或多个光学检测器接收。 可以通过从反射和/或衍射光束散射法提取的信息导出气泡的存在或不存在。 过程控制部件与定位部件和光学曝光部件相互作用，以至少部分地基于散射测量的结果来改变光刻工艺。

公开(公告)号：US07173648B1

公开(公告)日：2007-02-06

申请号：US09553841

申请日：2000-04-21

申请人： Khoi Phan ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bryan Choo

发明人： Khoi Phan ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bryan Choo

IPC分类号： H04N7/18 ,  G01N21/00

CPC分类号： G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/8803 ,  G01N2021/889

摘要： The present invention relates to visually monitoring an interior portion of a processing chamber in a semiconductor processing system. An image collector collects images of the interior of the chamber and provides an image signal indicative of a visual representation of the interior of the chamber. A viewing station receives the image signal and displays a visual representation of the interior of the chamber.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及在半导体处理系统中视觉监测处理室的内部部分。 图像收集器收集室内部的图像，并提供指示室内部的视觉表示的图像信号。 观察台接收图像信号并显示室内部的视觉表示。

公开(公告)号：US07069155B1

公开(公告)日：2006-06-27

申请号：US10676455

申请日：2003-10-01

申请人： Khoi Phan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bharath Rangarajan

发明人： Khoi Phan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bharath Rangarajan

IPC分类号： G01B5/28 ,  G06K9/00 ,  H01L26/00

CPC分类号： G06T7/0004 ,  G01N21/3563 ,  G01N21/95692 ,  G01N2021/3595 ,  G01N2021/95676 ,  G03F1/62 ,  G03F1/82 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01J2237/304 ,  H01J2237/31744

摘要： The present invention generally relates to semiconductor processing, and in particular to methods and systems for analyzing photolithographic reticle defects that include detecting soft defects on a reticle and analyzing the material composition of the defects for a particular chemical signature. Specifically, the present invention scans and images a soft defect via an optical inspection scan of a reticle, mills the defect using a Focused Ion Beam, and analyzes the defect for signatures using Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis and/or Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The present invention thus provides for real-time analysis of the chemical composition of a soft defect on a reticle without the need for a defect identification navigation system. According to an aspect of the present invention, reticle defects can be monitored without removal of a pellicle, thus facilitating increased throughput and decreased cost in reticle repair and/or cleaning. According to another aspect of the invention, signatures occurring in trace amounts can be removed via employing a Focused Ion Beam in a non-reactive gas environment.

摘要翻译： 本发明一般涉及半导体处理，特别涉及用于分析光刻掩模版缺陷的方法和系统，包括检测掩模版上的软缺陷并分析特定化学特征的缺陷的材料成分。 具体地说，本发明通过光掩膜的光学检查扫描来扫描和成像软缺陷，使用聚焦离子束研磨缺陷，并使用化学分析和/或傅立叶变换红外光谱法的电子光谱分析签名缺陷。 因此，本发明提供了对掩模版上的软缺陷的化学成分的实时分析，而不需要缺陷识别导航系统。 根据本发明的一个方面，可以在不去除防护薄膜的情况下监视掩模版缺陷，从而有助于增加掩模版修复和/或清洁中的生产量和降低成本。 根据本发明的另一方面，可以通过在非反应性气体环境中使用聚焦离子束来移除痕量发生的痕迹。

公开(公告)号：US20050048741A1

公开(公告)日：2005-03-03

申请号：US10653309

申请日：2003-09-02

申请人： Khoi Phan ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh

发明人： Khoi Phan ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  G03F9/00 ,  H01L21/301

CPC分类号： G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F9/7076 ,  Y10S438/975

摘要： The present invention relates to inspection methods and systems utilized to provide a best means for inspection of a wafer. The methods and systems include wafer-to-reticle alignment, layer-to-layer alignment and wafer surface feature inspection. The wafer-to-reticle alignment is improved by the addition of diagonal lines to existing alignment marks to decrease the intersection size and corresponding area that a desired point can reside. Layer-to-layer alignment is improved in a similar manner by the addition of oblique and/or non-linear line segments to existing overlay targets. Also, providing for wafer surface inspection in a multitude of desired diagonal axes allows for more accurate feature measurement.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及用于提供用于检查晶片的最佳方法的检查方法和系统。 该方法和系统包括晶片到标线片对准，层间对准和晶片表面特征检查。 通过将对角线添加到现有的对准标记来减小交叉点大小和期望点可以驻留的对应区域来改善晶片到标线阵列对准。 通过向现有覆盖目标添加倾斜和/或非线性线段，以类似的方式改善了层间对齐。 此外，在多个所需的对角轴中提供晶片表面检查允许更精确的特征测量。

公开(公告)号：US07251033B1

公开(公告)日：2007-07-31

申请号：US10858757

申请日：2004-06-02

申请人： Khoi Phan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Ramkumar Subramanian

发明人： Khoi Phan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Ramkumar Subramanian

IPC分类号： G01N21/00

CPC分类号： G01N21/94 ,  G01N2021/95676 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/70916

摘要： A system and method are provided for detecting contaminants or defects on a reticle in-situ. The system and method provide a system that measures the optical transmission through clear areas on a reticle and determines whether the optical transmission of a reticle has been degraded by contaminants or other defects.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种系统和方法来现场检测标线上的污染物或缺陷。 该系统和方法提供一种系统，其通过掩模版上的清晰区域测量光学透射，并确定掩模版的光学传输是否已被污染物或其他缺陷降解。

公开(公告)号：US20050193362A1

公开(公告)日：2005-09-01

申请号：US10790296

申请日：2004-03-01

申请人： Khoi Phan ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh

发明人： Khoi Phan ,  Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh

IPC分类号： G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L23/544 ,  G06F17/50

CPC分类号： G03F7/70633 ,  G01N21/95607 ,  H01L22/34 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

摘要： A system facilitating measurement and correction of overlay between multiple layers of a wafer is disclosed. The system comprises an overlay target that represents overlay between three or more layers of a wafer and a measurement component that determines overlay error existent in the overlay target, thereby determining overlay error between the three or more layers of the wafer. A control component can be provided to correct overlay error between adjacent and non-adjacent layers, wherein the correction is based at least in part on measurements obtained by the measurement component.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种便于测量和校正晶片多层之间覆盖层的系统。 该系统包括覆盖在三层或多层晶片之间的重叠目标，以及确定覆盖目标中存在的重叠误差的测量部件，从而确定晶片的三层或更多层之间的重叠误差。 可以提供控制部件来校正相邻层和非相邻层之间的覆盖误差，其中校正至少部分地基于由测量部件获得的测量。

公开(公告)号：US06513151B1

公开(公告)日：2003-01-28

申请号：US09794503

申请日：2001-02-26

申请人： Jeff Erhardt ,  Khoi Phan

发明人： Jeff Erhardt ,  Khoi Phan

IPC分类号： G06F1750

CPC分类号： G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70641 ,  G03F7/7065 ,  G03F7/70658

摘要： A method for new product mask evaluation is provided. Focus exposure matrices are printed at one or more layers (e.g., active gate) on full flow production wafers. The focus exposure matrices are then analyzed to produce data that facilitates detecting printed defects. The full flow production wafers are also subjected to end of line electrical testing to determine bit level errors. Print defects can be correlated with bit level errors to increase confidence in detected defects. The method includes a hierarchy of testing layers, each of which produce data that can be employed in detecting defects in a reticle and/or producing a yield analysis. The method involves scanning a reticle upon which the new product mask is etched and performing a printability simulation to determine what affect, if any, detected reticle defects will have on printing defects on a wafer. After the reticle is scanned, full flow production wafers printed from the pattern on the reticle can be scanned for defects, as can resist-on-silicon flat test wafers, where a higher signal to noise ratio facilitates detecting defects that may otherwise not be detected. The reticle scanning can include critical dimension measuring by scanning electron microscopy means and/or scatterometry means.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种新产品面膜评估方法。 在全流动生产晶片上的一个或多个层（例如，有源栅极）上印刷聚焦曝光矩阵。 然后分析焦点曝光矩阵以产生便于检测印刷缺陷的数据。 全流程生产晶片也经受终端电测试以确定位电平误差。 打印缺陷可以与位级错误相关联，以增加对检测到的缺陷的置信度。 该方法包括测试层的层级，每层测试层产生可用于检测掩模版中的缺陷和/或产生产量分析的数据。 该方法涉及扫描其上蚀刻了新产品掩模的掩模版并执行可印刷性模拟以确定检测到的掩模版缺陷对于在晶片上的印刷缺陷将产生什么影响（如果有的话）。 在掩模版被扫描之后，从掩模版上的图案印刷的全流动生产晶片可以被扫描以获得缺陷，如在硅平坦测试晶片上，其中更高的信噪比便于检测否则不能检测到的缺陷 。 掩模版扫描可以包括通过扫描电子显微镜装置和/或散射测量装置的临界尺寸测量。

公开(公告)号：US06453916B1

公开(公告)日：2002-09-24

申请号：US09602443

申请日：2000-06-23

申请人： Quang Tran ,  Khoi Phan

发明人： Quang Tran ,  Khoi Phan

IPC分类号： B08B302

CPC分类号： H01L21/6708 ,  G03F7/162 ,  Y10S134/902

摘要： An edge bead removal system and method is provided that employs a nozzle for applying edge bead removal solvent to an edge bead of a photoresist material layer disposed on a wafer. The nozzle eliminates solvent splash by lowering the angle of dispense to less than 20° as well as providing more degrees of freedom to the nozzle arm adjustments. Adjustment screws and a built-in protractor provide precision in setting the application angle. The nozzle includes a clamp design having a nozzle body clamp which holds the nozzle and a main shaft with a protractor assembly for up and down angle adjustments. A support bracket is coupled to the protractor assembly and allows for pivoting and side to side movement of the protractor assembly and the support bracket with respect to one another. A clamp connects a main arm structure that moves the entire edge bead removal nozzle assembly over the wafer.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种边缘珠去除系统和方法，其采用用于将边缘珠去除溶剂施加到设置在晶片上的光致抗蚀剂材料层的边缘珠的喷嘴。 喷嘴通过将分配角度降低到20°以上以及为喷嘴臂调节提供更多的自由度来消除溶剂飞溅。 调节螺丝和内置量角器提供了设置应用角度的精度。 喷嘴包括具有保持喷嘴的喷嘴主体夹具和具有用于上下角度调节的量角器组件的主轴的夹具设计。 支撑支架联接到量角器组件并且允许量角器组件和支撑支架相对于彼此的枢转和侧向和侧向运动。 夹具连接主臂结构，其将整个边缘珠移除喷嘴组件移动到晶片上。

公开(公告)号：US06573498B1

公开(公告)日：2003-06-03

申请号：US09608096

申请日：2000-06-30

申请人： Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Khoi Phan ,  Michael K. Templeton

发明人： Bharath Rangarajan ,  Bhanwar Singh ,  Khoi Phan ,  Michael K. Templeton

IPC分类号： G01N2300

CPC分类号： G01N23/225 ,  H01J2237/2826

摘要： The present invention relates to a system and method for calibrating a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The method comprises measuring an electrical characteristic of a calibration standard reference sample feature and correlating the electrical measurement with an SEM measurement thereof. The correlation of the electrical and SEM measurements provides a critical dimension (CD) for the reference sample feature which can then be used to correlate SEM measurements of workpiece features. The system provides a reference sample having a measurable feature electrically connected to a probe. The probe provides an electrical measurement of the reference sample feature. The system further comprises a scanning electron microscope (SEM) adapted to provide an optical measurement of the reference sample feature. A processor is provided to correlate the optical and electrical measurements of the reference sample feature, whereby a reference feature CD is obtained. The system may further correlate workpiece feature measurements with the reference feature CD in order to determine or obtain a workpiece feature CD.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及一种用于校准扫描电子显微镜（SEM）的系统和方法。 该方法包括测量校准标准参考样本特征的电特性并将电测量与其SEM测量相关联。 电和SEM测量的相关性为参考样品特征提供了临界尺寸（CD），然后可以将其用于关联工件特征的SEM测量。 该系统提供具有电连接到探针的可测量特征的参考样本。 探头提供参考样品特征的电气测量。 该系统还包括适于提供参考样品特征的光学测量的扫描电子显微镜（SEM）。 提供处理器以使参考样本特征的光学和电学测量相关，由此获得参考特征CD。 该系统可以进一步将工件特征测量与参考特征CD相关联，以便确定或获得工件特征CD。