公开(公告)号：US10699969B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-30

申请号：US15774025

申请日：2018-04-05

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Einat Peled ,  Eran Amit ,  Alexander Svizher ,  Yuval Lamhot ,  Noga Sella ,  Wei-Te Cheng

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Methods applicable in metrology modules and tools are provided, which enable adjusting metrology measurement parameters with respect to process variation, without re-initiating metrology recipe setup. Methods comprise, during an initial metrology recipe setup, recording a metrology process window and deriving baseline information therefrom, and during operation, quantifying the process variation with respect to the baseline information, and adjusting the metrology measurement parameters within the metrology process window with respect to the quantified process variation. The quick adjustment of metrology parameters avoids metrology-related process delays and releases prior art bottlenecks related thereto. Models of effects of various process variation factors on the metrology measurements may be used to enhance the derivation of required metrology tuning and enable their application with minimal delays to the production process.

公开(公告)号：US11862522B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-02

申请号：US17179379

申请日：2021-02-18

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Barak Bringoltz ,  Evgeni Gurevich ,  Ido Adam ,  Yoel Feler ,  Dror Alumot ,  Yuval Lamhot ,  Noga Sella ,  Yaron De Leeuw ,  Tal Yaziv ,  Eltsafon Ashwal-Island ,  Lilach Saltoun ,  Tom Leviant

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F9/00

CPC classification number: H01L22/20 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F9/7003 ,  H01L22/12

Abstract: Methods, metrology modules and target designs are provided, which improve the accuracy of metrology measurements. Methods provide flexible handling of multiple measurement recipes and setups and enable relating them to landscape features that indicate their relation to resonance regions and to flat regions. Clustering of recipes, self-consistency tests, common processing of aggregated measurements, noise reduction, cluster analysis, detailed analysis of the landscape and targets with skewed cells are employed separately or in combination to provide cumulative improvements of measurement accuracy.

公开(公告)号：US11158548B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-26

申请号：US16092559

申请日：2018-09-03

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Yuval Lamhot ,  Eran Amit ,  Einat Peled ,  Noga Sella ,  Wei-Te Cheng ,  Ido Adam

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/31 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A method of determining overlay (“OVL”) in a pattern in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing process comprises capturing images from a cell in a metrology target formed in at least two different layers in the wafer with parts of the target offset in opposing directions with respect to corresponding parts in a different layer. The images may be captured using radiation of multiple different wavelengths, each image including +1 and −1 diffraction patterns. A first and second differential signal may be determined for respective pixels in each image by subtracting opposing pixels from the +1 and −1 diffraction orders for each of the multiple wavelengths. An OVL for the respective pixels may be determined based on analyzing the differential signals from multiple wavelengths simultaneously. Then an OVL for the pattern may be determined as a weighted average of the OVL of the respective pixels.

公开(公告)号：US20200381312A1

公开(公告)日：2020-12-03

申请号：US16092559

申请日：2018-09-03

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Yuval Lamhot ,  Eran Amit ,  Einat Peled ,  Noga Sella ,  Wei-Te Cheng ,  Ido Adam

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G01N21/31

Abstract: A method of determining overlay (“OVL”) in a pattern in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing process comprises capturing images from a cell in a metrology target formed in at least two different layers in the wafer with parts of the target offset in opposing directions with respect to corresponding parts in a different layer. The images may be captured using radiation of multiple different wavelengths, each image including +1 and −1 diffraction patterns. A first and second differential signal may be determined for respective pixels in each image by subtracting opposing pixels from the +1 and −1 diffraction orders for each of the multiple wavelengths. An OVL for the respective pixels may be determined based on analyzing the differential signals from multiple wavelengths simultaneously. Then an OVL for the pattern may be determined as a weighted average of the OVL of the respective pixels.

公开(公告)号：US20190074227A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-07

申请号：US15774025

申请日：2018-04-05

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Einat Peled ,  Eran Amit ,  Alexander Svizher ,  Yuval Lamhot ,  Noga Sella ,  Wei-Te Cheng

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Methods applicable in metrology modules and tools are provided, which enable adjusting metrology measurement parameters with respect to process variation, without re-initiating metrology recipe setup. Methods comprise, during an initial metrology recipe setup, recording a metrology process window and deriving baseline information therefrom, and during operation, quantifying the process variation with respect to the baseline information, and adjusting the metrology measurement parameters within the metrology process window with respect to the quantified process variation. The quick adjustment of metrology parameters avoids metrology-related process delays and releases prior art bottlenecks related thereto. Models of effects of various process variation factors on the metrology measurements may be used to enhance the derivation of required metrology tuning and enable their application with minimal delays to the production process.

公开(公告)号：US20160313658A1

公开(公告)日：2016-10-27

申请号：US15198902

申请日：2016-06-30

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Tal Marciano ,  Barak Bringoltz ,  Evgeni Gurevich ,  Ido Adam ,  Ze'ev Lindenfeld ,  Zeng Zhao ,  Yoel Feler ,  Daniel Kandel ,  Nadav Carmel ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Nuriel Amir ,  Oded Kaminsky ,  Tal Yaziv ,  Ofer Zaharan ,  Moshe Cooper ,  Roee Sulimarski ,  Tom Leviant ,  Noga Sella ,  Boris Efraty ,  Lilach Saltoun ,  Amir Handelman ,  Eltsafon Ashwal ,  Ohad Bachar

IPC: G03F9/00

Abstract: Methods are provided for deriving a partially continuous dependency of metrology metric(s) on recipe parameter(s), analyzing the derived dependency, determining a metrology recipe according to the analysis, and conducting metrology measurement(s) according to the determined recipe. The dependency may be analyzed in form of a landscape such as a sensitivity landscape in which regions of low sensitivity and/or points or contours of low or zero inaccuracy are detected, analytically, numerically or experimentally, and used to configure parameters of measurement, hardware and targets to achieve high measurement accuracy. Process variation is analyzed in terms of its effects on the sensitivity landscape, and these effects are used to characterize the process variation further, to optimize the measurements and make the metrology both more robust to inaccuracy sources and more flexible with respect to different targets on the wafer and available measurement conditions.

Abstract translation: 提供了用于导出计量度量对配方参数的部分连续依赖性的方法，分析衍生依赖性，根据分析确定计量配方，并根据确定的配方进行计量测量。 依赖性可以以景观的形式进行分析，例如灵敏度景观，其中检测到低分辨率或零误差的低灵敏度和/或点或等值线的区域，分析，数字或实验，并用于配置测量参数，硬件 并达到高测量精度。 根据其对灵敏度景观的影响分析过程变化，并且这些效应用于进一步表征过程变化，优化测量结果，使计量学对于不准确性来源更加鲁棒，并且对于不同的目标更灵活 晶圆和可用的测量条件。

公开(公告)号：US20210175132A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-10

申请号：US17179379

申请日：2021-02-18

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Barak Bringoltz ,  Evgeni Gurevich ,  Ido Adam ,  Yoel Feler ,  Dror Alumot ,  Yuval Lamhot ,  Noga Sella ,  Yaron De Leeuw ,  Tal Yaziv ,  Eltsafon Ashwal-Island ,  Lilach Saltoun ,  Tom Leviant

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G06F16/28 ,  G03F9/00 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Methods, metrology modules and target designs are provided, which improve the accuracy of metrology measurements. Methods provide flexible handling of multiple measurement recipes and setups and enable relating them to landscape features that indicate their relation to resonance regions and to flat regions. Clustering of recipes, self-consistency tests, common processing of aggregated measurements, noise reduction, cluster analysis, detailed analysis of the landscape and targets with skewed cells are employed separately or in combination to provide cumulative improvements of measurement accuracy.

公开(公告)号：US20180047646A1

公开(公告)日：2018-02-15

申请号：US15540409

申请日：2017-02-23

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Barak Bringoltz ,  Evgeni Gurevich ,  Ido Adam ,  Yoel Feler ,  Dror Alumot ,  Yuval Lamhot ,  Noga Sella ,  Yaron Deleeuw ,  Tal Yaziv ,  Eltsafon Ashwal ,  Lilach Saltoun ,  Tom Leviant

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/30 ,  G03F9/00

CPC classification number: H01L22/20 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F9/7003 ,  G06F16/285 ,  H01L22/12

Abstract: Methods, metrology modules and target designs are provided, which improve the accuracy of metrology measurements. Methods provide flexible handling of multiple measurement recipes and setups and enable relating them to landscape features that indicate their relation to resonance regions and to flat regions. Clustering of recipes, self-consistency tests, common processing of aggregated measurements, noise reduction, cluster analysis, detailed analysis of the landscape and targets with skewed cells are employed separately or in combination to provide cumulative improvements of measurement accuracy.