公开(公告)号：US11784097B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-10

申请号：US17163904

申请日：2021-02-01

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: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L23/544 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G06F30/39 ,  G06F119/18

CPC classification number: H01L22/12 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G06F30/39 ,  G06T7/001 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L23/544 ,  G06F2119/18 ,  G06T2207/20216 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  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：US11313669B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-26

申请号：US16848056

申请日：2020-04-14

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Amnon Manassen ,  Andrew Hill

IPC: G01B9/02 ,  G01B9/02091 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01B11/27

Abstract: Methods and systems for focusing and measuring by mean of an interferometer device, having an optical coherence tomography (OCT) focusing system, by separately directing an overlapped measurement and reference wavefront towards a focus sensor and towards an imaging sensor; where a predefined focusing illumination spectrum of the overlapped wavefront is directed towards the focus sensor, and where a predefined measurement illumination spectrum of the overlapped wavefront is directed towards the imaging sensor. Methods and systems for maintaining focus of an interferometer device, having an OCT focusing system, during sample's stage moves.

公开(公告)号：US11060845B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-13

申请号：US16665759

申请日：2019-10-28

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Eran Amit ,  Barry Loevsky ,  Andrew Hill ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Nuriel Amir ,  Vladimir Levinski ,  Roie Volkovich

IPC: G01B11/06 ,  G01B11/27 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G06F30/392 ,  G06F30/398 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/88

Abstract: Targets, target elements and target design method are provided, which comprise designing a target structure to have a high contrast above a specific contrast threshold to its background in polarized light while having a low contrast below the specific contrast threshold to its background in non-polarized light. The targets may have details at device feature scale and be compatible with device design rules yet maintain optical contrast when measured with polarized illumination and thus be used effectively as metrology targets. Design variants and respective measurement optical systems are likewise provided.

公开(公告)号：US20210159128A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-27

申请号：US17163904

申请日：2021-02-01

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 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F30/39

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：US10551749B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-04

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: G03F7/20

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：US10458777B2

公开(公告)日：2019-10-29

申请号：US14949444

申请日：2015-11-23

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Eran Amit ,  Barry Loevsky ,  Andrew Hill ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Nuriel Amir ,  Vladimir Levinski ,  Roie Volkovich

IPC: G01B11/06 ,  G01B11/27 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G06F17/50 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/88

Abstract: Targets, target elements and target design method are provided, which comprise designing a target structure to have a high contrast above a specific contrast threshold to its background in polarized light while having a low contrast below the specific contrast threshold to its background in non-polarized light. The targets may have details at device feature scale and be compatible with device design rules yet maintain optical contrast when measured with polarized illumination and thus be used effectively as metrology targets. Design variants and respective measurement optical systems are likewise provided.

公开(公告)号：US10409171B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-10

申请号：US15867485

申请日：2018-01-10

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Michael E. Adel ,  Amnon Manassen ,  William Pierson ,  Ady Levy ,  Pradeep Subrahmanyan ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  DongSub Choi ,  Hoyoung Heo ,  Dror Alumot ,  John Charles Robinson

IPC: G03B27/00 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: A process control system may include a controller configured to receive after-development inspection (ADI) data after a lithography step for the current layer from an ADI tool, receive after etch inspection (AEI) overlay data after an exposure step of the current layer from an AEI tool, train a non-zero offset predictor with ADI data and AEI overlay data to predict a non-zero offset from input ADI data, generate values of the control parameters of the lithography tool using ADI data and non-zero offsets generated by the non-zero offset predictor, and provide the values of the control parameters to the lithography tool for fabricating the current layer on the at least one production sample.

公开(公告)号：US10401738B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-03

申请号：US15667401

申请日：2017-08-02

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrew V. Hill ,  Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Noam Sapiens

IPC: G02B3/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01B11/14 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/84 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/42

Abstract: An overlay metrology system includes an overlay metrology tool configurable to generate overlay signals with a plurality of recipes and further directs an illumination beam to an overlay target and collects radiation emanating from the overlay target in response to the at least a portion of the illumination beam to generate the overlay signal with the particular recipe. The overlay metrology system further acquires two or more overlay signals for a first overlay target using two or more unique recipes, subsequently acquires two or more overlay signals for a second overlay target using the two or more unique recipes, determines candidate overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more overlay signals for each target, and determines output overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more candidate overlays for each target.

公开(公告)号：US20190041329A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-07

申请号：US15667401

申请日：2017-08-02

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrew V. Hill ,  Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Noam Sapiens

IPC: G01N21/47 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/42 ,  G02B3/00

CPC classification number: G01N21/4788 ,  G01B11/14 ,  G01N21/4795 ,  G01N2021/4709 ,  G01N2021/4711 ,  G01N2021/8461 ,  G02B3/0006 ,  G02B27/1013 ,  G02B27/4205 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/70633

Abstract: An overlay metrology system includes an overlay metrology tool configurable to generate overlay signals with a plurality of recipes and further directs an illumination beam to an overlay target and collects radiation emanating from the overlay target in response to the at least a portion of the illumination beam to generate the overlay signal with the particular recipe. The overlay metrology system further acquires two or more overlay signals for a first overlay target using two or more unique recipes, subsequently acquires two or more overlay signals for a second overlay target using the two or more unique recipes, determines candidate overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more overlay signals for each target, and determines output overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more candidate overlays for each target.

公开(公告)号：US10139528B1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-27

申请号：US15408351

申请日：2017-01-17

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Joel Seligson ,  Vladimir Levinski ,  Yuri Paskover ,  Amnon Manassen ,  Daniel Kandel ,  Andrew V. Hill

IPC: G02B3/08 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/17

Abstract: Objective lenses and corresponding optical systems and metrology tools, as well as methods are provided. Objective lenses comprise a central region conforming to specified imaging requirements and a peripheral region conforming to specified scatterometry requirements. The optical systems may comprise common-path optical elements configured to handle both imaging and scatterometry signals received through the objective lens. Using a single objective lens simplifies the design of the optical system while maintaining, simultaneously, the performance requirements for imaging as well as for scatterometry.