公开(公告)号：US20240302301A1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-12

申请号：US18416113

申请日：2024-01-18

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Sandeep Inampudi ,  Hyowon Park ,  Daniel Haxton ,  Boxue Chen ,  Sungchul Yoo ,  Robert D. Press

IPC: G01N23/205 ,  G01N23/2055 ,  H01L21/66

CPC classification number: G01N23/205 ,  G01N23/2055 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  H01L22/12

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing measurements of stacked semiconductor structures, e.g., stacked memory and logic structures, based on X-Ray transmission scatterometry measurement data are described herein. In some examples, the scattering response of logic structures is modelled directly in signal space by a mathematical expression including a relatively small number of weighted basis functions. The scattering response of the logic structures and the scattering response of the memory structures determined by an electromagnetic response model are combined, e.g., by summation or convolution. The combined modelled signals are compared to the measured signals at the detector to generate an error signal. The error signal is employed to drive a regression analysis employed to optimize parameter values characterizing the memory structures, values of the weighting coefficients of the signal space model, or both. In other examples, the scattering response of the logic structures is known, and a model is not needed.

公开(公告)号：US11990380B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-21

申请号：US16847388

申请日：2020-04-13

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Christopher Liman ,  Antonio Arion Gellineau ,  Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Sungchul Yoo

IPC: G01B15/02 ,  G01B15/04 ,  G01N23/20 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L22/26 ,  G01B15/02 ,  G01B15/04 ,  G01N23/20 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  G01B2210/56

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring a complex semiconductor structure based on measurement data before and after a critical process step are presented. In some embodiments, the measurement is based on x-ray scatterometry measurement data. In one aspect, a measurement is based on fitting combined measurement data to a simplified geometric model of the measured structure. In some embodiments, the combined measurement data is determined by subtraction of a measured diffraction pattern before the critical process step from a measured diffraction pattern after the critical process step. In some embodiments, the simplified geometric model includes only the features affected by the critical process step. In another aspect, a measurement is based on a combined data set and a trained signal response metrology (SRM) model. In another aspect, a measurement is based on actual measurement data after the critical process step and simulated measurement data before the critical process step.

公开(公告)号：US20200335406A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-22

申请号：US16847388

申请日：2020-04-13

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Christopher Liman ,  Antonio Arion Gellineau ,  Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Sungchul Yoo

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G01B15/02 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring a complex semiconductor structure based on measurement data before and after a critical process step are presented. In some embodiments, the measurement is based on x-ray scatterometry measurement data. In one aspect, a measurement is based on fitting combined measurement data to a simplified geometric model of the measured structure. In some embodiments, the combined measurement data is determined by subtraction of a measured diffraction pattern before the critical process step from a measured diffraction pattern after the critical process step. In some embodiments, the simplified geometric model includes only the features affected by the critical process step. In another aspect, a measurement is based on a combined data set and a trained signal response metrology (SRM) model. In another aspect, a measurement is based on actual measurement data after the critical process step and simulated measurement data before the critical process step.