公开(公告)号：US10474040B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-12

申请号：US16009939

申请日：2018-06-15

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Frank Laske ,  Ulrich Pohlmann ,  Stefan Eyring ,  Nadav Gutman

IPC: G03B27/32 ,  G03B27/42 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G01B11/27

Abstract: An overlay metrology system may measure a first-layer pattern placement distance between a pattern of device features and a pattern of reference features on a first layer of an overlay target on a sample. The system may further measure, subsequent to fabricating a second layer including at least the pattern of device features and the pattern of reference features, a second-layer pattern placement distance between the pattern of device features and the pattern of reference features on the second layer. The system may further measure a reference overlay based on relative positions of the pattern of reference features on the first layer and the second layer. The system may further determine a device-relevant overlay for the pattern of device-scale features by adjusting the reference overlay with a difference between the first-layer pattern placement distance and the second-layer pattern placement distance.

公开(公告)号：US20190271542A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-05

申请号：US16057498

申请日：2018-08-07

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Frank Laske ,  Nadav Gutman

IPC: G01B11/27 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: An overlay metrology system may include a controller to generate optical tool error adjustments for a hybrid overlay target including optically-resolvable features and device-scale features by measuring a difference between an optical overlay measurement based on the optically-resolvable features and a device-scale overlay measurement based on the device-scale features, generate target-to-device adjustments for the hybrid overlay target based on positions of features within the device area, determine device-relevant overlay measurements for one or more locations in the device area based on at least one of the optical overlay measurement, the optical tool error adjustments, or the target-to-device adjustments, and provide overlay correctables for the device area to a lithography tool to modify exposure conditions for at least one subsequent exposure based on the device-relevant overlay measurements.

公开(公告)号：US20180120807A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-03

申请号：US15129521

申请日：2016-08-04

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Slawomir Czerkas ,  Frank Laske

IPC: G05B19/402

CPC classification number: G05B19/402 ,  G03F9/7003 ,  G05B2219/45028 ,  G05B2219/45031

Abstract: In a method for controlling the positioning of patterns on a substrate in a manufacturing process at least one registration measurement is conducted with a registration tool on at least one pattern formed in at least one layer on the substrate by a previous process step of the manufacturing process. From the registration measurement a position of the at least one pattern in a coordinate system is determined. The determined position of the at least one pattern is fed into an automatic process control of a manufacturing system for controlling a setup of the manufacturing system for a subsequent process step of the manufacturing process. The manufacturing process may be a wafer manufacturing process with a silicon substrate. Complementary information may be collected in addition to performing the registration measurement and fed to the automatic process control. The process steps may for example include lithography steps, etching steps, layer deposition.

公开(公告)号：US20140307949A1

公开(公告)日：2014-10-16

申请号：US14302708

申请日：2014-06-12

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Stefan Eyring ,  Oliver Ache ,  Frank Laske

IPC: G06T7/00

CPC classification number: G06T7/001 ,  G03F1/44 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G06T7/248 ,  G06T7/337 ,  G06T7/62 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: A method is disclosed for correcting errors introduced by optical distortions or aberrations in the measured values of coordinates of targets of an array of targets, like for example structures on a wafer or a photolithography mask. The array of targets is placed into a field of view of an imaging system via which the coordinates are to be measured. The array of targets is placed at different relative positions with respect to the field of view, and for each relative position the coordinates of the targets relative to the array of targets are determined by measurements. From the results of these measurements an alignment function, giving a correction for optical errors as a function of the position in the field of view, is derived. The measured coordinates are corrected by the alignment function. The corrected coordinates can be used to identify registration errors of a mask writer.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种用于校正由目标阵列的目标坐标的测量值中的光学失真或像差引入的误差的方法，例如晶片或光刻掩模上的结构。 目标阵列被放置在成像系统的视场中，坐标将被测量。 目标阵列相对于视场位于不同的相对位置，并且对于每个相对位置，靶相对于目标阵列的坐标由测量确定。 从这些测量结果可得出对准函数，作为视场中的位置的函数的光学误差的校正。 测量的坐标通过对准功能进行校正。 校正的坐标可用于识别掩码写入器的注册错误。

公开(公告)号：US10141156B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-27

申请号：US15418946

申请日：2017-01-30

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Mark Allen Neil ,  Frank Laske

IPC: H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing measurements of multiple die with an array of electron beam columns are presented herein. The wafer is scanned in a direction parallel to the die rows disposed on the wafer. The electron beam measurement columns are spatially separated in a column alignment direction. The wafer is scanned in a direction that is oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the column alignment direction such that each electron beam column measures the same row of die features on different die during the same wafer pass. The wafer is oriented with respect to the array of electron beam columns by rotating the wafer, rotating the electron beam columns, or both. In further aspects, each measurement beam is deflected to correct alignment errors between each column and the corresponding die row to be measured and to correct wafer positioning errors reported by the wafer positioning system.

公开(公告)号：US20180165404A1

公开(公告)日：2018-06-14

申请号：US15112529

申请日：2016-06-27

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Stefan Eyring ,  Frank Laske

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G01B21/00

CPC classification number: G06F17/5081 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G01B21/00 ,  G03F1/36 ,  H01L22/00 ,  H01L22/12

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for the measurement of pattern placement and/or edge placement and/or size of a pattern on a surface of a substrate for the semiconductor industry. At least one source for detection and at least one assigned detector are used to measure the positions of a pattern on a substrate. With a movable stage the substrate is moved while detection takes place. A displacement measurement system determines the position of the movable stage during the movement. A computer is used for correlating detected signals of the at least one detector along the derived trace line with the actual positions of the stage during the movement of the stage.

公开(公告)号：US09704238B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-11

申请号：US14950546

申请日：2015-11-24

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Stefan Eyring ,  Oliver Ache ,  Frank Laske

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G03F1/44 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G06T7/33 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/246 ,  G06T7/62

CPC classification number: G06T7/001 ,  G03F1/44 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G06T7/248 ,  G06T7/337 ,  G06T7/62 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: A method for correcting optical errors occurring in coordinates of positions of a plurality of targets measured via an imaging system comprising a field of view. The plurality of targets includes a first array of targets and a second array of targets overlapping the first array of targets, and a portion of the plurality of targets are outside of the field of view. The method broadly includes the following steps: a) placing the first array of targets in the field of view of the imaging system; b) measuring coordinates of each target within the first array of targets repeatedly via the imaging system; c) placing the second array of targets in the field of view of the imaging system; d) measuring coordinates of each target within the second array of targets repeatedly via the imaging system; e) determining an alignment function from the measurement results of step b, step d, or steps b and d, the alignment function being a function of coordinates of the field of view of the imaging system and giving an additive correction for optical errors of the coordinates of positions of the plurality of targets measured by the imaging system; f) correcting the coordinates of the positions of the plurality of targets measured by the imaging system by adding the respective value of the alignment function at the field-of-view coordinates at which the coordinates of the position of the respective target were measured; and, g) obtaining a final result for the position of each target of the plurality of targets by averaging over the corrected coordinates found in step f for the respective target at each relative position of the plurality of targets and field of view of the imaging system.

公开(公告)号：US20160078609A1

公开(公告)日：2016-03-17

申请号：US14950546

申请日：2015-11-24

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Stefan Eyring ,  Oliver Ache ,  Frank Laske

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G06T7/60 ,  G06T7/20 ,  G06K9/52

CPC classification number: G06T7/001 ,  G03F1/44 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G06T7/248 ,  G06T7/337 ,  G06T7/62 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: A method for correcting optical errors occurring in coordinates of positions of a plurality of targets measured via an imaging system comprising a field of view. The plurality of targets includes a first array of targets and a second array of targets overlapping the first array of targets, and a portion of the plurality of targets are outside of the field of view. The method broadly includes the following steps: a) placing the first array of targets in the field of view of the imaging system; b) measuring coordinates of each target within the first array of targets repeatedly via the imaging system; c) placing the second array of targets in the field of view of the imaging system; d) measuring coordinates of each target within the second array of targets repeatedly via the imaging system; e) determining an alignment function from the measurement results of step b, step d, or steps b and d, the alignment function being a function of coordinates of the field of view of the imaging system and giving an additive correction for optical errors of the coordinates of positions of the plurality of targets measured by the imaging system; f) correcting the coordinates of the positions of the plurality of targets measured by the imaging system by adding the respective value of the alignment function at the field-of-view coordinates at which the coordinates of the position of the respective target were measured; and, g) obtaining a final result for the position of each target of the plurality of targets by averaging over the corrected coordinates found in step f for the respective target at each relative position of the plurality of targets and field of view of the imaging system.

Abstract translation: 一种用于校正通过包括视场的成像系统测量的多个目标的位置坐标发生的光学误差的方法。 所述多个目标包括目标的第一阵列和与所述第一目标阵列重叠的目标的第二阵列，并且所述多个目标的一部分在所述视野外。 该方法广泛地包括以下步骤：a）将第一阵列的目标放置在成像系统的视野内; b）经由成像系统重复地测量第一阵列目标内的每个目标的坐标; c）将所述第二阵列阵列放置在所述成像系统的视野内; d）经由成像系统重复地测量第二阵列内的每个目标的坐标; e）根据步骤b，步骤d或步骤b和d的测量结果确定对准功能，所述对准功能是成像系统的视场坐标的函数，并给出对于所述成像系统的光学误差的附加校正 由成像系统测量的多个目标的位置坐标; f）通过在测量各个目标的位置的坐标的视场坐标附加相应的对准功能的值来校正由成像系统测量的多个目标的位置的坐标; 以及g）通过对所述多个目标的每个相对位置处的各个目标的步骤f中找到的所述校正坐标和所述成像系统的视场进行平均来获得所述多个目标中的每个目标的位置的最终结果 。

公开(公告)号：US10533848B2

公开(公告)日：2020-01-14

申请号：US16057498

申请日：2018-08-07

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Andrei V. Shchegrov ,  Frank Laske ,  Nadav Gutman

IPC: G01B11/27 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01B15/00

Abstract: An overlay metrology system may include a controller to generate optical tool error adjustments for a hybrid overlay target including optically-resolvable features and device-scale features by measuring a difference between an optical overlay measurement based on the optically-resolvable features and a device-scale overlay measurement based on the device-scale features, generate target-to-device adjustments for the hybrid overlay target based on positions of features within the device area, determine device-relevant overlay measurements for one or more locations in the device area based on at least one of the optical overlay measurement, the optical tool error adjustments, or the target-to-device adjustments, and provide overlay correctables for the device area to a lithography tool to modify exposure conditions for at least one subsequent exposure based on the device-relevant overlay measurements.

公开(公告)号：US10185800B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-22

申请号：US15112529

申请日：2016-06-27

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Stefan Eyring ,  Frank Laske

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G01B21/00 ,  G03F1/36 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for the measurement of pattern placement and/or edge placement and/or size of a pattern on a surface of a substrate for the semiconductor industry. At least one source for detection and at least one assigned detector are used to measure the positions of a pattern on a substrate. With a movable stage the substrate is moved while detection takes place. A displacement measurement system determines the position of the movable stage during the movement. A computer is used for correlating detected signals of the at least one detector along the derived trace line with the actual positions of the stage during the movement of the stage.