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公开(公告)号：US11815347B2
公开(公告)日：2023-11-14
申请号：US15599881
申请日：2017-05-19
Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
Inventor： Yuri Paskover , Amnon Manassen , Vladimir Levinski
CPC classification number: G01B11/272 , G01B11/303 , G01N21/6489 , G01N21/9501 , G03F7/70633 , G01B2210/56
Abstract: Systems and methods are provided which utilize optical microcavity probes to map wafer topography by near-field interactions therebetween in a manner which complies with high volume metrology requirements. The optical microcavity probes detect features on a wafer by shifts in an interference signal between reference radiation and near-field interactions of radiation in the microcavities and wafer features, such as device features and metrology target features. Various illumination and detection configurations provide quick and sensitive signals which are used to enhance optical metrology measurements with respect to their accuracy and sensitivity. The optical microcavity probes may be scanned at a controlled height and position with respect to the wafer and provide information concerning the spatial relations between device and target features.
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公开(公告)号：US20230099105A1
公开(公告)日：2023-03-30
申请号：US18076375
申请日：2022-12-06
Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
Inventor： Yoel Feler , Vladimir Levinski , Roel Gronheid , Sharon Aharon , Evgeni Gurevich , Anna Golotsvan , Mark Ghinovker
Abstract: Metrology methods and targets are provided for reducing or eliminating a difference between a device pattern position and a target pattern position while maintaining target printability, process compatibility and optical contrast—in both imaging and scatterometry metrology. Pattern placement discrepancies may be reduced by using sub-resolved assist features in the mask design which have a same periodicity (fine pitch) as the periodic structure and/or by calibrating the measurement results using PPE (pattern placement error) correction factors derived by applying learning procedures to specific calibration terms, in measurements and/or simulations. Metrology targets are disclosed with multiple periodic structures at the same layer (in addition to regular target structures), e.g., in one or two layers, which are used to calibrate and remove PPE, especially when related to asymmetric effects such as scanner aberrations, off-axis illumination and other error sources.
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公开(公告)号：US20220197152A1
公开(公告)日：2022-06-23
申请号：US17689934
申请日：2022-03-08
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.
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公开(公告)号：US11137692B2
公开(公告)日：2021-10-05
申请号：US16313972
申请日：2018-11-29
Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
Inventor： Yoel Feler , Mark Ghinovker , Alexander Svizher , Vladimir Levinski , Inna Tarshish-Shapir
Abstract: Metrology targets, design methods and measurement methods thereof are provided with periodic structure(s) which are oblique with respect to orthogonal production axes X and Y of the lithography tool—enabling more accurate overlay measurements of devices having diagonal (oblique, tilted) elements such as DRAM devices. One or more oblique periodic structure(s) may be used to provide one- or two-dimensional signals, with respect to one or more layers, possibly providing overlay measurements for multiple steps applied to one layer. The oblique periodic structure(s) may be used to modify current metrology target designs (e.g., imaging targets and/or scatterometry targets) or to design new targets, and measurement algorithms may be adjusted respectively to derive signals from the oblique periodic structure(s) and/or to provide pre-processed images thereof. The disclosed targets are process compatible and reflect more accurately the device overlays with respect to various process steps.
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公开(公告)号：US20190250504A1
公开(公告)日：2019-08-15
申请号：US15776588
申请日：2018-04-16
Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
Inventor： Yoel Feler , Vladimir Levinski , Roel Gronheid , Sharon Aharon , Evgeni Gurevich , Anna Golotsvan , Mark Ghinovker
CPC classification number: G03F1/84 , G01N21/00 , G03F1/26 , G03F1/44 , G03F7/70283 , G03F7/70633 , G03F7/70683 , G06F17/5068
Abstract: Metrology methods and targets are provided for reducing or eliminating a difference between a device pattern position and a target pattern position while maintaining target printability, process compatibility and optical contrast—in both imaging and scatterometry metrology. Pattern placement discrepancies may be reduced by using sub-resolved assist features in the mask design which have a same periodicity (fine pitch) as the periodic structure and/or by calibrating the measurement results using PPE (pattern placement error) correction factors derived by applying learning procedures to specific calibration terms, in measurements and/or simulations. Metrology targets are disclosed with multiple periodic structures at the same layer (in addition to regular target structures), e.g., in one or two layers, which are used to calibrate and remove PPE, especially when related to asymmetric effects such as scanner aberrations, off-axis illumination and other error sources.
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Patent Agency Ranking
公开(公告)号：US20190122357A1
公开(公告)日：2019-04-25
申请号：US15739381
申请日：2017-10-22
Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
Inventor： Tzahi Grunzweig , Nadav Gutman , David Gready , Mark Ghinovker , Vladimir Levinski , Claire E. Staniunas , Nimrod Shuall , Yuri Paskover
Abstract: Systems and methods are provided, which calculate overlay misregistration error estimations from analyzed measurements of each ROI (region of interest) in at least one metrology imaging target, and incorporate the calculated overlay misregistration error estimations in a corresponding estimation of overlay misregistration. Disclosed embodiments provide a graduated and weighted analysis of target quality which may be integrated in a continuous manner into the metrology measurement processes, and moreover evaluates target quality in terms of overlay misregistration, which forms a common basis for evaluation of errors from different sources, such as characteristics of production steps, measurement parameters and target characteristics. Such common basis then enables any of combining various error sources to give a single number associated with measurement fidelity, analyzing various errors at wafer, lot and process levels, and/or to trade-off the resulting accuracy for throughput by reducing the number of measurements, in a controlled manner.
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公开(公告)号：US10242290B2
公开(公告)日：2019-03-26
申请号：US14152562
申请日：2014-01-10
Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
Inventor： Inna Tarshish-Shapir , Yoel Feler , Anat Marchelli , Berta Dinu , Vladimir Levinski , Boris Efraty , Nuriel Amir , Mark Ghinovker , Amnon Manassen , Sigalit Robinzon
Abstract: Methods and systems are provided, which identify specified metrology target abnormalities using selected metrics and classify the identified target abnormalities geometrically to link them to corresponding sources of error. Identification may be carried out by deriving target signals such as kernels from specified regions of interest (ROIs) from corresponding targets on a wafer, calculating the metrics from the target signals using respective functions and analyzing the metrics to characterize the targets.
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公开(公告)号：US20190049373A1
公开(公告)日：2019-02-14
申请号：US15566868
申请日：2017-06-02
Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
Inventor： Vladimir Levinski
IPC: G01N21/47 , H01L21/66 , G01N21/956 , G03F1/44
Abstract: Diffraction-based focus target cells, targets and design and measurement methods are provided, which enable sensitive focus measurements to be carried out by overlay measurement tools. Cells comprise a periodic structure having a coarse pitch and multiple elements arranged at a fine pitch. The coarse pitch is an integer multiple of the fine pitch, with the fine pitch being between one and two design rule pitches and smaller than a measurement resolution and the coarse pitch being larger than the measurement resolution. The elements are asymmetric to provide different amplitudes in +1st and −1st diffraction orders of scattered illumination, and a subset of the elements has a CD (critical dimension) larger than a printability threshold and the other elements have a CD smaller than the printability threshold.
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公开(公告)号：US20180348648A1
公开(公告)日：2018-12-06
申请号：US15571427
申请日：2017-06-06
Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
Inventor： Yoel Feler , Vladimir Levinski
IPC: G03F7/20
Abstract: Metrology target designs on the reticle and on the wafer, and target design and processing methods are provided. Target designs comprise coarse pitched periodic structures having fine pitched sub-elements, which vary in sub-element CD and/or height, an orthogonal periodic structure, perpendicular to the measurement direction, with an orthogonal unresolved pitch among periodically recurring bars, which provide a calibration parameter for achieving well-printed targets. Orthogonal periodic structures may be designed on the reticle and be unresolved, or be applied in cut patterns on the process layer, with relatively low sensitivity to the cut layer overlay. Designed targets may be used for overlay metrology as well as for measuring process parameters such as scanner aberrations and pitch walk.
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公开(公告)号：US09934353B2
公开(公告)日：2018-04-03
申请号：US14974732
申请日：2015-12-18
Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
Inventor： Mohamed El Kodadi , Nuriel Amir , Roie Volkovich , Vladimir Levinski , Yoel Feler , Daniel Kandel , Nadav Gutman , Stilian Pandev , Dzimtry Sanko
CPC classification number: G06F17/5081 , G01N21/4785 , G03F7/70641 , G03F7/70683 , G06F17/5072
Abstract: Target designs and methods are provided, which relate to periodic structures having elements recurring with a first pitch in a first direction. The elements are periodic with a second pitch along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and are characterized in the second direction by alternating, focus-sensitive and focus-insensitive patterns with the second pitch. In the produced targets, the first pitch may be about the device pitch and the second pitch may be several times larger. The first, focus-insensitive pattern may be produced to yield a first critical dimension and the second, focus-sensitive pattern may be produced to yield a second critical dimension that may be equal to the first critical dimension only when specified focus requirements are satisfied, or provide scatterometry measurements of zeroth as well as first diffraction orders, based on the longer pitch along the perpendicular direction.
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