公开(公告)号：US20240085321A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-14

申请号：US18136739

申请日：2023-04-19

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： John Hench ,  Akshay Krishna ,  Christopher Liman ,  Jeremy Smith ,  Liang Yin ,  Hyowon Park ,  Tianhan Wang ,  Boxue Chen

IPC: G01N21/47

CPC classification number: G01N21/4738

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing model-less measurements of semiconductor structures based on scatterometry measurement data are described herein. Scatterometry measurement data is processed directly, without the use of a traditional measurement model. Measurement sensitivity is defined by the changes in detected diffraction images at one or more non-zero diffraction orders over at least two different illumination incidence angles. Discrete values of a scalar function are determined directly from measured images at each incidence angle. A continuous mathematical function is fit to the set of discrete values of the scalar function determined at each incidence angle. A value of a parameter of interest is determined based on analysis of the mathematical function. In some embodiments, the scalar function includes a weighting function, and the weighting values associated with weighting function are optimized to yield an accurate fit of the mathematical function to the scalar values.

公开(公告)号：US20210310968A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-07

申请号：US16841301

申请日：2020-04-06

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Alexander Kuznetsov ,  Boxue Chen ,  Nikolay Artemiev

IPC: G01N23/20008 ,  G21K1/10 ,  G21K1/06 ,  G01N23/201

Abstract: Optical elements that efficiently propagate x-ray radiation over a desired energy range and reject radiation outside the desired energy range are presented herein. In one aspect, one or more optical elements of an x-ray based system include an integrated optical filter including one or more material layers that absorb radiation having energy outside the desired energy band. In general, the integrated filter improves the optical performance of an x-ray based system by suppressing reflectivity within infrared (IR), visible (vis), ultraviolet (UV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV) portions of the spectrum, or any other undesired wavelength region. In a further aspect, one or more diffusion barrier layers prevent degradation of the integrated optical filter, prevent diffusion between the integrated optical filter and other material layers, or both. In some embodiments, the thickness of one or more material layers of an integrated optical filter vary over the spatial area of the filter.

公开(公告)号：US20250085241A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-13

申请号：US18367364

申请日：2023-09-12

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Rebecca Shen ,  Sandeep Inampudi ,  Boxue Chen ,  Bindi Nagda ,  John J. Hench ,  William McGahan

IPC: G01N23/207

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing X-ray model based scatterometry measurements of semiconductor structures with reduced computational effort are described herein. More specifically, measured detector image data is transformed to diffraction order efficiency data. The measured diffraction order efficiency data is compared with a parameter-efficiency library including simulated diffraction order efficiency data and associated sets of specimen parameter values. One or more sets of specimen parameter values are selected as seed values for regression on the measured detector image data based on the fit between the measured and simulated diffraction order efficiency data. The seed values are provided as initial values of one or more parameters of interest for the first iteration of the regression. The seed values enable the image based regression to converge to the global minimum with a dramatically reduced number of iterations. Thus, accurate X-ray scatterometry measurements of complex semiconductor structures are realized with less computational effort.

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：US20240060914A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-22

申请号：US17888776

申请日：2022-08-16

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Mohsen Mahvash ,  John J. Hench ,  Samad Jafarzanjani ,  Rebecca Shen ,  Christopher D. Liman ,  Boxue Chen

IPC: G01N23/20066

CPC classification number: G01N23/20066 ,  G01N2223/304 ,  G01N2223/305 ,  G01N2223/6116

Abstract: Methods and systems for estimating values of parameters of interest from X-ray scatterometry measurements with reduced computational effort are described herein. Values of parameters of interest are estimated by regression using a trained, machine learning (ML) based electromagnetic (EM) response model. A training data set includes sets of Design Of Experiments (DOE) values of parameters of interest and corresponding DOE values of a plurality of electromagnetic response metrics. In some examples, values of parameters of interest are determined from measured images based on regression using a sequence of trained ML based electromagnetic response models. In some examples, input values employed to train the ML based EM response model are scaled based on model output variation.

公开(公告)号：US20240288388A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-29

申请号：US18657427

申请日：2024-05-07

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Alexander Kuznetsov ,  Boxue Chen ,  Nikolay Artemiev

IPC: G01N23/20008 ,  G01N23/201 ,  G21K1/06 ,  G21K1/10

CPC classification number: G01N23/20008 ,  G01N23/201 ,  G21K1/062 ,  G21K1/10 ,  G01N2223/6116

Abstract: Optical elements that efficiently propagate x-ray radiation over a desired energy range and reject radiation outside the desired energy range are presented herein. In one aspect, one or more optical elements of an x-ray based system include an integrated optical filter including one or more material layers that absorb radiation having energy outside the desired energy band. In general, the integrated filter improves the optical performance of an x-ray based system by suppressing reflectivity within infrared (IR), visible (vis), ultraviolet (UV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV) portions of the spectrum, or any other undesired wavelength region. In a further aspect, one or more diffusion barrier layers prevent degradation of the integrated optical filter, prevent diffusion between the integrated optical filter and other material layers, or both. In some embodiments, the thickness of one or more material layers of an integrated optical filter vary over the spatial area of the filter.

公开(公告)号：US12025575B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-02

申请号：US17468489

申请日：2021-09-07

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Alexander Kuznetsov ,  Boxue Chen ,  Nikolay Artemiev

IPC: G01N23/20008 ,  G01N23/201 ,  G21K1/06 ,  G21K1/10

CPC classification number: G01N23/20008 ,  G01N23/201 ,  G21K1/062 ,  G21K1/10 ,  G01N2223/6116

Abstract: Optical elements that efficiently propagate x-ray radiation over a desired energy range and reject radiation outside the desired energy range are presented herein. In one aspect, one or more optical elements of an x-ray based system include an integrated optical filter including one or more material layers that absorb radiation having energy outside the desired energy band. In general, the integrated filter improves the optical performance of an x-ray based system by suppressing reflectivity within infrared (IR), visible (vis), ultraviolet (UV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV) portions of the spectrum, or any other undesired wavelength region. In a further aspect, one or more diffusion barrier layers prevent degradation of the integrated optical filter, prevent diffusion between the integrated optical filter and other material layers, or both. In some embodiments, the thickness of one or more material layers of an integrated optical filter vary over the spatial area of the filter.

公开(公告)号：US11143604B1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-12

申请号：US16841301

申请日：2020-04-06

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Alexander Kuznetsov ,  Boxue Chen ,  Nikolay Artemiev

IPC: G01N23/20008 ,  G21K1/10 ,  G01N23/201 ,  G21K1/06

Abstract: Optical elements that efficiently propagate x-ray radiation over a desired energy range and reject radiation outside the desired energy range are presented herein. In one aspect, one or more optical elements of an x-ray based system include an integrated optical filter including one or more material layers that absorb radiation having energy outside the desired energy band. In general, the integrated filter improves the optical performance of an x-ray based system by suppressing reflectivity within infrared (IR), visible (vis), ultraviolet (UV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV) portions of the spectrum, or any other undesired wavelength region. In a further aspect, one or more diffusion barrier layers prevent degradation of the integrated optical filter, prevent diffusion between the integrated optical filter and other material layers, or both. In some embodiments, the thickness of one or more material layers of an integrated optical filter vary over the spatial area of the filter.

公开(公告)号：US20250123225A1

公开(公告)日：2025-04-17

申请号：US18613874

申请日：2024-03-22

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Houssam Chouaib ,  Zhengquan Tan ,  HaoMiao Chang ,  Valeria Dimastrodonato ,  Anderson Chou ,  Boxue Chen

IPC: G01N23/2251

Abstract: An inspection system may receive first measurement data of training samples after a first process step with an in-line measurement sub-system, where the first process step is prior to fabrication of a test feature on the one or more training samples; and receive second measurement data of the test feature after a second process step, where the second process step is after fabrication of the test feature. An inspection system may determine delta metrics associated with the first and second measurement data for the test feature. An inspection system may generate a measurement model for determining metrology measurements of the test feature based on at least one of the second measurement data or the delta metrics. An inspection system may determine values of the metrology measurements for additional instances of the test feature based on at least one of the second measurement data or the delta metrics.

公开(公告)号：US20210404979A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-30

申请号：US17468489

申请日：2021-09-07

Applicant: KLA Corporation

Inventor： Alexander Kuznetsov ,  Boxue Chen ,  Nikolay Artemiev

IPC: G01N23/20008 ,  G21K1/06 ,  G21K1/10 ,  G01N23/201

Abstract: Optical elements that efficiently propagate x-ray radiation over a desired energy range and reject radiation outside the desired energy range are presented herein. In one aspect, one or more optical elements of an x-ray based system include an integrated optical filter including one or more material layers that absorb radiation having energy outside the desired energy band. In general, the integrated filter improves the optical performance of an x-ray based system by suppressing reflectivity within infrared (IR), visible (vis), ultraviolet (UV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV) portions of the spectrum, or any other undesired wavelength region. In a further aspect, one or more diffusion barrier layers prevent degradation of the integrated optical filter, prevent diffusion between the integrated optical filter and other material layers, or both. In some embodiments, the thickness of one or more material layers of an integrated optical filter vary over the spatial area of the filter.