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.

公开(公告)号：US10943838B2

公开(公告)日：2021-03-09

申请号：US16072657

申请日：2018-06-24

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 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F30/39 ,  G06F119/18

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：US20180299791A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-18

申请号：US15568304

申请日：2017-08-21

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Eran Amit ,  Roie Volkovich ,  Liran Yerushalmi

IPC: G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70491 ,  G03F7/70525 ,  G03F7/70533 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70991

Abstract: Lithography systems and methods are provided with enhanced performance based on broader utilization of the integrated metrology tool in the printing tool to handle the metrology measurements in the system in a more sophisticated and optimized way. Additional operation channels are disclosed, enabling the integrated metrology tool to monitor and/or allocate metrology measurements thereby and by a standalone metrology tool with respect to specified temporal limitations of the printing tool; to adjust and optimize the metrology measurement recipes; to provide better process control to optimize process parameters of the printing tool; as well as to group process parameters of the printing tool according to a metrology measurements landscape.

公开(公告)号：US20160131983A1

公开(公告)日：2016-05-12

申请号：US15002129

申请日：2016-01-20

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Tsachy Holovinger ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  David Tien ,  DongSub Choi

IPC: G03F9/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70633 ,  G03F9/7003 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20

Abstract: Methods and corresponding metrology modules and systems, which measure metrology parameter(s) of a previous layer of a metrology target and/or an alignment mark, prior to producing a current layer of the metrology target, derive merit figure(s) from the measured metrology parameter(s) to indicate an inaccuracy, and compensate for the inaccuracy to enhance subsequent overlay measurements of the metrology target. In an example embodiment, methods and corresponding metrology modules and systems use stand-alone metrology tool(s) and track-integrated metrology tool(s) at distinct measurement patterns to address separately different aspects of variation among wafers.

Abstract translation: 在产生计量目标的当前层之前测量计量学目标和/或对准标记的先前层的测量参数的方法和相应的计量模块和系统从测量的目标层导出优点图 测量参数，以指示不准确性，并补偿不准确度以增强计量目标的后续叠加测量。 在示例实施例中，方法和对应的度量模块和系统使用独立的测量工具和轨道集成度量工具以不同的测量模式分别解决不同晶片之间变化的方面。

公开(公告)号：US20220199437A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-23

申请号：US17688856

申请日：2022-03-07

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Roie Volkovich ,  Renan Milo ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  Moran Zaberchik ,  Yoel Feler ,  David Izraeli

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  G05B19/418

Abstract: A method for measurement of misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers, the method including measuring misregistration between layers of a semiconductor device wafer at a first instance and providing a first misregistration indication, measuring misregistration between layers of a semiconductor device wafer at a second instance and providing a second misregistration indication, providing a misregistration measurement difference output in response to a difference between the first misregistration indication and the second misregistration indication, providing a baseline difference output and ameliorating the difference between the misregistration measurement difference output and the baseline difference output.

公开(公告)号：US20200312687A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-01

申请号：US16467968

申请日：2019-05-06

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Roie Volkovich ,  Renan Milo ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  Moran Zaberchik ,  Yoel Feler ,  David Izraeli

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  G05B19/418

Abstract: A method for measurement of misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers, the method including measuring misregistration between layers of a semiconductor device wafer at a first instance and providing a first misregistration indication, measuring misregistration between layers of a semiconductor device wafer at a second instance and providing a second misregistration indication, providing a misregistration measurement difference output in response to a difference between the first misregistration indication and the second misregistration indication, providing a baseline difference output and ameliorating the difference between the misregistration measurement difference output and the baseline difference output.

公开(公告)号：US10725385B2

公开(公告)日：2020-07-28

申请号：US16101057

申请日：2018-08-10

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Tsachy Holovinger ,  Liran Yerushalmi ,  David Tien ,  DongSub Choi

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G03F9/00

Abstract: A method may include, but is not limited to, receiving a measurement including a metrology parameter for a layer of a metrology target and an alignment mark from an overlay metrology tool prior to a lithography process; deriving a merit figure from the metrology parameter and the alignment mark; deriving a correction factor from the merit figure; providing the correction factor to the lithography process via a feed forward process; receiving an additional measurement including an additional metrology parameter for the layer and an additional layer from an additional overlay metrology tool after the lithography process; deriving an adjustment from the additional metrology parameter; and providing the adjustment to the lithography process via a feedback process.

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：US11054752B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-06

申请号：US16102424

申请日：2018-08-13

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Eran Amit ,  Daniel Kandel ,  Dror Alumot ,  Amit Shaked ,  Liran Yerushalmi

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L27/02 ,  H01L27/092

Abstract: An overlay metrology system includes one or more processors coupled to an illumination source to direct illumination to a sample and a detector to capture diffracted orders of radiation from the sample. The system may generate overlay sensitivity calibration parameters based on differential measurements of a calibration target including two overlay target cells on the sample, where first-layer target elements and second-layer target elements of the overlay target cells are distributed with a common pitch along a measurement direction and are misregistered with a selected offset value in opposite directions. The system may further determine overlay measurements based on differential measurements of additional overlay target cells with two wavelengths, where first-layer target elements and second-layer target elements of the additional overlay target cells are distributed with the common pitch and are formed to overlap symmetrically. The system may further adjust the overlay measurements with the overlay sensitivity calibration parameters.

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.