Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140060148 | METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AND CORRECTING MISREGISTRATION TARGET INACCURACY - Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for calibrating a metrology tool by using proportionality factors. The proportionality factors may be obtained by measuring a substrate under different measurement conditions. Then calculating the measured metrology value and one or more quality merits. From this information, proportionality factors may be determined. Thereafter the proportionality factors may be used to quantify the inaccuracy in a metrology measurement. The proportionality factors may also be used to determine an optimize measurement recipe. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. | 03-06-2014 |
20140065736 | DEVICE CORRELATED METROLOGY (DCM) FOR OVL WITH EMBEDDED SEM STRUCTURE OVERLAY TARGETS - Aspects of the present disclosure describe a target for use in measuring a relative position between two substantially coplanar layers of a device. The target includes periodic structures in first and second layers. Differences in relative position of the first and the second layers between the first and second periodic structures and the respective device-like structure can be measured to correct the relative position of the first and the second layers between the first and second periodic structures. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. | 03-06-2014 |
20140136137 | METROLOGY TARGET CHARACTERIZATION - 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. | 05-15-2014 |
20140139815 | IN-SITU METROLOGY - Metrology methods and systems are provided, which measure metrology targets during the exposure stage using reflected or diffracted exposure illumination or additional simultaneous illumination having longer wavelengths than the exposure illumination, The metrology measurements are used to correct the lithographic process in a short loop, enabling realtime and even predictive error correction, The metrology methods, tools and systems also include defect detection during the exposure stage. | 05-22-2014 |
20140307256 | PROCESS COMPATIBLE SEGMENTED TARGETS AND DESIGN METHODS - Methods of designing metrology targets are provided, which comprise distinguishing target elements from their background area by segmenting the background area and optionally segmenting the target elements. The provided metrology targets may maintain a required feature size when measured yet be finely segmented to achieve process and design rules compatibility which results in higher accuracy of the metrology measurements. Particularly, all transitions between target features and adjacent background features may be designed to maintain a feature size of the features below a certain threshold. | 10-16-2014 |
20140351771 | SCATTEROMETRY OVERLAY METROLOGY TARGETS AND METHODS - Scatterometry overlay (SCOL) targets as well as design, production and measurement methods thereof are provided. The SCOL targets have several periodic structures at different measurement directions which share some of their structural target elements or parts thereof. An array of common elements may have symmetry directions which are parallel to the measurement directions and thus enable compacting the targets or alternatively increasing the area use efficiency of the targets. Various configurations enable high flexibility in arranging the number of layers in the target and measurement directions, and carrying out respective overlay measurements among the layers. | 11-27-2014 |
20150153268 | MULTI-LAYERED TARGET DESIGN - Multi-layered targets, design files and design and production methods thereof are provided. The multi-layered targets comprise process layers arranged to have parallel segmentation features at specified regions, and target layer comprising target elements which are perpendicular to the parallel segmentation features of the process layers at the specified regions. | 06-04-2015 |
20150242558 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DIRECT SELF ASSEMBLY IN TARGET DESIGN AND PRODUCTION - Target designs methods and targets are provided, in which at least some of the differentiation between target elements and their background is carried out by segmenting either of them. Directed self-assembly (DSA) processes are used to generate fine segmentation, and various characteristics of the polymer lines and their guiding lines are used to differentiate target elements from their background. Target designs and design principles are disclosed in relation to the DSA process, as well as optimization of the DSA process to yield high metrology measurement accuracy in face of production inaccuracies. Furthermore, designs and methods are provided for enhancing and using ordered regions of a DSA-produced polymer surface as target elements and as hard masks for production processes. The targets and methods may be configured to enable metrology measurements using polarized light to distinguish target elements or DSA features. | 08-27-2015 |