Apparatus and methods for detecting overlay errors using...

Optics: measuring and testing – By alignment in lateral direction – With registration indicia

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Reexamination Certificate

active

10785395

ABSTRACT:
Disclosed is a method of determining an overlay error between two layers of a multiple layer sample. For each of a plurality of periodic targets target that each have a first structure formed from a first layer and a second structure formed from a second layer of the sample, a plurality of optical signals are measured at a plurality of incident angles, wherein there are predefined offsets between the first and second structures. An overlay error is then determined between the first and second structures by analyzing the measured optical signals at the plurality of incident angles from the periodic targets using a scatterometry overlay technique based on the predefined offsets without using a calibration operation.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3594085 (1971-07-01), Wilmanns
patent: 4103998 (1978-08-01), Nakazawa et al.
patent: 4167337 (1979-09-01), Jaerisch et al.
patent: 4200395 (1980-04-01), Smith et al.
patent: 4332473 (1982-06-01), Ono
patent: 4631416 (1986-12-01), Trutna, Jr.
patent: 4647207 (1987-03-01), Bjork
patent: 4703434 (1987-10-01), Brunner
patent: 4750836 (1988-06-01), Stein
patent: 4757207 (1988-07-01), Chappelow et al.
patent: 4818110 (1989-04-01), Davidson
patent: 4820055 (1989-04-01), Muller
patent: 4828392 (1989-05-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 4848911 (1989-07-01), Uchida et al.
patent: 4929083 (1990-05-01), Brunner
patent: 4999014 (1991-03-01), Gold et al.
patent: 5112129 (1992-05-01), Davidson et al.
patent: 5114235 (1992-05-01), Suda et al.
patent: 5166752 (1992-11-01), Spanier et al.
patent: 5172190 (1992-12-01), Kaiser
patent: 5182455 (1993-01-01), Muraki
patent: 5182610 (1993-01-01), Shibata
patent: 5189494 (1993-02-01), Muraki
patent: 5191393 (1993-03-01), Hignette et al.
patent: 5276337 (1994-01-01), Starikov
patent: 5316984 (1994-05-01), Leourx
patent: 5327221 (1994-07-01), Saitoh et al.
patent: 5340992 (1994-08-01), Matsugu et al.
patent: 5343292 (1994-08-01), Brueck et al.
patent: 5355306 (1994-10-01), Waldo, III
patent: 5388909 (1995-02-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5414514 (1995-05-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5416588 (1995-05-01), Ducharme et al.
patent: 5465148 (1995-11-01), Matsumoto et al.
patent: 5525840 (1996-06-01), Tominaga
patent: 5596406 (1997-01-01), Rosencwaig et al.
patent: 5596413 (1997-01-01), Stanton et al.
patent: 5608526 (1997-03-01), Pinwonka-Corle et al.
patent: 5666196 (1997-09-01), Ishii et al.
patent: 5712707 (1998-01-01), Ausschnitt et al.
patent: 5783342 (1998-07-01), Yamashita et al.
patent: 5801390 (1998-09-01), Shiraishi
patent: 5808742 (1998-09-01), Everett et al.
patent: 5883710 (1999-03-01), Nikoonahad et al.
patent: 5889593 (1999-03-01), Bareket
patent: 5909333 (1999-06-01), Best et al.
patent: 5912983 (1999-06-01), Hiratsuka
patent: 5923041 (1999-07-01), Cresswell et al.
patent: 5966201 (1999-10-01), Shiraishi et al.
patent: 6013355 (2000-01-01), Chen et al.
patent: 6023338 (2000-02-01), Bareket
patent: 6046094 (2000-04-01), Jost et al.
patent: 6077756 (2000-06-01), Lin et al.
patent: 6079256 (2000-06-01), Bareket
patent: 6081325 (2000-06-01), Leslie et al.
patent: 6128089 (2000-10-01), Ausschnitt et al.
patent: 6153886 (2000-11-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 6160622 (2000-12-01), Dirksen et al.
patent: 6165656 (2000-12-01), Tomimatu
patent: 6177330 (2001-01-01), Yasuda
patent: 6197679 (2001-03-01), Hattori
patent: 6255189 (2001-07-01), Muller et al.
patent: 6323560 (2001-11-01), Narimatsu et al.
patent: 6342735 (2002-01-01), Colelli et al.
patent: 6350548 (2002-02-01), Leidy et al.
patent: 6420791 (2002-07-01), Huang et al.
patent: 6420971 (2002-07-01), Leck et al.
patent: 6421124 (2002-07-01), Matsumoto et al.
patent: 6462818 (2002-10-01), Bareket
patent: 6476920 (2002-11-01), Scheiner et al.
patent: 6486954 (2002-11-01), Mieher et al.
patent: 6522406 (2003-02-01), Rovira et al.
patent: 6590656 (2003-07-01), Xu et al.
patent: 6611330 (2003-08-01), Lee et al.
patent: 6633831 (2003-10-01), Nikoonahad et al.
patent: 6699624 (2004-03-01), Niu et al.
patent: 6767680 (2004-07-01), Schulz
patent: 6772084 (2004-08-01), Bischoff et al.
patent: 6819426 (2004-11-01), Sezginer et al.
patent: 6919964 (2005-07-01), Chu
patent: 6949462 (2005-09-01), Yang et al.
patent: 6982793 (2006-01-01), Yang et al.
patent: 6992764 (2006-01-01), Yang et al.
patent: 7042569 (2006-05-01), Sezginer et al.
patent: 7046361 (2006-05-01), Yang et al.
patent: 7061615 (2006-06-01), Lowe-Webb
patent: 7061627 (2006-06-01), Opsal et al.
patent: 7080330 (2006-07-01), Choo et al.
patent: 2002/0054290 (2002-05-01), Vurens et al.
patent: 2002/0072001 (2002-06-01), Brown et al.
patent: 2002/0135875 (2002-09-01), Niu et al.
patent: 2002/0149782 (2002-10-01), Raymond
patent: 2002/0158193 (2002-10-01), Sezginer et al.
patent: 2002/0192577 (2002-12-01), Fay et al.
patent: 2003/0002043 (2003-01-01), Abdulhalim et al.
patent: 2003/0011786 (2003-01-01), Levy et al.
patent: 2003/0020184 (2003-01-01), Ballarin
patent: 2003/0156276 (2003-08-01), Bowes
patent: 2003/0223630 (2003-12-01), Adel et al.
patent: 2004/0129900 (2004-07-01), Den Boef et al.
patent: 2005/0012928 (2005-01-01), Sezginer et al.
patent: 2005/0122516 (2005-06-01), Sezginer et al.
patent: 2005/0157297 (2005-07-01), Abdulhalim et al.
patent: 2005/0286051 (2005-12-01), Sezginer et al.
patent: 60-126881 (1986-07-01), None
patent: 63-248804 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 11-86332 (1999-03-01), None
patent: WO/85/04266 (1985-09-01), None
patent: WO/95/02200 (1995-01-01), None
patent: WO99/45340 (1999-09-01), None
patent: WO/9956174 (1999-11-01), None
patent: WO01/84382 (2001-11-01), None
patent: WO 01/97279 (2001-12-01), None
patent: WO/0215238 (2002-02-01), None
patent: WO02/25708 (2002-03-01), None
patent: WO 02/25723 (2002-03-01), None
patent: WO/0218871 (2002-03-01), None
patent: WO 02/35300 (2002-05-01), None
patent: WO 0250509 (2002-06-01), None
patent: WO 02/065545 (2002-08-01), None
patent: WO02/065545 (2002-08-01), None
patent: WO02/069390 (2002-09-01), None
patent: WO 02/084213 (2002-10-01), None
patent: WO02/084213 (2002-10-01), None
patent: WO 03/001297 (2003-01-01), None
patent: WO03042629 (2003-05-01), None
patent: WO/03054475 (2003-07-01), None
TDB, “Phase-Sensitive Overlay Analysis Spectrometry,” IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Mar. 1990. pp. 170-174 www.delphion.com.
TDB, “Interferometric Method of Checking the Overlay Accuracy in Photolitho Graphic Exposure Processes.” IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Mar. 1990. pp. 214-217. www.delphion.com.
TDB, “Mask Overlay Determination” IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Dec. 1978, pp. 2772-2773. www.delphion.com.
TDB, “Interferometric Measurement System for Overlay Measurement in Lithographic Processes”, Feb. 1994, pp. 535-536.
Sang-Man Bae, et al., “Performance of New Overlay Measurement Mark,” 424/SPIE vol. 2725.
V.I. Arkipov, “Kinetics of the Diffraction Efficiency of Light-Induced Dynamic Gratings in Layers of Disordered Semiconductors”, Moscow Engineering-Physics Institute Submitted Feb. 14, 1992; Quantum Electron Nov. 1993. 1994 American Institute of Physics.
Joseph C. Pellegrini, et al., “Super Sparse Overlay Sampling Plans: An Evaluation of Methods and Algorithms for Optimizing Overlay Quality Control and Metrology Tool Throughput”, SPIE vol. 3677-0277-786X.
V.C. Jaiprakash and C. J. Gould, Comparison Optical, SEM, and AFM Overlay Measurement, SPIE vol. 3677-0277-786X.
Ya V. Fattakhov, “Formation of Periodic Diffraction Structures at Semiconductor Surfaces for Studying the Dynamics of Photoinduced Phase Transitions”, 0030-400X/00/8901-0136.
D.G. Papazoglou, et al., Photorefractive Optical Properties of Volume Phase Gratings Induced in Sillenite Crystals, When the Grating Vector Lies on the 111 plane, Appl. Phys. B 71, 841-848 (2000).
Kenneth W. Tobin, et al. “Automatic Classification of Spatial Signatures on Semiconductor Wafermaps,” SEMATECH, Austin, Texas. SPIE vol. 3050.
Bharath Rangarajan, et al., Optimal Sampling Strategies for sub-100 nm Overlay, APD Lithography, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, Department of Chemi

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Apparatus and methods for detecting overlay errors using... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Apparatus and methods for detecting overlay errors using..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and methods for detecting overlay errors using... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3842638

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.