Optics: measuring and testing – By alignment in lateral direction – With registration indicia
Reexamination Certificate
2008-01-08
2008-01-08
Toatley, Jr., Gregory J. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
By alignment in lateral direction
With registration indicia
C356S369000, C356S445000
Reexamination Certificate
active
10729838
ABSTRACT:
Disclosed are techniques, apparatus, and targets for determining overlay error between two layers of a sample. In one embodiment, a method for determining overlay between a plurality of first structures in a first layer of a sample and a plurality of second structures in a second layer of the sample is disclosed. Targets A, B, C and D that each include a portion of the first and second structures are provided. Target A is designed to have an offset Xa between its first and second structures portions; target B is designed to have an offset Xb between its first and second structures portions; target C is designed to have an offset Xc between its first and second structures portions; and target D is designed to have an offset Xd between its first and second structures portions. Each of the offsets Xa, Xb, Xc and Xd is preferably different from zero; Xa is an opposite sign and differ from Xb; and Xc is an opposite sign and differs from Xd. The targets A, B, C and D are illuminated with electromagnetic radiation to obtain spectra SA, SB, SC, and SDfrom targets A, B, C, and D, respectively. Any overlay error between the first structures and the second structures is then determined using a linear approximation based on the obtained spectra SA, SB, SC, and SD.
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
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: 5805290 (1998-09-01), Ausschnitt et al.
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: 6713753 (2004-03-01), Rovira et al.
patent: 6767680 (2004-07-01), Schulz
patent: 6772084 (2004-08-01), Bischoff et al.
patent: 6813034 (2004-11-01), Rosencwaig et al.
patent: 6819426 (2004-11-01), Sezginer et al.
patent: 6888632 (2005-05-01), Smith
patent: 6900892 (2005-05-01), Shchegrov 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: 2002/0093648 (2002-07-01), Nikoonahad 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: WO 99/45340 (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, “Mask Overlay Determination,” IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Dec. 1978, pp. 2772-2773. www.delphion.com.
Kim, Young-Chang et al., “Automatic In-Situ Focus Monitor Using Line Shortening Effect,” Journal: Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 3677, pt. 1-2, pp. 184-193.
Sherman, Enrique R., “Characterization and Monitoring of Variable NA and Variable Coherence Capable Photo Steppers Utilizing the Phase Shift Focus Monitor Reticle,” Journal: Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 2439, pp. 61-69.
Bischoff, Jorg et al., “Modeling of Optical Scatterometry with Finite-Number-of-Periods Grating,” Journal: Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 3743, pp. 41-48.
Uchida, Norio et al., “A Mask to Wafer Alignment and Gap Setting Method for X-Ray Lithography Using Gratings,” Journal: Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, vol. 9, No. 6, pp. 3202-3206.
Ina, Hidecki et al., “Alignment Mark Optimization to Reduce Tool and Wafer-induced Shift for XTRA-1000,” Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 38, No. 12B, pp. 7065-7070.
Baumbach, T. et al., “Grazing Incidence Diffraction by Laterally Patterned S
Adel Michael
Bareket Noah
Bevis Christopher F.
Dececco Paola
Dziura Thaddeus G.
Beyer & Weaver, LLP
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
Stock, Jr. Gordon J.
Toatley , Jr. Gregory J.
LandOfFree
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.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3953138