Measuring an alignment target with multiple polarization states

Details Measuring an alignment target with multiple polarization states Measuring an alignment target with multiple polarization states

2005-09-27

2005-09-27

Blum, David S. (Department: 2813)

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process

Coating with electrically or thermally conductive material

To form ohmic contact to semiconductive material

Reexamination Certificate

active

06949462

ABSTRACT:
An alignment target includes periodic patterns on two elements. The periodic patterns are aligned when the two elements are properly aligned. By measuring the two periodic patterns at multiple polarization states and comparing the resulting intensities of the polarization states, it can be determined if the two elements are aligned. A reference measurement location may be used that includes third periodic pattern on the first element and a fourth periodic pattern on the second element, which have a designed in offset, i.e., an offset when there is an offset of a known magnitude when the first and second element are properly aligned. The reference measurement location is measured at two polarization states. The difference in the intensities of the polarization states at reference measurement location and is used to determine the amount of the alignment error.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4141780 (1979-02-01), Kleinknecht et al.
patent: 4172664 (1979-10-01), Charsky et al.
patent: 4408884 (1983-10-01), Kleinknecht et al.
patent: 4555767 (1985-11-01), Case et al.
patent: 4593368 (1986-06-01), Fridge et al.
patent: 4672196 (1987-06-01), Canino
patent: 4707610 (1987-11-01), Lindow et al.
patent: 4748335 (1988-05-01), Lindow et al.
patent: 5007708 (1991-04-01), Gaylord et al.
patent: 5035770 (1991-07-01), Braun
patent: 5042949 (1991-08-01), Greenberg et al.
patent: 5042951 (1991-08-01), Gold et al.
patent: 5045704 (1991-09-01), Coates
patent: 5164790 (1992-11-01), McNeil et al.
patent: 5191216 (1993-03-01), Henderson et al.
patent: 5214492 (1993-05-01), LoBianco et al.
patent: 5216257 (1993-06-01), Brueck et al.
patent: 5216680 (1993-06-01), Magnusson et al.
patent: 5307152 (1994-04-01), Boehnlein et al.
patent: 5337146 (1994-08-01), Azzam
patent: 5349440 (1994-09-01), DeGroot
patent: RE34783 (1994-11-01), Coates
patent: 5363171 (1994-11-01), Mack
patent: 5555474 (1996-09-01), Ledger
patent: 5559601 (1996-09-01), Gallatin et al.
patent: 5596406 (1997-01-01), Rosenewaig et al.
patent: 5607800 (1997-03-01), Ziger
patent: 5646730 (1997-07-01), Mitchell et al.
patent: 5739909 (1998-04-01), Blayo et al.
patent: 5747813 (1998-05-01), Norton et al.
patent: 5805290 (1998-09-01), Ausschnitt et al.
patent: 5808742 (1998-09-01), Everett et al.
patent: 5841139 (1998-11-01), Sostek et al.
patent: 5867276 (1999-02-01), McNeil et al.
patent: 5880838 (1999-03-01), Marx et al.
patent: 5889593 (1999-03-01), Bareket
patent: 5900633 (1999-05-01), Solomon et al.
patent: 5963329 (1999-10-01), Conrad et al.
patent: 5969819 (1999-10-01), Wang
patent: 6031614 (2000-02-01), Michaelis et al.
patent: 6077756 (2000-06-01), Lin et al.
patent: 6084712 (2000-07-01), Harding
patent: 6097488 (2000-08-01), Grek et al.
patent: 6100985 (2000-08-01), Scheiner et al.
patent: 6130750 (2000-10-01), Ausschnitt et al.
patent: 6281974 (2001-08-01), Scheiner et al.
patent: 6366861 (2002-04-01), Waldhauer et al.
patent: 6407396 (2002-06-01), Mih et al.
patent: 6429930 (2002-08-01), Littaue et al.
patent: 6429943 (2002-08-01), Opsal et al.
patent: 6433878 (2002-08-01), Niu et al.
patent: 6458605 (2002-10-01), Stirton
patent: 6476920 (2002-11-01), Scheiner et al.
patent: 6483580 (2002-11-01), Xu et al.
patent: 6556947 (2003-04-01), Scheiner et al.
patent: 2002/0018217 (2002-02-01), Weber-Grabau et al.
patent: 2002/0024669 (2002-02-01), Danner et al.
patent: 2002/0033945 (2002-03-01), Xu et al.
patent: 2002/0033954 (2002-03-01), Niu et al.
patent: 2002/0035455 (2002-03-01), Niu et al.
patent: 2002/0038196 (2002-03-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 2002/0051564 (2002-05-01), Benesh et al.
patent: 2002/0105646 (2002-08-01), Zhao et al.
patent: 2002/0113966 (2002-08-01), Shchegrov 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: 2003/0002043 (2003-01-01), Abdulhalim et al.
patent: 2003/0042579 (2003-03-01), Schulz
patent: 2003/0043372 (2003-03-01), Schulz
patent: 2003/0043375 (2003-03-01), Opsal
patent: 2003/0044702 (2003-03-01), Schulz
patent: 2003/0160163 (2003-08-01), Wong et al.
patent: 2003/0169423 (2003-09-01), Finarov et al.
patent: 2003/0223630 (2003-12-01), Adel et al.
patent: 2004/0101983 (2004-05-01), Jones et al.
patent: 0 402 191 (1990-12-01), None
patent: 0 402 191 (1990-12-01), None
patent: 0 601 580 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 1 037 012 (2000-09-01), None
patent: 0225038 (1984-12-01), None
patent: 11-211421 (1999-08-01), None
patent: 11-211422 (1999-08-01), None
patent: 1747877 (1992-07-01), None
patent: WO 99/45340 (1999-09-01), None
patent: WO 01/84382 (2001-11-01), None
patent: WO 02/25723 (2002-03-01), None
patent: WO 02/27288 (2002-04-01), None
patent: WO 02/50501 (2002-06-01), None
patent: WO 02/065545 (2002-08-01), None
patent: WO 02/069390 (2002-09-01), None
patent: WO 02/079760 (2002-10-01), None
patent: WO 02/084213 (2002-10-01), None
patent: WO 03/071471 (2003-08-01), None
patent: WO 2004/008068 (2004-01-01), None
The Cassell Dictionary of Physics Wellington House 1988 p. 138.
Bischoff, J. et al., “Light Diffraction Based Overlay Measurement”Proceedings of SPIE,vol. 4344 (2001) pp. 222-233.
Michaelis, A. et al., “Spectroscopic Anisotropy Micro-Ellipsometry (SAME) for determiation of lateral and vertical dimensions of sub-micron lithographic structures” IEEE Catalog No. 99TH8453 (1999) pp. 131-134.
NanoWave:Technology/development tools, http://www.nanowave.com/technology_applications/tech_devtoolsPR.html, 2 pages, downloaded Apr. 9, 2002.
Nanowave:Technology/how it works, http://www.nanowave.com/technology_applications/tech_HIWPR.html, 3 pages, downloaded Apr. 9, 2002.
NanoWave:Technology/product design, http://www.nanowave.com/technology_applications/tech_designPR.html, 4 pages, downloaded Apr. 9, 2002.
“A Diffraction Grating Analysis Tool”, downloaded May 7, 2001 from <http://www.gsolver.com/gsprod.html>, Grating Solve Development Co. (1999).
Ahmed, S., et al., “Comparison of beam propagation method and rigorous coupled-wave analysis for single and multiplexed volume gratings”, Applied Optics, vol. 35, No. 22, Aug. 1, 1996, pp. 4426-4435.
Allgair, J. et al., “Implementation of Spectroscopic Critical Dimension (SCDTM) for Gate CD Control and Stepper Characterization”,Proceedings of SPIE,vol. 4344 (2001), pp. 462-471.
Azzam, R. et al., “Ellipsometry And Polarized Light”Elsevier Science Publishers(1977, 1987) pp. 476-481.
Bao, G. et al., “Mathematical studies in rigorous grating theory”,J. Opt. Soc. Am. A,vol. 12, No. 5 (1995), pp. 1029-1042.
Bao, G. et al., “Modeling and Optimal Design of Diffractive Optical Structures”, pp. 1-27. (The correct site is Survey on Industrial Math. 8 (1998), 37-62).
Benson, T. et al., “In-situ Spectroscopic Reflectometry for Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Etch Rate Determination During Reactive Ion Etching”, Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science an the Center for Display Technology & Manufacturing, University of Michigan, pp. 1-34.
Bischoff J. et al., “Modeling of optical scatterometry with finite-number-of-periods gratings”,SPIEvol. 3743 (1999) pp. 41-46.
Bischoff, J. et al., “Single feature metrology by means of light scatter analysis”,SPIEvol. 3050 (1997) pp. 574-589.
Bishop, K. P. et al., “Grating line shape characterization using scatterometry”,SPIE,vol. 1545 (1991) pp. 64-73.
Bishop, K. P. et al., “Use of scatterometry for resist process control”,Proc. SPIE—Int. Soc. Opt. Eng.,vol. 1673 (1992) pp. 441-452.
Bosenberg, W. et al., “Linewidth Measurement on IC Wafers by Diffraction from Grating Test Patterns”,Solid State Technology,vol. 26, No. 7 (1983) pp. 79-85.
Brauer, R. et al., “Eletromagnetic diffraction analysis of two-dimensional gratings”, Optics Communications, vol. 100 (1993) pp. 1-5.
Chang, N. Y., et al., “Algorithm based on rigorous coupled-wave analysis for diffractive optical element design”, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Measuring an alignment target with multiple polarization states does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Measuring an alignment target with multiple polarization states, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Measuring an alignment target with multiple polarization states will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3415324