Kla Tencor Corporation

Antonio Mani

Amnon Manassen

Andrei V Shchegrov

Stilian Pandev

Allen Park

Liran Yerushalmi

Andrew Cross

Kaushik Sah

Choon Hoong Hoo

Fangren Ji

Jon Madsen

Martin Plihal

Brian Duffy

Mike VonDenHoff

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.

Measurement of overlay error using device inspection system

Methods and systems fir identifying nuisances and defects of interest (DOIs) in defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes acquiring metrology data for the wafer generated by a metrology tool that performs measurements on the wafer at an array of measurement points. In one embodiment, the measurement points are determined prior to detecting the defects on the wafer and independently of the defects detected on the wafer. The method also includes determining locations of defects detected on the wafer with respect to locations of the measurement points on the wafer and assigning metrology data to the defects as a defect attribute based on the locations of the defects determined with respect to the locations of the measurement points. In addition, the method includes determining if the defects are nuisances or DOIs based on the defect attributes assigned to the defects.

Identifying nuisances and defects of interest in defects detected on a wafer

Information from metrology tools can be used during inspection or review with a scanning electron microscope. Metrology measurements of a wafer are interpolated and/or extrapolated over a field, which creates modified metrology data. The modified metrology data is associated with defect attributes from inspection measurements of a wafer. A wafer review sampling plan is generated based on the defect attributes and the modified metrology data. The wafer review sampling plan can be used during review of a wafer using the scanning electron microscope.

Metrology guided inspection sample shaping of optical inspection results

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Leuven, Belgium

Antonio Mani