Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Kla Corporation

Daniel C Wack

Ady Levy

Mehrdad Nikoonahad

Guoheng Zhao

Noah Bareket

Anatoly Fabrikant

Andrei V Shchegrov

Walter Dean Mieher

Edward R Ratner

Andrei Veldman

Oleg Khodykin

Frank Chilese

John Fielden

John Josef Hench

Damon Floyd Kvamme

Daimian Wang

Yanwei Liu

Gildardo Rios Delgado

Alexander Bykanov

Rui-Fang Shi

Ted Dziura

Shankar Krishnan

Leonid Poslavsky

Rudy Flores Garcia

Steven Russel Spielman

Michael Friedmann

Alexander Kuznetsov

Tao-Yi Fu

Leonard Elliott Klebanoff

James P McGuire, Jr

Kevin A Peterlinz

Guorong Vera Zhuang

David Alles

John Rice Rogers

Xin Ye

John R Torczynski

Pradeep Subrahmanyan

Layton Hale

Nikolay Artemiev

John Michael Rodgers

Prateek Jain

Brian Ahr

Zefram Marks

Joseph Walsh

Haifeng Huang

Karl R Umstadter

Michael J Wright

Li Wang

Larissa Juschkin

Konstantin Tsigutkin

Douglas Fowler

Ed Ma

Yaoming Shi

Anatloy Fabrikant

Sseunhyeun Jo

Michael Wright

An optical characterization system is disclosed. The optical characterization system may comprise a synchrotron source, an optical characterization sub-system, and a sensor configured to receive a projected image from a set of imaging optics. The optical characterization sub-system may include at least the set of illumination optics, a set of imaging optics, and a diffractive optical element, a temporal modulator or an optical waveguide configured to match an etendue of a light beam output by the synchrotron source to the set of illumination optics. A method of matching the etendue of a light beam is also disclosed.

Optical etendue matching methods for extreme ultraviolet metrology

An acousto-optic modulator (AOM) laser frequency shifter system includes a laser configured to generate an incident beam, a first optical splitter optically coupled to the laser and configured to split the incident beam into at least one portion of the incident beam, at least one phase-shift channel optically coupled to the first optical splitter and configured to generate at least one frequency-shifted beam with an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) from the at least one portion of the incident beam received from the first optical splitter, and a second optical splitter configured to receive the at least one frequency-shifted beam from the at least one phase-shift channel and configured to direct the at least one frequency-shifted beam to an interferometer configured to acquire an interferogram of a sample with the at least one frequency-shifted beam.

Fast phase-shift interferometry by laser frequency shift

Methods and systems for performing measurements of semiconductor structures based on high-brightness, polychromatic, reflective small angle x-ray scatterometry (RSAXS) metrology are presented herein. RSAXS measurements are performed over a range of wavelengths, angles of incidence, and azimuth angles with small illumination beam spot size, simultaneously or sequentially. In some embodiments, RSAXS measurements are performed with x-ray radiation in the soft x-ray (SXR) region at grazing angles of incidence in the range of 5-20 degrees. In some embodiments, the x-ray illumination source size is 10 micrometers or less, and focusing optics project the source area onto a wafer with a demagnification factor of 0.2 or less, enabling an incident x-ray illumination spot size of less than two micrometers. In another aspect, active focusing optics project programmed ranges of illumination wavelengths, angles of incidence, and azimuth angles, or any combination thereof, onto a metrology area, either simultaneously or sequentially.

Methods and systems for semiconductor metrology based on polychromatic soft X-Ray diffraction

An inspection system includes an illumination source configured to generate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, illumination optics to direct the EUV light to a sample within a range of off-axis incidence angles corresponding to an illumination pupil distribution, collection optics to collect light from the sample in response to the incident EUV light within a range of collection angles corresponding to an imaging pupil distribution, and a detector configured to receive at least a portion of the light collected by the collection optics. Further, a center of the illumination pupil distribution corresponds to an off-axis incidence angle along a first direction on the sample, and at least one of the illumination pupil distribution or the imaging pupil distribution is non-circular with a size along the first direction shorter than along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Inspection system with non-circular pupil

Methods and systems for performing in-situ, selective spectral reflectometry (SSR) measurements of semiconductor structures disposed on a wafer are presented herein. Illumination light reflected from a wafer surface is spatially imaged. Signals from selected regions of the image are collected and spectrally analyzed, while other portions of the image are discarded. In some embodiments, a SSR includes a dynamic mirror array (DMA) disposed in the optical path at or near a field plane conjugate to the surface of the semiconductor wafer under measurement. The DMA selectively blocks the undesired portion of wafer image. In other embodiments, a SSR includes a hyperspectral imaging system including a plurality of spectrometers each configured to collect light from a spatially distinct area of a field image conjugate to the wafer surface. Selected spectral signals associated with desired regions of the wafer image are selected for analysis.

Spectral reflectometry for in-situ process monitoring and control

An apparatus for contaminant control, having: a first optical assembly including: a first light homogenizer tunnel with: a first end connected to an extreme ultra-violet light source, a second end in communication with a destination chamber, a first enclosed space, and, a first gas input arranged to introduce a first gas such that the first gas flows in a first direction toward the first end and in a second direction toward the second end. The apparatus alternately having: a second optical assembly including: a second light homogenizer tunnel with: a third end connected to an extreme ultra-violet light source, a fourth end in communication with a destination chamber, a second enclosed space, a diffusion barrier tube including: a fifth end facing the fourth end and a sixth end in communication with a destination chamber, and a second gas input between the second light homogenizer tunnel and the diffusion tube.

Particle and chemical control using tunnel flow

Methods and systems for source multiplexing illumination for mask inspection are disclosed. Such illumination systems enable EUV sources of small brightness to be used for EUV mask defect inspection at nodes below the 22 nm. Utilizing the multiple plane or conic mirrors that are either attached to a continuously rotating base with different angles or individually rotating to position for each pulse, the reflected beams may be directed through a common optical path. The light may then be focused by a condenser to an EUV mask. The reflected and scattered light from the mask may then be imaged by some imaging optics onto some sensors. The mask image may be subsequently processed for defect information.

Source multiplexing illumination for mask inspection

An EUV light source includes a rotatable, cylindrically-symmetric element having a surface coated with a plasma-forming target material, a drive laser source configured to generate one or more laser pulses sufficient to generate EUV light via formation of a plasma by excitation of the plasma-forming target material, a set of focusing optics configured to focus the one or more laser pulses onto the surface of the rotatable, cylindrically-symmetric element, a set of collection optics configured to receive EUV light emanated from the generated plasma and further configured to direct the illumination to an intermediate focal point, and a gas management system including a gas supply subsystem configured to supply plasma-forming target material to the surface of the rotatable, cylindrically-symmetric element.

System and method for generation of extreme ultraviolet light

A method and apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light is disclosed. The method may comprise non-thermally ablating a target material utilizing a first laser beam. The first laser beam may be configured for ejecting a portion of the target material in a non-thermal manner to create a plume. The method may further comprise irradiating the plume utilizing a second laser beam to produce a high-temperature plasma for EUV radiation.

Laser-produced plasma EUV source with reduced debris generation utilizing predetermined non-thermal laser ablation

An apparatus for generating extreme ultra-violet (EUV) light, including a drive laser arranged to produce a laser pulse, a vacuum chamber, a set of focusing optics arranged to focus the laser pulse produced by the drive laser onto a target spot within the vacuum chamber, a target material generator arranged to deliver a series of droplets of a target material to the target spot by modulating a flow velocity of a supply of the target material through a nozzle tip and thereby inducing a formation process of the series of droplets which series of droplets from the nozzle tip are expelled through a triple point chamber, and a set of collector optics arranged to focus a quantity of EUV light generated when a droplet of the series of drople of the target material is exposed to the laser pulse at the target spot onto an intermediate focus spot.

EUV light source using cryogenic droplet targets in mask inspection

An apparatus comprises an optics assembly and a plate. The optics assembly configured to focus light from an EUV source onto a reticle or sensor. The plate has an opening to allow the EUV light to pass through disposed between the optics assembly and the reticle or sensor. The plate is cooled to a temperature less than that of the reticle or sensor. The plate is engineered to balance out heat absorbed from the reticle or sensor with heat absorbed by the plate. 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.

Temperature control in EUV reticle inspection tool

Spectral Purity Filters, or SPFs, are disclosed. Such SPFs are designed to block out the 1030 nm drive laser and other undesired out of band light in a EUV mask inspection system. Different phase grating configurations for near normal incidence and grazing incidence are provided in the present disclosure and are configured specifically for EUV mask inspection.

Phase grating for mask inspection system

A compact synchrotron radiation source includes an electron beam generator, an electron storage ring, one or more wiggler insertion devices disposed along one or more straight sections of the electron storage ring, the one or more wiggler insertion devices including a set of magnetic poles configured to generate a periodic alternating magnetic field suitable for producing synchrotron radiation emitted along the direction of travel of the electrons of the storage ring, wherein the one or more wiggler insertion devices are arranged to provide light to a set of illumination optics of a wafer optical characterization system or a mask optical characterization system, wherein the etendue of a light beam emitted by the one or more wiggler insertion devices is matched to the illumination optics of the at least one of a wafer optical characterization system and the mask optical characterization system.

Optical characterization systems employing compact synchrotron radiation sources

The present disclosure is directed to an illumination system. The illumination system may include a base member rotatable about a rotation axis and a plurality of mirrors disposed on an outer surface of the base member along a perimeter of the base member. The mirrors may be oriented at a predetermined angle. The illumination system also includes at least two illumination sources. Each of the mirrors of the first plurality of mirrors is configured to receive radiation from the first illumination source at a first portion of each mirror at a first time. The mirror is configured to reflect the radiation to an optical path. Each of the mirrors is further configured to receive radiation from the second illumination source at a second portion of the mirror at a second time. The mirrors reflect the radiation from the second illumination source to the common optical path.

Multiplexing EUV sources in reticle inspection

One embodiment relates to an apparatus that includes an illumination source () for illuminating a target substrate (), objective optics () for projecting the EUV light which is reflected from the target substrate, and a sensor () for detecting the projected EUV light. The objective optics includes a first mirror (, or) which is arranged to receive and reflect the EUV light which is reflected from the target substrate, a second mirror (, or) which is arranged to receive and reflect the EUV light which is reflected by the first mirror, a third mirror (, or) which is arranged to receive and reflect the EUV light which is reflected by the second mirror, and a fourth mirror (, or) which is arranged to receive and reflect the EUV light which is reflected by the third mirror.

Apparatus for EUV imaging and methods of using same

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos Hills, CA, United States of America

Daniel C Wack