Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Motionize Israel Ltd.

Other

Eran Amit

Nuriel Amir

Amnon Manassen

Roie Volkovich

Vladimir Levinski

Daniel Kandel

Liran Yerushalmi

Raviv Yohanan

Amit Shaked

Nadav Gutman

Michael E Adel

Einat Peled

Andrew V Hill

Mark Davis Smith

Barak Bringoltz

Guy Cohen

Barry Loevsky

Dana Klein

Myungjun Lee

Tal Itzkovich

Yuval Lamhot

Dror Alumot

Noga Sella

Amir Zviran

Steve Barrett

Wei-Te Cheng

Mark Ghinovker

Zeev Bomzon

Noam Sapiens

Yuri Paskover

Mark Wagner

Frank Laske

Amir Widmann

Alexander Svizher

Stefan Eyring

Tal Marciano

DongSub Choi

Ulrich Pohlmann

Tzahi Grunzweig

Boris Efraty

Mengmeng Ye

Hari Pathangi

Moran Zaberchik

Nimrod Shuall

Vincent Immer

Ido Adam

Moran Gad

Eitan Herzel

Irina Vakshtein

Naomi Ittah

Shai Rosenblit

Alex Shulman

Vladimir Kamenetsky

Thomas Heidrich

Yoav Wegrzyn

Hilit Maayan

Eyal Drori

Metrology methods, modules and targets are provided, for measuring tilted device designs. The methods analyze and optimize target design with respect to the relation of the Zernike sensitivity of pattern placement errors (PPEs) between target candidates and device designs. Monte Carlo methods may be applied to enhance the robustness of the selected target candidates to variation in lens aberration and/or in device designs. Moreover, considerations are provided for modifying target parameters judiciously with respect to the Zernike sensitivities to improve metrology measurement quality and reduce inaccuracies.

Metrology target design for tilted device designs

A computerized method performed by a processor, an apparatus and a computer program product the method comprising: receiving a model associating motion parameters of an action performed by a subject with a score, the model based at least partially on data obtained in a controlled environment while performing a task on a first time period; determining action parameters during motion of the subject within an uncontrolled environment on a second time period; and providing the action parameters to the model, to obtain an assessment of an expected score for the subject performance of the task as would be performed by the subject in the controlled environment.

Method and system for assessing performance

Metrology targets, production processes and optical systems are provided, which enable metrology of device-like targets. Supplementary structure(s) may be introduced in the target to interact optically with the bottom layer and/or with the top layer of the target and target cells configurations enable deriving measurements of device-characteristic features. For example, supplementary structure(s) may be designed to yield Moir&#xe9; patterns with one or both layers, and metrology parameters may be derived from these patterns. Device production processes were adapted to enable production of corresponding targets, which may be measured by standard or by provided modified optical systems, configured to enable phase measurements of the Moir&#xe9; patterns.

Device-like metrology targets

The present invention may include acquiring a plurality of overlay metrology measurement signals from a plurality of metrology targets distributed across one or more fields of a wafer of a lot of wafers, determining a plurality of overlay estimates for each of the plurality of overlay metrology measurement signals using a plurality of overlay algorithms, generating a plurality of overlay estimate distributions, and generating a first plurality of quality metrics utilizing the generated plurality of overlay estimate distributions, wherein each quality metric corresponds with one overlay estimate distribution of the generated plurality of overlay estimate distributions, each quality metric a function of a width of a corresponding generated overlay estimate distribution, each quality metric further being a function of asymmetry present in an overlay metrology measurement signal from an associated metrology target.

Method and system for providing a quality metric for improved process control

Metrology methods and targets are provided, that expand metrological procedures beyond current technologies into multi-layered targets, quasi-periodic targets and device-like targets, without having to introduce offsets along the critical direction of the device design. Machine learning algorithm application to measurements and/or simulations of metrology measurements of metrology targets are disclosed for deriving metrology data such as overlays from multi-layered target and corresponding configurations of targets are provided to enable such measurements. Quasi-periodic targets which are based on device patterns are shown to improve the similarity between target and device designs. Offsets are introduced only in non-critical direction and/or sensitivity is calibrated to enable, together with the solutions for multi-layer measurements and quasi-periodic target measurements, direct device optical metrology measurements.

Machine learning in metrology measurements

A method of determining overlay ('OVL') in a pattern in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing process comprises capturing images from a cell in a metrology target formed in at least two different layers in the wafer with parts of the target offset in opposing directions with respect to corresponding parts in a different layer. The images may be captured using radiation of multiple different wavelengths, each image including +1 and &#x2212;1 diffraction patterns. A first and second differential signal may be determined for respective pixels in each image by subtracting opposing pixels from the +1 and &#x2212;1 diffraction orders for each of the multiple wavelengths. An OVL for the respective pixels may be determined based on analyzing the differential signals from multiple wavelengths simultaneously. Then an OVL for the pattern may be determined as a weighted average of the OVL of the respective pixels.

Overlay measurement using multiple wavelengths

Scatterometry overlay (SCOL) measurement methods, systems and targets are provided to enable efficient SCOL metrology with in-die targets. Methods comprise generating a signal matrix by: illuminating a SCOL target at multiple values of at least one illumination parameter, and at multiple spot locations on the target, wherein the illumination is at a NA (numerical aperture) &#x3e;&#x2153; yielding a spot diameter &#x3c;1&#x3bc;, measuring interference signals of zeroth and first diffraction orders, and constructing the signal matrix from the measured signals with respect to the illumination parameters and the spot locations on the target; and deriving a target overlay by analyzing the signal matrix. The SCOL targets may be reduced to be a tenth in size with respect to prior art targets, as less and smaller target cells are required, and be easily set in-die to improve the accuracy and fidelity of the metrology measurements.

Single cell grey scatterometry overlay targets and their measurement using varying illumination parameter(s)

Metrology targets designs, design methods and measurement methods are provided, which reduce noise and enhance measurement accuracy. Disclosed targets comprise an additional periodic structure which is orthogonal to the measurement direction along which given target structures are periodic. For example, in addition to two or more periodic structures along each measurement direction in imaging or scatterometry targets, a third, orthogonal periodic structure may be introduced, which provides additional information in the orthogonal direction, can be used to reduce noise, enhances accuracy and enables the application of machine learning algorithms to further enhance accuracy. Signals may be analyzed slice-wise with respect to the orthogonal periodic structure, which can be integrated in a process compatible manner in both imaging and scatterometry targets.

Enhancing metrology target information content

Metrology targets, design files, and design and production methods thereof are provided. The targets comprise two or more parallel periodic structures at respective layers, wherein a predetermined offset is introduced between the periodic structures, for example, opposite offsets at different parts of a target. Quality metrics are designed to estimate the unintentional overlay from measurements of a same metrology parameter by two or more alternative measurement algorithms. Target parameters are configured to enable both imaging and scatterometry measurements and enhance the metrology measurements by the use of both methods on the same targets. Imaging and scatterometry target parts may share elements or have common element dimensions. Imaging and scatterometry target parts may be combined into a single target area or may be integrated into a hybrid target using a specified geometric arrangement.

System for combined imaging and scatterometry metrology

Targets, target elements and target design method are provided, which comprise designing a target structure to have a high contrast above a specific contrast threshold to its background in polarized light while having a low contrast below the specific contrast threshold to its background in non-polarized light. The targets may have details at device feature scale and be compatible with device design rules yet maintain optical contrast when measured with polarized illumination and thus be used effectively as metrology targets. Design variants and respective measurement optical systems are likewise provided.

Polarization measurements of metrology targets and corresponding target designs

An overlay metrology system includes one or more processors coupled to an illumination source to direct illumination to a sample and a detector to capture diffracted orders of radiation from the sample. The system may generate overlay sensitivity calibration parameters based on differential measurements of a calibration target including two overlay target cells on the sample, where first-layer target elements and second-layer target elements of the overlay target cells are distributed with a common pitch along a measurement direction and are misregistered with a selected offset value in opposite directions. The system may further determine overlay measurements based on differential measurements of additional overlay target cells with two wavelengths, where first-layer target elements and second-layer target elements of the additional overlay target cells are distributed with the common pitch and are formed to overlap symmetrically. The system may further adjust the overlay measurements with the overlay sensitivity calibration parameters.

Device metrology targets and methods

A computerized method performed by a processor, and computer program product the method comprising: receiving sensory data of motion by a human subject, the sensory data obtained during motion in an uncontrolled environment; extracting features from the sensory data; identifying a plurality of strides from the features extracted from the sensory data; calculating kinematic parameters of each stride from the plurality of strides from the sensory data; classifying each stride from the plurality of strides in accordance with the kinematic parameters to obtain a stride type; and outputting the stride type for the plurality of strides.

Method and apparatus for gait analysis

Metrology methods and modules are provided, which comprise carrying out recipe setup procedure(s) and/or metrology measurement(s) using zonal analysis with respect to respective setup parameter(s) and/or metrology metric(s). The zonal analysis comprises relating to spatially variable values of the setup parameter(s) and/or metrology metric(s) across one or more wafers in one or more lots. Wafer zones may be discrete or spatially continuous, and be used to weight one or more parameter(s) and/or metric(s) during any of the stages of the respective setup and measurement processes.

Recipe optimization based zonal analysis

Methods applicable in metrology modules and tools are provided, which enable adjusting metrology measurement parameters with respect to process variation, without re-initiating metrology recipe setup. Methods comprise, during an initial metrology recipe setup, recording a metrology process window and deriving baseline information therefrom, and during operation, quantifying the process variation with respect to the baseline information, and adjusting the metrology measurement parameters within the metrology process window with respect to the quantified process variation. The quick adjustment of metrology parameters avoids metrology-related process delays and releases prior art bottlenecks related thereto. Models of effects of various process variation factors on the metrology measurements may be used to enhance the derivation of required metrology tuning and enable their application with minimal delays to the production process.

Quick adjustment of metrology measurement parameters according to process variation

Metrology methods are provided, which comprise identifying overlay critical patterns in a device design, the overlay critical patterns having an overlay sensitivity to process variation above a specified threshold that depends on design specifications; and using metrology targets that correspond to the identified overlay critical patterns. Alternatively or complementarily, metrology methods comprise identifying yield critical patterns according to a corresponding process window narrowing due to specified process variation, wherein the narrowing is defined by a dependency of edge placement errors (EPEs) of the patterns on process parameters. Corresponding targets and measurements are provided.

Metrology using overlay and yield critical patterns

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Haifa, Israel

Eran Amit