Infineon Technologies Ag

Hans-Georg Froehlich

Stefan Gruss

Ansgar Teipel

Rainer Pforr

Mario Hennig

Lothar Bauch

Manuel Vorwerk

Detlef Hofmann

Guido Thielscher

A method for reducing an overlay error of structures of a layer to be patterned relative to those of a reference layer includes formation of standard measurement marks assigned to one another in the two layers for determining an overlay error and for setting up further measurement marks for determining an additional optical imaging error of the projection system at least in the current layer. The further measurement marks have a geometry adapted to the geometry of selected structures of the circuit patterns to be transferred by projection from masks onto semiconductor substrates. An imaging error affects circuit structures and further measurement marks in the same way. An alignment correction for a subsequent exposure can be calculated from the measured positional deviations between the two standard measurement marks and between the standard measurement mark and the further measurement mark of the layer currently to be patterned.

Method for reducing an overlay error and measurement mark for carrying out the same

A method for correcting structure-size-dependent positioning errors during the photolithographic projection by an exposure apparatus and the use thereof includes providing an exposure apparatus for exposing a plurality of exposure fields and a simulation model of the exposure apparatus for specifying correction values for intra-field errors, providing a first pattern with first structure elements and first measurement marks, which, in the case of a projection, are beset by a first positioning error and a second positioning error dependent on the dimensions and the position in the exposure field, providing a correction function suitable for specifying the first and the second positioning error, determining an average relative positioning error including the first and the second positioning error, calculating correction values for the control of the exposure apparatus, and transmitting the correction values to the exposure apparatus so that subsequent exposures are performed with an improved overlay.

Method for correcting structure-size-dependent positioning errors in photolithography

A method, suitable to photolithographie projection, for detecting the positioning errors of circuit patterns during the transfer by a mask into layers of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer. After the transfer of at least one multiple arrangement of a first test structure into at least one resist layer above the substrate, wherein the first test structure includes a first circuit pattern, at least one first overlay mark and at least one first micropatterned alignment mark, the values of a first positioning error of the first circuit patterns relative to the first overlay marks and the first micropatterned alignment marks are determined for each element of the at least one multiple arrangement.

Method for detecting positioning errors of circuit patterns during the transfer by means of a mask into layers of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer

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Dresden, Germany

Hans-Georg Froehlich