Kla Tencor Corporation

Petrometrix Ltd.

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Optichrom Inc.

Ilan Sela

Amnon Manassen

Andrew V Hill

Daniel Kandel

Ohad Bachar

Alexander Svizher

Moshe Markowitz

Vladimir Levinski

Efraim Rotem

Yung-Ho Alex Chuang

Daria Negri

Barak Bringoltz

Joel L Seligson

Andrei V Shchegrov

Mark Ghinovker

Ilya Bezel

Anatoly Shchemelinin

Lawrence D Rotter

Derrick A Shaughnessy

Gregory Brady

Avi Abramov

Muzammil A Arain

Yaron Ish-Shalom

Maxim Khokhlov

Oleg Tsibulevsky

Oleg Shulepov

James Andrew Allen

Anatoly A Vasiliev

Joel Bigman

Irina Zilberman

Anatoly Vasiliev

James Allen

Anatoly Shcemelinin

Angle-resolved reflectometers and reflectometry methods are provided, which comprise a coherent light source, an optical system arranged to scan a test pattern using a spot of coherent light from the light source to yield realizations of the light distribution in the collected pupil, wherein the spot covers a part of the test pattern and the scanning is carried out optically or mechanically according to a scanning pattern, and a processing unit arranged to generate a composite image of the collected pupil distribution by combining the pupil images. Metrology systems and methods are provided, which reduce diffraction errors by estimating, quantitatively, a functional dependency of measurement parameters on aperture sizes and deriving, from identified diffraction components of the functional dependency which relate to the aperture sizes, correction terms for the measurement parameters with respect to the measurement conditions.

Scanning in angle-resolved reflectometry and algorithmically eliminating diffraction from optical metrology

A system for providing illumination to a measurement head for optical metrology is configured to combine illumination beams from a plurality of illumination sources to deliver illumination at one or more selected wavelengths to the measurement head. The intensity and/or spatial coherence of illumination delivered to the measurement head is controlled. Illumination at one or more selected wavelengths is delivered from a broadband illumination source configured for providing illumination at a continuous range of wavelengths.

Systems for providing illumination in optical metrology

The disclosure is directed to systems for providing illumination to a measurement head for optical metrology. In some embodiments of the disclosure, illumination beams from a plurality of illumination sources are combined to deliver illumination at one or more selected wavelengths to the measurement head. In some embodiments of the disclosure, intensity and/or spatial coherence of illumination delivered to the measurement head is controlled. In some embodiments of the disclosure, illumination at one or more selected wavelengths is delivered from a broadband illumination source configured for providing illumination at a continuous range of wavelengths.

Various metrology systems and methods are provided. One metrology system includes a light source configured to produce a diffraction-limited light beam, an apodizer configured to shape the light beam in the entrance pupil of illumination optics, and optical elements configured to direct the diffraction-limited light beam from the apodizer to an illumination spot on a grating target on a wafer and to collect scattered light from the grating target. The metrology system further includes a field stop and a detector configured to detect the scattered light that passes through the field stop. In addition, the metrology system includes a computer system configured to determine a characteristic of the grating target using output of the detector.

Metrology systems and methods

Various metrology systems and methods are provided.

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for determining a minimum tool-induced shift (TIS) during an overlay metrology procedure. In a specific embodiment, a method of determining overlay or misalignment error on a target is disclosed. For a predefined number of positions of a target within a field of view (FOV) of a metrology tool, the following operations are performed: (i) determining a tool-induced shift (TIS) parameter value for each predefined position of the target within the FOV based on at least one overlay measurement obtained from the target at the each position (for example, based on overlay measurements at 0 and 180 degrees of wafer orientation) and (ii) determining a minimum TIS parameter value and its corresponding FOV position from the plurality of determined TIS parameters values at the predefined positions of the target within the FOV. The FOV position that corresponds to the minimum TIS is then defined as an appropriate position for the actual overlay measurement and the value of minimum TIS is used for overlay correction.

Apparatus and methods for reducing tool-induced shift during overlay metrology

An optical spectrum analyzer and methods for its use for multiplexing and demultiplexing. The optical spectrum analyzer includes two reflectors in a fixed spatial relationship to a volume phase grating. Input light is reflected by the first reflector to the volume phase grating, diffracted by the volume phase grating towards the second reflector along a first optical path, reflected back to the volume phase grating by the second reflector along a second optical path distinct from the first optical path, diffracted again by the volume phase grating towards the first reflector, and reflected out of the optical spectrum analyzer by the first reflector. Preferably, the reflectors are surfaces of transparent blocks that are optically coupled to the volume phase grating. The reflectors are arranged so that light of a plurality of equally spaced wavelengths, that is input to the optical spectrum analyzer at a single entry point, is demultiplexed to a corresponding plurality of equally spaced exit points. Conversely, individual equally spaced wavelengths, that are input at respective equally spaced entry points, are multiplexed to exit at a common exit point.

Optical spectrum analyzer

A system for remote near infra red (NIR) spectral analysis of hydrocarbons using telecommunication optical fibers for real-time on-line transmission of NIR spectral information from an examined hydrocarbon sample to a remote analyzer comprising (a) a light source for generating near infra red radiation; (b) an optical probe head being at on-line contact with an analyzed hydrocarbon sample; (c) at least one telecommunication transmitting optical fiber for inputting the near infra red radiation into the optical probe head, such that the radiation passes at least once through the hydrocarbon sample, such that a spectrum of the sample is generated; (d) a detector for analyzing the spectrum, the detector and the light source being part of an analyzer; and (e) at least one telecommunication receiving optical fiber for receiving the radiation after the passing through the sample and inputting the radiation into the detector.

System for remote transmission of spectral information through

An optical probe head for determining properties of the sample as a function of the depth of the sample, which is made up of a gradient index lens, at least one face of which is in contact with the sample, a number of transmitting optical fibers, preferably made up of a number of concentrically located sets, for inputting radiation into the gradient index lens in at least two optical locations, a mechanism for cycling the input radiation among the transmitting optical fibers, a receiving optical fiber, preferably centrally located, for receiving reflected radiation and a mechanism for processing the reflected radiation to obtain depth-related reflection information.

Optical head probe using a gradient index lens and optical fibers

An optical probe head for determining the index of refraction of a sample, which is made up of a gradient index lens in contact with the sample, a transmitting optical fiber for inputting radiation into said gradient index lens and a receiving optical fiber. The optical fibers and gradient index lens are aligned so that radiation from the transmitting optical fiber which is reflected from the interface of the gradient index lens and the sample is received by the receiving optical fiber. The probe can, with slight changes, also be used for determining the Raman or fluorescent spectra, for determining the absorption spectrum, and for determining the self-referencing transmission of a sample.

Multi-purpose optical head probe

Growing community of inventors

Haifa, Israel

Ilan Sela