Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Eastman-kodak Company

Joel L Seligson

Daniel Kandel

Vladimir Levinski

Amnon Manassen

Michael E Adel

Noam Sapiens

Mark Ghinovker

Andrew V Hill

Daria Negri

Ohad Bachar

Alexander Svizher

Efraim Rotem

Yung-Ho Alex Chuang

John Charles Robinson

Pavel Izikson

Ilan Sela

Moshe Markowitz

Boris Simkin

David Tulipman

Jorge Poplawski

Moshe Baruch

Yoram Uziel

Yoel Feler

David Y Wang

Yuri Paskover

Barak Bringoltz

Guy Cohen

Lawrence D Rotter

Boris Golovanevsky

Dmitry Shur

Johannes D De Veer

Michael Faeyrman

Andy Hill

Yaron Zimmerman

Yoram Hanfling

Ofer Zaharan

Yehuda Elisha

Alex Novikov

Royi Levav

Shimon Kostianovsky

Isaac Katz

Eliav Benisty

Contrast enhancement in a metrology tool may include generating a beam of illumination, directing a portion of the generated beam onto a surface of a spatial light modulator (SLM), directing at least a portion of the generated beam incident on the surface of the SLM through an aperture of an aperture stop and onto one or more target structures of one or more samples, and generating a selected illumination pupil function of the illumination transmitted through the aperture utilizing the SLM in order to establish a contrast level of one or more field images of the one or more target structures above a selected contrast threshold, and performing one or more metrology measurements on the one or more target structures utilizing the selected illumination pupil function.

Structured illumination for contrast enhancement in overlay metrology

Metrology systems and methods are provided herein, which comprise an optical element that is positioned between an objective lens of the system and a target. The optical element is arranged to enhance evanescent modes of radiation reflected by the target. Various configurations are disclosed: the optical element may comprise a solid immersion lens, a combination of Moir&#xe9;-elements and solid immersion optics, dielectric-metal-dielectric stacks of different designs, and resonating elements to amplify the evanescent modes of illuminating radiation. The metrology systems and methods are configurable to various metrology types, including imaging and scatterometry methods.

Near field metrology

Objective lenses and corresponding optical systems and metrology tools, as well as methods are provided. Objective lenses comprise a central region conforming to specified imaging requirements and a peripheral region conforming to specified scatterometry requirements. The optical systems may comprise common-path optical elements configured to handle both imaging and scatterometry signals received through the objective lens. Using a single objective lens simplifies the design of the optical system while maintaining, simultaneously, the performance requirements for imaging as well as for scatterometry.

Compound objectives for imaging and scatterometry overlay

An electro-deposition apparatus deposits a first pattern of a lithographic mask. The electro-deposition apparatus then deposits a second pattern of the lithographic mask, at least partially offset from the first pattern. The resulting lithographic mask includes a first pattern having a minimum feature resolution size and maximum pitch, and a second pattern having the same minimum feature resolution size and maximum pitch. The first pattern and second pattern are at least partially offset such that a fractional portion of the second pattern is realized and light transmission is more precisely controlled.

Method and apparatus for lithographic mask production

The present invention includes an illumination source, at least one illumination symmetrization module (ISM) configured to symmetrize at least a portion of light emanating from the illumination source, a first beam splitter configured to direct a first portion of light processed by the ISM along an object path to a surface of one or more specimens and a second portion of light processed by the ISM along a reference path, and a detector disposed along a primary optical axis, wherein the detector is configured to collect a portion of light reflected from the surface of the one or more specimens.

Optics symmetrization for metrology

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

A scatterometry tool including an illumination source for directing a light beam into a first optical beam shaping and positioning element at an illumination pupil plane of the tool where the light beam is modulated and directed to an objective lens system having a high numerical aperture. The objective receiving the modulated light beam and directing it onto a target to generate a scattering signal. The objective lens collects the scattering signal and directs it to a second optical beam shaping and positioning element at a collection pupil plane where the signal is modulated and then directed to detectors for receiving and processing the signal to determine surface characteristics of the target.

Flexible scatterometry metrology system and method

Systems and methods for discrete polarization scatterometry are provided.

Discrete polarization scatterometry

An optical system may include an objective, a source of illumination, an illumination system having illumination optics configured to direct the illumination onto the objective, and at least two dynamic optical array devices located at a pupil conjugate plane and a field conjugate plane, respectively in the illumination optics. The dynamic optical array devices are configured to control one or more properties of illumination coupled from the illumination system to the objective.

Illumination control

The present invention may include measuring a first phase distribution across a pupil plane of a portion of illumination reflected from a first overlay target of a semiconductor wafer, wherein the first overlay target is fabricated to have a first intentional overlay, measuring a second phase distribution across the pupil plane of a portion of illumination reflected from a second overlay target, wherein the second overlay target is fabricated to have a second intentional overlay in a direction opposite to and having the same magnitude as the first intentional overlay, determining a first phase tilt associated with a sum of the first and second phase distributions, determining a second phase tilt associated with a difference between the first and second phase distributions, calibrating a set of phase tilt data, and determining a test overlay value associated with the first and second overlay target.

Overlay metrology by pupil phase analysis

Various metrology systems and methods are provided.

Disclosed are techniques and apparatus are provided for determining overlay error or pattern placement error (PPE) across the field of a scanner which is used to pattern a sample, such as a semiconductor wafer or device. This determination is performed in-line on the product wafer or device. That is, the targets on which overlay or PPE measurements are performed are provided on the product wafer or device itself. The targets are either distributed across the field by placing the targets within the active area or by distributing the targets along the streets (the strips or scribe areas) which are between the dies of a field. The resulting overlay or PPE that is obtained from targets distributed across the field may then be used in a number of ways to improve the fabrication process for producing the sample. For instance, the resulting overlay or PPE may be used to more accurately predict device performance and yield, more accurately correct a deviating photolithography scanning tool, or determine wafer lot disposition.

Apparatus and methods for determining overlay and uses of same

Growing community of inventors

Misgav, Israel

Joel L Seligson