Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Kla Corporation

Applied Materials, Inc.

Tokyo Electron Limited

Kla-tenor Corp.

Leonid Poslavsky

Qiang Zhao

Andrei V Shchegrov

Torsten Rudolf Kaack

Lie-Quan Lee

Paul Aoyagi

Philip D Flanner, Iii

Natalia Malkova

Ming Di

Shankar Krishnan

Guorong Vera Zhuang

Hidong Kwak

Liequan Lee

John Fielden

Michael E Adel

Stilian Pandev

Xiang Gao

Dawei Hu

Meng Cao

Mikhail M Sushchik

Jonathan Iloreta

Junwei Bao

Vi Vuong

Thaddeus Gerard Dziura

Lanhua Wei

Michael S Bakeman

Wen Jin

Derrick A Shaughnessy

Johannes D De Veer

Hong Qiu

Carlos L Ygartua

Peilin Jiang

John F Lesoine

Zhiming Jiang

Ward RDell Dixon

Inkyo Kim

Sungchul Yoo

Malik Sadiq

John Madsen

Robert Peters

In-Kyo Kim

Ady Levy

Daniel Kandel

Fei Li

Seunghwan Lee

Steven Russel Spielman

Hanyou Chu

Daniel C Wack

Alexander Kuznetsov

Nils Johansson

Barak Bringoltz

Paul E Luscher

Nuriel Amir

Xuefeng Liu

Sangbong Park

John Charles Robinson

Kevin A Peterlinz

Mark Wagner

Tal Marciano

Dana Klein

Tzahi Grunzweig

Dzmitry Sanko

Tal Itzkovich

Xiafang Zhang

Melisa J Buie

Nadav Carmel

Kenneth Edward James, Jr

Terry Lee Doyle

Meng-Fu Shih

Vidya Ramanathan

Janay Camp

ByeoungSu Hwang

Jeffrey Chard

G Vera Zhuang

Jun-Jie Ye

Jennifer Lewis

Manush Birang

Gregory L Kolte

Mark Backues

Raphael Jean Michel Marie Getin

Scott Penner

Yu Tay

Matthew A Laffin

Torsten Kaack

Automatic wavelength or angle pruning for optical metrology is described. An embodiment of a method for automatic wavelength or angle pruning for optical metrology includes determining a model of a structure including a plurality of parameters; designing and computing a dataset of wavelength-dependent or angle-dependent data for the model; storing the dataset in a computer memory; performing with a processor an analysis of the dataset for the model including applying an outlier detection technology on the dataset, and identifying any data outliers, each data outlier being a wavelength or angle; and, if any data outliers are identified in the analysis of the dataset of the model, removing the wavelengths or angles corresponding to the data outliers from the dataset to generate a modified dataset, and storing the modified dataset in the computer memory.

Automatic wavelength or angle pruning for optical metrology

Embodiments include automatic selection of sample values for optical metrology. An embodiment of a method includes providing a library parameter space for modeling of a diffracting structure using an optical metrology system; automatically determining by a processing unit a reduced sampling set from the library parameter space, wherein the reduced space is based on one or both of the following recommending a sampling shape based on an expected sample space usage, or recommending a sampling filter based on correlation between two or more parameters of the library parameter space; and generating a library for the optical metrology system using the reduced sampling set.

Automatic selection of sample values for optical metrology

Methods and systems for determining band structure characteristics of high-k dielectric films deposited over a substrate based on spectral response data are presented. High throughput spectrometers are utilized to quickly measure semiconductor wafers early in the manufacturing process. Optical models of semiconductor structures capable of accurate characterization of defects in high-K dielectric layers and embedded nanostructures are presented. In one example, the optical dispersion model includes a continuous Cody-Lorentz model having continuous first derivatives that is sensitive to a band gap of a layer of the unfinished, multi-layer semiconductor wafer. These models quickly and accurately represent experimental results in a physically meaningful manner. The model parameter values can be subsequently used to gain insight and control over a manufacturing process.

Dispersion model for band gap tracking

A library expansion system, method, and computer program product for metrology are provided. In use, processing within a first multi-dimensional library is performed by a metrology system. During the processing within the first multi-dimensional library, a second multi-dimensional library is identified. The processing is then transitioned to the second multi-dimensional library. Further, processing within the second multi-dimensional library is performed by the metrology system.

Library expansion system, method, and computer program product for metrology

Methods and systems for matching measurement spectra across one or more optical metrology systems are presented. The values of one or more system parameters used to determine the spectral response of a specimen to a measurement performed by a target metrology system are optimized. The system parameter values are optimized such that differences between measurement spectra generated by a reference system and the target system are minimized for measurements of the same metrology targets. Methods and systems for matching spectral errors across one or more optical metrology systems are also presented. A trusted metrology system measures the value of at least one specimen parameter to minimize model errors introduced by differing measurement conditions present at the time of measurement by the reference and target metrology systems. Methods and systems for parameter optimization based on low-order response surfaces are presented to reduce the compute time required to refine system calibration parameters.

Metrology system calibration refinement

Automatic determination of Fourier harmonic order for computation of spectral information for diffraction structures described. An embodiment of a method includes automatically determining a Fourier harmonic order for computation of spectral information for periodic structures, wherein the determination of the Fourier harmonic order is based at least in part on the pitches in each of multiple directions of the periodic structures, material properties of the periodic structures, and characteristics of the periodic structures in which the materials are contained; and computing the spectral information for the periodic structures based at least in part on the determined Fourier harmonic order.

Automatic determination of fourier harmonic order for computation of spectral information for diffraction structures

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for automatically determining a parameter causing an abnormal semiconductor metrology measurement. In use, an abnormal semiconductor metrology measurement measured from a fabricated semiconductor component is received. At least one parameter of the fabricated semiconductor component causing the abnormal semiconductor metrology measurement is then automatically determined by one or more hardware processors. In particular, the one or more hardware processors determine a subset of parameters of the fabricated semiconductor component as potential sources of the abnormal semiconductor metrology measurement, rank the parameters in the determined subset of parameters, select an Nth number of the parameters in the determined subset of parameters in accordance with the ranking, and then analyze each of the selected parameters to identify one or more of the selected parameters as the at least one parameter of the fabricated semiconductor component causing the abnormal semiconductor metrology measurement.

System, method, and computer program product for automatically determining a parameter causing an abnormal semiconductor metrology measurement

Dynamic removal of correlation of highly-correlated parameters for optical metrology is described. An embodiment of a method includes determining a model of a structure, the model including a set of parameters; performing optical metrology measurement of the structure, including collecting spectra data on a hardware element; during the measurement of the structure, dynamically removing correlation of two or more parameters of the set of parameters, an iteration of the dynamic removal of correlation including: generating a Jacobian matrix of the set of parameters, applying a singular value decomposition of the Jacobian matrix, selecting a subset of the set of parameters, and computing a direction of the parameter search based on the subset of parameters. If the model does not converge, performing one or more additional iterations of the dynamic removal of correlation until the model converges; and if the model does converge, reporting the results of the measurement.

Dynamic removal of correlation of highly correlated parameters for optical metrology

Methods and systems for solving measurement models of complex device structures with reduced computational effort are presented. In some embodiments, a measurement signal transformation model is employed to compute transformed measurement signals from coarse measurement signals. The transformed measurement signals more closely approximate a set of measured signals than the coarse measurement signals. However, the coarse set of measured signals are computed with less computational effort than would be required to directly compute measurement signals that closely approximate the set of measured signals. In other embodiments, a measurement signal transformation model is employed to compute transformed measurement signals from actual measured signals. The transformed measurement signals more closely approximate the coarse measurement signals than the actual measured signals. Transformed measurement signals are subsequently used for regression, library generation, or other analyses typically employed as part of an effort to characterize structural, material, and process parameters in semiconductor manufacturing.

Model based measurement systems with improved electromagnetic solver performance

A metrology system, method, and computer program product that employ automatic transitioning between utilizing a library and utilizing regression for measurement processing are provided. In use, it is determined, by the metrology system, that a predetermined condition has been met. In response to determining that the predetermined condition has been met, the metrology system automatically transitions between utilizing a library and utilizing regression for measurement processing.

Metrology system, method, and computer program product employing automatic transitioning between utilizing a library and utilizing regression for measurement processing

Methods and systems for estimating values of parameters of interest of actual device structures based on optical measurements of nearby metrology targets are presented herein. High throughput, inline metrology techniques are employed to measure metrology targets located near actual device structures. Measurement data collected from the metrology targets is provided to a trained signal response metrology (SRM) model. The trained SRM model estimates the value of one or more parameters of interest of the actual device structure based on the measurements of the metrology target. The SRM model is trained to establish a functional relationship between actual device parameters measured by a reference metrology system and corresponding optical measurements of at least one nearby metrology target. In a further aspect, the trained SRM is employed to determine corrections of process parameters to bring measured device parameter values within specification.

Signal response metrology based on measurements of proxy structures

Methods and systems for calibrating system parameter values of a target inspection system are presented. Spectral Error Based Calibration (SEBC) increases consistency among inspection systems by minimizing differences in the spectral error among different inspection systems for a given specimen or set of specimens. The system parameter values are determined such that differences between a spectral error associated with a measurement of a specimen by the target inspection system and a spectral error associated with a measurement of the same specimen by a reference inspection system are minimized. In some examples, system parameter values are calibrated without modifying specimen parameters. Small inaccuracies in specimen parameter values have little effect on the calibration because the target system and the reference system both measure the same specimen or set of specimens. By performing SEBC over a set of specimens, the resulting calibration is robust to a wide range of specimens under test.

Spectral matching based calibration

Methods and systems of process control and yield management for semiconductor device manufacturing based on predictions of final device performance are presented herein. Estimated device performance metric values are calculated based on one or more device performance models that link parameter values capable of measurement during process to final device performance metrics. In some examples, an estimated value of a device performance metric is based on at least one structural characteristic and at least one band structure characteristic of an unfinished, multi-layer wafer. In some examples, a prediction of whether a device under process will fail a final device performance test is based on the difference between an estimated value of a final device performance metric and a specified value. In some examples, an adjustment in one or more subsequent process steps is determined based at least in part on the difference.

Calculated electrical performance metrics for process monitoring and yield management

Methods and systems are described herein for producing high radiance illumination light for use in semiconductor metrology based on a confined, sustained plasma. One or more plasma confining circuits introduce an electric field, a magnetic field, or a combination thereof to spatially confine a sustained plasma. The confinement of the sustained plasma decreases the size of the induced plasma resulting in increased radiance. In addition, plasma confinement may be utilized to shape the plasma to improve light collection and imaging onto the specimen. The induced fields may be static or dynamic. In some embodiments, additional energy is coupled into the confined, sustained plasma to further increase radiance. In some embodiments, the pump energy source employed to sustained the plasma is modulated in combination with the plasma confining circuit to reduce plasma emission noise.

Confined illumination for small spot size metrology

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, CA, United States of America

Leonid Poslavsky