International Business Machines Corporation

Ronald D Fiege

Lin Zhou

Roger M Young

Shahin Zangooie

Clemente Bottini

Michael F Lofaro

William Francis Landers

Karl E Boggs

Kenneth M Davis

Adam D Ticknor

Robert J Foster

Methods, apparatuses and systems for monitoring a stage alignment in a processing system are disclosed. A method for monitoring a stage alignment in a processing system may include providing a calibration target on a surface of the stage; measuring an angle of incident of a light beam to the calibration target; and monitoring the stage alignment based on the determined angle of incidence.

Monitoring stage alignment and related stage and calibration target

A method, system and computer program product for determining an angle of incidence of a light beam illuminating a workpiece positioned on a stage are disclosed. A method for determining an angle of incidence of a light beam illuminating a workpiece positioned on a stage may include: positioning a calibration target on the stage with multiple different tilts; first determining an angle of incident of the light beam with respect to the calibration target with each tilt using a detector; mapping a response of the detector to a determined angle of incidence; and second determining the angle of incidence with respect to the workpiece based on a result of the mapping.

Determining angle of incidence with respect to workpiece

A method, system and computer program product for determining an Azimuth angle of an incident beam to a wafer are disclosed. A method comprises: using the incident beam to make a first set of measurements of calibration targets of a first set of grating angles that are different than one another; analyzing the first set of measurements to determine an reference grating angle which corresponds to a grating line to which the incident beam has a practically zero Azimuth angle; and determining the Azimuth angle of the incident beam to the wafer using the determined reference grating angle.

Determining azimuth angle of incident beam to wafer

A sample stage for performing measurements using an optical metrology system includes at least one sample section for retention of a sample, and components for controlling orientation of the sample section with relation to the optical metrology system. A method and a computer program product are provided.

Flipping stage arrangement for reduced wafer contamination cross section and improved measurement accuracy and throughput

A method, system and computer program product for determining a geometric parameter of an optical spot of a light beam are disclosed. A method comprises: providing a calibration target, the calibration target including a systematic variation in a parameter; measuring the calibration target with respect to the systematic variation using the light beam to obtain a plurality of measurements; and analyzing the measurements and the systematic variation to determine the geometric parameter of the optical spot.

Optical spot geometric parameter determination using calibration targets

A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) control system controls distribution of pressure across the backside of a semiconductor wafer being polished. The system includes a CMP apparatus having a carrier for supporting a semiconductor wafer. The carrier includes a plurality of dual function piezoelectric actuators. The actuators sense pressure variations across the semiconductor wafer and are individually controllable. A control is connected to the actuators for monitoring sensed pressure variations and controlling the actuators to provide a controlled pressure distribution across the semiconductor wafer.

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Hopewell Junction, NY, United States of America

Ronald D Fiege