Tokyo Electron Limited

Sachin Deshpande

Merritt Funk

Kevin Lally

Wei Liu

Junwei Bao

Hong Qiu

Jeffrey Alexander Chard

Ying Zhu

Tri Thanh Khuong

Pranav Sheth

The invention can provide a method of etch processing a wafer using a Real-Time Parameter Tuning (RTPT) procedure to receive an input message that can include a pass-through message, a real-time feedforward message, or a real-time optimization message, or any combination thereof. The RTPT procedures can use real-time wafer data to create, modify, and/or use etch recipe data, etch profile data, and/or etch model data. In addition, RTPT procedures can use real-time wafer data to create, modify, and/or use process recipe data, process profile data, and/or process model data.

Real-time parameter tuning for etch processes

The invention can provide a method of processing a wafer using a Real-Time Parameter Tuning (RTPT) procedure to receive an input message that can include a pass-through message, a real-time feedforward message, or a real-time optimization message, or any combination thereof. The RTPT procedures can use real-time wafer thickness data to create, modify, and/or use measurement recipe data, measurement profile data, and/or measurement model data. In addition, RTPT procedures can use real-time wafer thickness data to create, modify, and/or use process recipe data, process profile data, and/or process model data.

Real-time parameter tuning using wafer thickness

A method for facilitating an ODP (optical digital profile) measurement of a semiconductor wafer. The method includes obtaining real time wafer characteristic data for a measurement site on the wafer and detecting a measured diffraction signal from a structure within the measurement site of the wafer. The measured diffraction signal is matched with a simulated diffraction signal stored in a wafer characteristic dependent profile library. A hypothetical profile structure associated with the simulated diffraction signal in the wafer characteristic dependent profile library is then identified. The real time wafer characteristic data is used to facilitate at least one of the matching and identifying. The real time wafer characteristic data may be real time wafer thickness data.

Method of using a wafer-thickness-dependant profile library

The invention can provide a method of processing a wafer using a Real-Time Parameter Tuning (RTPT) procedure to receive an input message that can include a pass-through message, a real-time feedforward message, or a real-time optimization message, or any combination thereof. The RTPT procedures can use real-time wafer temperature data to create, modify, and/or use measurement recipe data, measurement profile data, and/or measurement model data. In addition, RTPT procedures can use real-time wafer temperature data to create, modify, and/or use process recipe data, process profile data, and/or process model data.

Real-time parameter tuning using wafer temperature

In processing requests for wafer structure profile determination from optical metrology measurements, a plurality of measured diffraction signal of a plurality of structures formed on one or more wafers is obtained. The plurality of measured diffraction signals is distributed to a plurality of instances of a profile search module. The plurality of instances of the profile search model is activated in one or more processing threads of one or more computer systems. The plurality of measured diffraction signals is processed in parallel using the plurality of instances of the profile search module to determine profiles of the plurality of structures corresponding to the plurality of measured diffraction signals.

Parallel profile determination in optical metrology

A system to process requests for wafer structure profile determination from optical metrology measurements off a plurality of structures formed on one or more wafer includes a diffraction signal processor, a diffraction signal distributor, and a plurality of profile search servers. The diffraction signal processor is configured to obtain a plurality of measured diffraction signals of the plurality of structures. The diffraction signal distributor is coupled to the diffraction signal processor. The diffraction signal processor is configured to transmit the plurality of measured diffraction signals to the diffraction signal distributor. The plurality of profile search servers is coupled to the diffraction signal distributor. The diffraction signal distributor is configured to distribute the plurality of measured diffraction signals to the plurality of profile search servers. The profile search servers are configured to process in parallel the plurality of measured diffraction signals to determine profiles of the plurality of structures corresponding to the plurality of measured diffraction signals.

Parallel profile determination for an optical metrology system

A method for facilitating an ODP measurement of a semiconductor wafer. The method includes obtaining real time wafer characteristic data for a measurement site on said wafer and detecting a measured diffraction signal from a structure within the measurement site of the wafer. The measured diffraction signal is matched with a simulated diffraction signal stored in a wafer characteristic dependent profile library. A hypothetical profile structure associated with the simulated diffraction signal in the wafer characteristic dependent profile library is then identified. The real time wafer characteristic data is used to facilitate at least one of the matching and identifying.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Sachin Deshpande