Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Thomas Korb

Markus Deguenther

Eugen Foca

Jens Timo Neumann

Vladimir Davydenko

Dmitry Klochkov

Amir Avishai

Frank Schlesener

Johannes Eisenmenger

Christian Wojek

Wolfgang Hoegele

Stefanie Hilt

Keumsil Lee

Alex Buxbaum

Abhilash Srikantha

Daniel Fischer

Ramani Pichumani

Chuong Huynh

Joaquin Correa

Philipp Huethwohl

Toralf Gruner

Karl-Heinz Schuster

Johannes Wangler

Michael Patra

Manfred Maul

Dirk Zeidler

Ulrich Wegmann

Michael Layh

Ingo Saenger

Matthias Manger

Christof Riedesel

Andras G Major

Olaf Dittmann

Severin Waldis

Ralf Scharnweber

Dirk Juergens

Gundula Weiss

Hans Michael Stiepan

Christian Hettich

Martin Vogt

Markus Degünther

Jagdish Chandra Saraswatula

Raghavendra Hanumantha Nayak

Wolfgang Högele

The present invention relates to a charged particle beam system comprising a deflection subsystem configured to deflect a charged particle beam in a deflection direction based on a sum of analog signals generated by separate digital to analog conversion of a first digital signal and a second digital signal. The present invention further relates to a method of configuring the charged particle beam system so that each of a plurality of regions of interest can be scanned by varying only the first digital signal while the second digital signal is held constant at a value associated with the respective region of interest. The present invention further relates to a method of recording a plurality of images of the regions of interest at the premise of reduced interference due to charge accumulation.

Charged particle beam system, method of operating a charged particle beam system, method of recording a plurality of images and computer programs for executing the methods

A 3D tomographic inspection method for the inspection of semiconductor features in an inspection volume of a semiconductor wafer includes obtaining a 3D tomographic image, and selecting a plurality of 2D cross section images. The method also includes identifying contours of HAR structures, and extracting deviation parameters. The deviation parameters describe fabrication errors such as displacement, deviation in radius or diameter, area or shape.

FIB-SEM 3D tomography for measuring shape deviations of HAR structures

Semiconductor structures can be investigated, e.g., in an in-line quality check. An x-ray scattering measurement, e.g., CD-SAXS, can be used for wafer metrology. The x-ray scattering measurement can be configured based on a slice-and-imaging tomographic measurement using a dual-beam device, e.g., including a focused ion beam device and a scanning electron microscope.

Parameterizing x-ray scattering measurement using slice-and-image tomographic imaging of semiconductor structures

A method of determining a size of a contact area between a first 3D structure and a second 3D structure in an integrated semiconductor sample, includes the following steps: obtaining at least a first cross section image and a second cross section image parallel to the first cross section image, wherein obtaining the first and second cross section images includes subsequently removing a cross section surface layer of the integrated semiconductor sample using a focused ion beam to make a new cross section accessible for imaging, and imaging the new cross section of the integrated semiconductor sample with an imaging device; performing image registration of the obtained cross section images and obtaining a 3D data set; determining a 3D model representing the first 3D structure and the second 3D structure in the 3D data set; and determining a relative overlap of the first 3D structure with the second 3D structure based on the 3D model.

Contact area size determination between 3D structures in an integrated semiconductor sample

A method includes obtaining an image data set that depicts semiconductor components, and applying a hierarchical bricking to the image data set. In this case, the bricking includes a plurality of bricks on a plurality of hierarchical levels. The bricks on different hierarchical levels have different image element sizes of corresponding image elements.

Processing image data sets

Methods and evaluation devices for evaluating 3D data of a device under inspection are provided. A first machine learning logic detects target objects, and a second machine learning logic provides a voxel segmentation for the target objects. Based on the segmented voxels, a transformation to feature space is performed to obtain measurement results.

Methods and evaluation devices for analyzing three-dimensional data sets representing devices

A dual-beam device, such as, a scanning electron microscope combined with a focused-ion beam milling column, is employed for a slice-in-image process. Based on one or more images of at least one cross-section of a test volume of a wafer, a wafer tilt is determined.

Wafer-tilt determination for slice-and-image process

A method includes obtaining at least one 2-D image dataset of semiconductor structures formed on a wafer including one or more defects during a wafer run of a wafer using a predefined fabrication process. The method also includes determining, based on at least one machine-learning algorithm trained on prior knowledge of the fabrication process and based on the at least one 2-D image dataset, one or more process deviations of the wafer run from the predefined fabrication process as a root cause of the one or more defects. A 3-D image dataset may be determined as a hidden variable.

Automated root cause analysis for defect detection during fabrication processes of semiconductor structures

The present invention relates to a method for measuring a sample with a microscope, the method comprising the steps of: measuring a tilt of the sample, correcting an orientation of the sample based on the tilt, and scanning the sample.

Method for measuring a sample and microscope implementing the method

The present invention relates to a method for measuring a sample with a microscope, the method comprising scanning the sample using a focusing plane having a first angle with respect to a top surface of the sample and computing a confidence distance based on the first angle. The method further comprises selecting at least one among a plurality of alignment markers on the sample for performing a lateral alignment of the scanning step and/or for performing a lateral alignment of an output of the scanning step. In particular, the at least one alignment marker selected at the selecting step is chosen among the alignment markers placed within the confidence distance from an intersection of the focusing plane with the top surface.

A method, including: recording plural images of an object by scanning plural particle beams across the object and detecting signals generated by the particle beams, wherein the plural particle beams are generated by a multi-beam particle microscope; determining plural regions of interest; determining plural image regions in each of the recorded images; determining plural displacement vectors; and determining image distortions based on image data of the recorded images and the determined displacement vectors.

Method of recording an image using a particle microscope

Methods for determining metrology sites for products includes detecting corresponding objects in measurement data of one or more product samples, and aligning the detected objects are aligned. The methods also include analyzing the aligned objects, and determining metrology sites based on the analysis. Devices use such methods to determine metrology sites for products.

Method and devices for determining metrology sites

A method includes controlling a multi-scanning electron microscope, mSEM, to capture a first image of a wafer attached to a motorized handling stage while the motorized handling stage is in a first position. The first image includes at least a part of a notch of the wafer. The method also includes determining a radial axis of the wafer based on the first image, and controlling the motorized handling stage to shift the wafer along the radial axis by half a diameter of the wafer so that the motorized handling stage is in a second position. The method further includes controlling the mSEM to capture a second image of the wafer while the motorized handling stage is in the second position. The second image includes wafer structures. In addition, the method includes determining a reference position of the wafer based on a structure recognition of the wafer structures of the second image, and registering a wafer coordinate system of the wafer to a stage coordinate system of the motorized handling stage based on the reference position and the radial axis.

Multi-scanning electron microscopy for wafer alignment

The disclosure provides an illumination system of a microlithographic projection device having an image plane, in which a mask can be arranged, and a first object plane, which is optically conjugate to the image plane. A first illumination optical unit illuminates the first object plane with first projection light so that the first projection light has a first illumination angle distribution in the image plane. A second illumination optical unit illuminates a second object plane, which is optically conjugate to the image plane, with second projection light so that the second projection light has a second illumination angle distribution differing from the first illumination angle distribution in the image plane. An optical integrator is arranged exclusively in the light path of the first projection light.

Illumination system of a microlithographic projection device and method for operating such a system

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Schwaebisch Gmuend, Germany

Thomas Korb