Kla Tencor Corporation

Applied Materials, Inc.

Zhiming Jiang

Torsten Rudolf Kaack

Leonid Poslavsky

Xiang Gao

Qiang Zhao

Hidong Kwak

Jiyou Fu

Philip D Flanner, Iii

Ward RDell Dixon

Kenneth Edward James, Jr

Fabio A Faccini

Arun Ramaswamy Srivatsa

Jun-Jie Ye

Xiaodong Zhang

Nedal Saleh

Torsten Kaack

The methods and apparatus provide phase-resolved optical metrology for determining qualities of a substrate and films thereon. Transmitted and reflected signals are coupled using both amplitude and phase information to improve the metrology information obtained from film layers on the substrate.

Phase-resolved optical metrology for substrates

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 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 dispersion metrics are determined based on the spectral data. Band structure characteristics such as band gap, band edge, and defects are determined based on optical dispersion metric values. In some embodiments a band structure characteristic is determined by curve fitting and interpolation of dispersion metric values. In some other embodiments, band structure characteristics are determined by regression of a selected dispersion model. In some examples, band structure characteristics indicative of band broadening of high-k dielectric films are also determined. The electrical performance of finished wafers is estimated based on the band structure characteristics identified early in the manufacturing process.

High throughput thin film characterization and defect detection

A method of performing an investigation of a substrate, by measuring a reflectivity of the substrate, comparing the reflectivity of the substrate to an anticipated reflectivity value, selectively subjecting the substrate to a laser beam for a predetermined duration and at a predetermined energy only when the reflectivity of the substrate is within a specified tolerance of the anticipated reflectivity value, selectively signaling a fault condition when the reflectivity of the substrate is not within the specified tolerance of the anticipated reflectivity value, and selectively performing the investigation of the substrate only when the reflectivity of the substrate is within the specified tolerance of the anticipated reflectivity value.

Control by sample reflectivity

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Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Zhiming Jiang