The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jan. 22, 2019

Filed:

Feb. 19, 2016
Applicant:

Kla-tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);

Inventor:

Andrei Veldman, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/25 (2006.01); G05B 19/406 (2006.01); G01N 21/21 (2006.01); G01B 11/06 (2006.01); G03F 7/20 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G05B 19/406 (2013.01); G01B 11/0641 (2013.01); G01N 21/211 (2013.01); G01N 21/255 (2013.01); G03F 7/705 (2013.01); G03F 7/70625 (2013.01); G03F 7/70633 (2013.01); G01B 2210/56 (2013.01); G01N 2021/213 (2013.01); G01N 2201/061 (2013.01); G01N 2201/0683 (2013.01); G01N 2201/12 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45031 (2013.01);
Abstract

Methods and systems for solving measurement models of complex device structures with reduced computational effort and memory requirements are presented. The computational efficiency of electromagnetic simulation algorithms based on truncated spatial harmonic series is improved for periodic targets that exhibit a fundamental spatial period and one or more approximate periods that are integer fractions of the fundamental spatial period. Spatial harmonics are classified according to each distinct period of the target exhibiting multiple periodicity. A distinct truncation order is selected for each group of spatial harmonics. This approach produces optimal, sparse truncation order sampling patterns, and ensures that only harmonics with significant contributions to the approximation of the target are selected for computation. Metrology systems employing these techniques are configured to measure process parameters and structural and material characteristics associated with different semiconductor fabrication processes.


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