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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 11, 2019
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2016
Applicant:
Kla-tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Inventors:
Assignee:
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 11/24 (2006.01); H01L 21/66 (2006.01); G01B 11/22 (2006.01); G03F 7/20 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 11/24 (2013.01); G01B 11/22 (2013.01); G03F 7/70633 (2013.01); H01L 22/12 (2013.01);
Abstract
Methods and scatterometry overlay metrology tools are provided, which scan a wafer region, perform focus measurements during the scanning to extract therefrom phase information, and derive depth data of the scanned wafer region from the extracted phase information. The depth information, relating to a dimension perpendicular to the wafer, may be derived along lines or surfaces, providing profilometry and surface data, respectively. The depth data may be used to locate metrology targets, as well as to provide material properties concerning wafer layers, to estimate process variation and to improve the overlay measurements.