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:
Jul. 30, 2019

Filed:

Mar. 18, 2015
Applicant:

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

Inventors:

Eran Amit, Haifa, IL;

Tzahi Grunzweig, Timrat, IL;

Assignee:

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

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/956 (2006.01); G01B 11/27 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/956 (2013.01); G01B 11/27 (2013.01); G01N 2201/127 (2013.01);
Abstract

Metrology methods and modules are provided, which comprise measuring intensity spatial distributions and peaks of spots at the pupil plane of a metrology system that correspond to various diffraction orders scattered from target cells and calculating overlay(s) of the target cell(s) from the measured intensity spatial distributions and peaks. For example, intensity peak or distribution of zeroth diffraction orders from four cells, first diffraction orders from two cells as well as diffraction orders from a single cell may be used to derive an overlay estimation, which may also be compared to standard overlay measurements for different purposes. Intensity spatial distributions may also be used to derive weight function for adjusting measurements or the metrology system.


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