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:
Apr. 07, 2020
Filed:
Oct. 15, 2017
Kla-tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Andrei V. Shchegrov, Campbell, CA (US);
Shankar Krishnan, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Kevin Peterlinz, Fremont, CA (US);
Thaddeus Gerard Dziura, San Jose, CA (US);
Noam Sapiens, Cupertino, CA (US);
Stilian Ivanov Pandev, Santa Clara, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems for evaluating the performance of multiple patterning processes are presented. Patterned structures are measured and one or more parameter values characterizing geometric errors induced by the multiple patterning process are determined. In some examples, a single patterned target and a multiple patterned target are measured, the collected data fit to a combined measurement model, and the value of a structural parameter indicative of a geometric error induced by the multiple patterning process is determined based on the fit. In some other examples, light having a diffraction order different from zero is collected and analyzed to determine the value of a structural parameter that is indicative of a geometric error induced by a multiple patterning process. In some embodiments, a single diffraction order different from zero is collected. In some examples, a metrology target is designed to enhance light diffracted at an order different from zero.