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:
Nov. 18, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2001
Erik Cho Houge, Orlando, FL (US);
John Martin McIntosh, Orlando, FL (US);
Larry E. Plew, St. Cloud, FL (US);
Agere Systems, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
In-line process control for 120 nm and 100 nm lithography using the installed scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipment base. A virtual three-dimensional representation of a photoresist feature is developed by applying a transform function to SEM intensity data representing the feature. The transform function correlates highly accurate height vector data, such as provided by a stylus nanoprofilometer or scatterometer, with the highly precise intensity data from the SEM. A multiple parameter characterization of at least one critical dimension of the virtual feature is compared to an acceptance pattern template, with the results being used to control a downstream etch process or an upstream lithography process. A multiple parameter characteristic of a three dimensional representation of the resulting post-etch final feature may be compared to device performance data to further refine the acceptance pattern template.