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:
Jan. 06, 2009
Filed:
Aug. 03, 2007
Chistopher P. Ausschnitt, Lexington, MA (US);
Lewis A. Binns, York, GB;
Jennifer L. Morningstar, Hyde Park, NY (US);
Nigel Smith, Hsinchu, TW;
Chistopher P. Ausschnitt, Lexington, MA (US);
Lewis A. Binns, York, GB;
Jennifer L. Morningstar, Hyde Park, NY (US);
Nigel Smith, Hsinchu, TW;
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Nanometrics Incorporated, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of determining and correcting for distortions introduced by an imaging tool. The method includes providing an imaging tool having a field of view (FOV), and creating a target pattern containing a regular array of symmetric sub-patterns having locations spanning the FOV. Using the imaging tool, the method then includes measuring relative position of the sub-pattern images at one or more target orientations, determining tool-induced sub-pattern position deviations from designed locations of the sub-patterns, and applying corrections to compensate for an orientation independent component of the sub-pattern position deviations. The target pattern may be mounted on a stage of the measurement tool, created on a mask used in the lithographic process, or created on a wafer being measured by the measuring tool.