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. 25, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2009
Walter D. Mieher, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Ady Levy, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Boris Golovanesky, Haifa, IL;
Michael Friedmann, Mountain View, CA (US);
Ian Smith, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Michael E. Adel, Zichron Ya'akov, IL;
Anatoly Fabrikant, Fremont, CA (US);
Walter D. Mieher, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Ady Levy, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Boris Golovanesky, Haifa, IL;
Michael Friedmann, Mountain View, CA (US);
Ian Smith, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Michael E. Adel, Zichron Ya'akov, IL;
Anatoly Fabrikant, Fremont, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for determining overlay between a plurality of first structures in a first layer of a sample and a plurality of second structures in a second layer of the sample. Targets A, B, C and D that each include a portion of the first and second structures are provided. The target A is designed to have an offset Xa between its first and second structures portions; the target B is designed to have an offset Xb between its first and second structures portions; the target C is designed to have an offset Xc between its first and second structures portions; and the target D is designed to have an offset Xd between its first and second structures portions. Each of the offsets Xa, Xb, Xc and Xd is different from zero, and Xa is an opposite sign and differ from Xb.