Systems and methods for automated multi-zone detection and modeling
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10340165
A semiconductor tool includes an illumination source to generate an illumination beam, one or more illumination optical elements to direct a portion of the illumination beam to a sample, a detector, one or more collection optical elements to direct radiation emanating from the sample to the detector, and a controller communicatively coupled to the detector. The controller is configured to measure alignment at a plurality of locations across the sample to generate alignment data, select…
Method of eliminating thermally induced beam drift in an electron beam separator
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10340114
These electron beam separator designs address thermally-induced beam drift in an electron-optical system. A heater coil wrapped around the beam separator unit can maintain constant power. Additional coils also can be wrapped around the beam separator in a bifilar manner, which can maintain constant power in the beam separator coils. Wien power can be determined, and then heater coil current can be determined.
Position feedback for multi-beam particle detector
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10338013
A multi-beam metrology system includes an illumination source configured to generate a beam array, an illumination sub-system to direct the beam array to a sample at an array of measurement locations, an imaging sub-system to image the array of measurement locations as an array of imaged spots in a detection plane, and a detection assembly to generate detection signal channels associated with each of the imaged spots. The detection assembly includes an array of detection elements…
Process modules integrated into a metrology and/or inspection tool
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10332810
Systems and methods for performing one or more processes on a specimen are provided. One system includes a deposition module incorporated into an existing tool configured to perform an inspection and/or metrology process. The deposition module is configured to deposit one or more materials on a specimen prior to the inspection and/or metrology process performed on the specimen. In some embodiments, the system also includes a stripping module incorporated into the existing tool, and the…
Lithography systems with integrated metrology tools having enhanced functionalities
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10331050
Lithography systems and methods are provided with enhanced performance based on broader utilization of the integrated metrology tool in the printing tool to handle the metrology measurements in the system in a more sophisticated and optimized way. Additional operation channels are disclosed, enabling the integrated metrology tool to monitor and/or allocate metrology measurements thereby and by a standalone metrology tool with respect to specified temporal limitations of the printing…
Systems and methods for wafer surface feature detection, classification and quantification with wafer geometry metrology tools
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10330608
Systems and methods for providing micro defect inspection capabilities for optical systems such as wafer metrology tools and interferometer systems are disclosed. The systems and methods in accordance with the present disclosure may detect, classify and quantify wafer surface features, wherein the detected defects are classified and the important defect metrology information of height/depth, area and volume is reported. The systems and methods in accordance with the present disclosure…
Measurement system optimization for X-ray based metrology
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10324050
Methods and systems for optimizing measurement system parameter settings of an x-ray based metrology system are presented. X-ray based metrology systems employing an optimized set of measurement system parameters are used to measure structural, material, and process characteristics associated with different semiconductor fabrication processes with greater precision and accuracy. In one aspect, a set of values of one or more machine parameters that specify a measurement scenario is…
Method and system for focus adjustment of a multi-beam scanning electron microscopy system
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10325753
A scanning electron microscopy system is disclosed. The system includes a multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sub-system. The SEM sub-system includes a multi-beam electron source configured to form a plurality of electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure a sample, an electron-optical assembly to direct the electron beams onto a portion of the sample, and a detector assembly configured to simultaneously acquire multiple images of the surface of the sample. The system…
System, method and computer program product for automatically generating a wafer image to design coordinate mapping
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10325361
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for automatically generating a wafer image to design coordinate mapping. In use, a design of a wafer is received by a computer processor. In addition, an image of a wafer fabricated from the design is received by the computer processor. Further, a coordinate mapping between the design and the image is automatically generated by the computer processor.
Method of optimizing an optical parametric model for structural analysis using optical critical dimension (OCD) metrology
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10325004
Optimization of optical parametric models for structural analysis using optical critical dimension metrology is described. A method includes determining a first optical model fit for a parameter of a structure. The first optical model fit is based on a domain of quantities for a first model of the structure. A first near optical field response is determined for a first quantity of the domain of quantities and a second near optical field response is determined for a second, different…
Methods and systems for monitoring a non-defect related characteristic of a patterned wafer
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10324046
Methods and systems for monitoring a non-defect related characteristic of a patterned wafer are provided. One computer-implemented method includes generating output responsive to light from a patterned wafer using an inspection system. The method also includes determining differences between a value of a non-defect related characteristic of the patterned wafer and a known value of the non-defect related characteristic based on differences between one or more attributes of the output and…
Surface defect inspection with large particle monitoring and laser power control
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10324045
Methods and systems for reducing illumination intensity while scanning over large particles are presented herein. A surface inspection system determines the presence of a large particle in the inspection path of a primary measurement spot using a separate leading measurement spot. The inspection system reduces the incident illumination power while the large particle is within the primary measurement spot. The primary measurement spot and the leading measurement spot are separately imaged…
Apparatus, method and computer program product for defect detection in work pieces
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10324044
An apparatus, a method and a computer program product for defect detection in work pieces is disclosed. At least one light source is provided and the light source generates an illumination light of a wavelength range at which the work piece is transparent. A camera images the light from at least one face of the work piece on a detector of the camera by means of a lens. A stage is used for moving the work piece and for imaging the at least one face of the semiconductor device completely…
Determining information for defects on wafers
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10317347
Systems and methods for determining information for defects on a wafer are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to direct light having one or more illumination wavelengths to a wafer. The one or more illumination wavelengths are selected to cause fluorescence from one or more materials on the wafer without causing fluorescence from one or more other materials on the wafer. The system also includes a detection subsystem configured to detect only the…
Speed enhancement of chromatic confocal metrology
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10317344
Systems and methods for height measurements, such as those for bumps, pillars, or film thickness, can use chromatic confocal techniques. The system can include a white light source that emits white light and lenses that vary a focal distance of each wavelength of the white light from the white light source. Each of the wavelengths of the white light focuses at a different distance from the lenses. A sensor body has multiple sensors that are disposed in the sensor body in multiple rows…
Three-dimensional mapping of a wafer
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10317198
Methods and scatterometry overlay metrology tools are provided, which scan a wafer region, perform focus measurements during the scanning to extract therefrom phase information, and derive depth data of the scanned wafer region from the extracted phase information. The depth information, relating to a dimension perpendicular to the wafer, may be derived along lines or surfaces, providing profilometry and surface data, respectively. The depth data may be used to locate metrology targets,…
Dual-column-parallel CCD sensor and inspection systems using a sensor
Granted: June 4, 2019
Patent Number:
10313622
A dual-column-parallel image CCD sensor utilizes a dual-column-parallel readout circuit including two pairs of cross-connected transfer gates to alternately transfer pixel data (charges) from a pair of adjacent pixel columns to a shared output circuit at high speed with low noise. Charges transferred along the two adjacent pixel columns at a line clock rate are alternately passed by the transfer gates to a summing gate that is operated at twice the line clock rate to pass the image…
All reflective wafer defect inspection and review systems and methods
Granted: June 4, 2019
Patent Number:
10309907
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for reflecting, towards a sensor, an Infrared to vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) light that is reflected from a target substrate. The system includes a first mirror arranged to receive and reflect the Infrared to VUV light that is reflected from the target substrate and a second mirror arranged to receive and reflect Infrared to VUV light that is reflected by the first mirror. The first and second mirrors are arranged and shaped so as to reflect Infrared to…
Method and computer program product for controlling the positioning of patterns on a substrate in a manufacturing process
Granted: May 28, 2019
Patent Number:
10303153
In a method for controlling the positioning of patterns on a substrate in a manufacturing process at least one registration measurement is conducted with a registration tool on at least one pattern formed in at least one layer on the substrate by a previous process step of the manufacturing process. From the registration measurement a position of the at least one pattern in a coordinate system is determined. The determined position of the at least one pattern is fed into an automatic…
Method and apparatus for direct self assembly in target design and production
Granted: May 28, 2019
Patent Number:
10303835
Target designs methods and targets are provided, in which at least some of the differentiation between target elements and their background is carried out by segmenting either of them. Directed self-assembly (DSA) processes are used to generate fine segmentation, and various characteristics of the polymer lines and their guiding lines are used to differentiate target elements from their background. Target designs and design principles are disclosed in relation to the DSA process, as well…
