Semiconductor metrology based on hyperspectral imaging

US10801953B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• David Y. Wang · Houston, US
• Alexander Buettner · Weilburg, DE
• Stilian Ivanov Pandev · Santa Clara, US
• Emanuel Saerchen · Gießen, DE
• Andrei V. Shchegrov · Campbell, US
• Barry Blasenheim · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 11, 2019
• Grant date: Oct 13, 2020
• Expiry date: Jan 11, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2201/08
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods and systems for performing semiconductor measurements based on hyperspectral imaging are presented herein. A hyperspectral imaging system images a wafer over a large field of view with high pixel density over a broad range of wavelengths. Image signals collected from a measurement area are detected at a number of pixels. The detected image signals from each pixel are spectrally analyzed separately. In some embodiments, the illumination and collection optics of a hyperspectral imaging system include fiber optical elements to direct illumination light from the illumination source to the measurement area on the surface of the specimen under measurement and fiber optical elements to image the measurement area. In another aspect, a fiber optics collector includes an image pixel mapper that couples a two dimensional array of collection fiber optical elements into a one dimensional array of pixels at the spectrometer and the hyperspectral detector.