Patent · US Expired

Spectroscopic scatterometer system

US6483580B1 · kind B1 · utility

172Cited by
24References
155Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 6, 1998
Grant dateNov 19, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 6, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Before the diffraction from a diffracting structure on a semiconductor wafer is measured, where necessary, the film thickness and index of refraction of the films underneath the structure are first measured using spectroscopic reflectometry or spectroscopic ellipsometry. A rigorous model is then used to calculate intensity or ellipsometric signatures of the diffracting structure. The diffracting structure is then measured using a spectroscopic scatterometer using polarized and broadband radiation to obtain an intensity or ellipsometric signature of the diffracting structure. Such signature is then matched with the signatures in the database to determine the grating shape parameters of the structure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.