Apparatus and methods for providing selective defect sensitivity
US7271891B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 26, 2004 |
| Grant date | Sep 18, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 27, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67242
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Disclosed are techniques and apparatus for accounting for differing levels of defect susceptibility in different pattern areas of a reticle in an inspection of such reticle or in inspection of a semiconductor device fabricated from such reticle. In general terms, two or more areas of a reticle are analyzed to quantify each area's susceptibility to defects on the final semiconductor product. That is, each reticle area is analyzed and given a quantified defect susceptibility value, such as a MEEF (mask error enhancement factor) value. Such analysis includes analysis of an image that is estimated to result from the lithography tool which is to be utilized to expose semiconductor devices with the reticle. The defect susceptibility value generally depends on the reticle area's density and whether the correspond area of the estimated lithography image has intensity values which are proximate to an exposure threshold for a particular resist material to be used on the final semiconductor device. The quantified defect susceptibility for each reticle area is then used to selectively set the inspection sensitivity for each reticle area or its corresponding semiconductor device region. The ret…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.