Patent · US Expired

Integrated circuit metrology

US7363099B2 · kind B2 · utility

41Cited by
68References
102Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 22, 2002
Grant dateApr 22, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/3212
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Sites to be measured on a device that is to be fabricated using at least one fabrication process, are selected based on a pattern-dependent model of the process. A metrology tool to measure a parameter of a semiconductor device includes a control element to select sites for measurement based on a pattern dependent model of a process with respect to the device. Problematic areas, within a chip or die and within a wafer, are identified that result from process variation. The variation is identified and characterized, and the location of each site is stored. The sites may be manually entered into a metrology tool or the method will automatically generate a measurement plan. Process variation and electrical impact are used to direct the measurement of within-die and wafer-level integrated circuit locations.

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