Patent · US Expired

Method and system for measuring patterned structures

US7477405B2 · kind B2 · utility

13Cited by
25References
96Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 1, 2003
Grant dateJan 13, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 17, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F1/84
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A measurement method and system configured to determine parameters of a structure during production, the system including: a stage configured to support the structure during measurements; a measuring unit coupled to the stage; and a processor coupled to the measuring unit. The measuring unit includes: an illumination system configured to direct incident light of substantially broad wavelengths band toward a surface of the structure during measurements; and a detection system coupled to the illumination system and configured to detect light propagating from the surface of the structure during measurements. The measuring unit is configured to generate one or more output signals in response to the detected light during measurements. The processor is configured to determine the parameters of the structure from the one or more output signals during measurements. The parameters include a critical dimension of the structure and a layer characteristic of the structure.

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