Apparatus and methods for optically monitoring the fidelity of patterns produced by photolitographic tools
US7557921B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 12, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jul 7, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30148
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for monitoring a characteristic associated with a product feature on a semiconductor product. A proxy target formed from at least one substructure that corresponds to a product feature is provided. The substructure is not individually resolvable by an optical tool. A characteristic of the proxy target is determined based on optically monitoring the proxy target using the optical tool. Based on the determined characteristic of the proxy target, it is then determined whether the corresponding product feature has a characteristic that is within a predetermined specification or whether a process parameter used to fabricate such product feature is within a predetermined specification. In a specific embodiment, the characteristic of the corresponding product feature includes a shape parameter and a position parameter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.