Patent · US Active

Automated process control using optical metrology and photoresist parameters

US7567353B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
39References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 28, 2007
Grant dateJul 28, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70625
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

To control a photolithography cluster using optical metrology, a structure is fabricated on a wafer using the photolithography cluster. A measured diffraction signal off the structure is obtained. The measured diffraction signal is compared to a simulated diffraction signal. The simulated diffraction signal is associated with one or more values of one or more photoresist parameters. The one or more photoresist parameters characterize behavior of photoresist when the photoresist undergoes processing steps in the photolithography cluster. The simulated diffraction signal was generated using one or more values of one or more profile parameters. The one or more values of the one or more profile parameters used to generate the simulated diffraction signal were derived from the one or more values of the one or more photoresist parameters associated with the simulated diffraction signal. If the measured diffraction signal and the simulated diffraction signal match, then one or more values of one or more photoresist parameters used in the photolithography cluster are determined to be the one or more values of the one or more photoresist parameters associated with the matching simulated dif…

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