Patent · US Active

Method for optimizing the configuration of a scatterometry measurement system

US7826072B1 · kind B1 · utility

4Cited by
15References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 6, 2007
Grant dateNov 2, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 17, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B2210/56
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present application discloses a method of model-based measurement of semiconductor device features using a scatterometer system. The method includes at least the following steps. A cost function is defined depending upon a plurality of variable parameters of the scatterometer system and upon a plurality of variable parameters for computer-implemented modeling to determine measurement results. Constraints are established for the plurality of variable parameters of the scatterometer system and for the plurality of variable parameters for the computer-implemented modeling. A computer-implemented optimization procedure is performed to determine an optimized global set of parameters, including both the variable parameters of the scatterometer system and the variable parameters for the computer-implemented modeling, which result in a minimal value of the cost function. Finally, the optimized global set of parameters is applied to configure the scatterometer system and the computer-implemented modeling. Other embodiments, features and aspects are also disclosed herein.

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