Methods and systems for determining a critical dimension and overlay of a specimen

US8179530B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp. · US

Inventors

• Ady Levy · Sunnyvale, US
• Kyle Brown · Irvine, US
• Rodney Smedt · Los Gatos, US
• Gary Bultman · Los Altos, US
• Mehrdad Nikoonahad · Menlo Park, US
• Dan Wack · Los Altos, US
• John Fielden · Los Altos, US
• Ibrahim Abdul-Halim · Kfar Manda, IL

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 5, 2010
• Grant date: May 15, 2012
• Expiry date: Jul 5, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L2924/0002
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. The illumination system and the detection system may be configured such that the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of the specimen. For example, the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of a specimen including: but not limited to, critical dimension and overlay misregistration; defects and thin film characteristics; critical dimension and defects; critical dimension and thin film characteristics; critical dimension, thin film characteristics and defects; macro defects and micro defects; flatness, thin film characteristics and defects; overlay misregistration and flatness; an implant characteristic and defects; and adhesion and thickness. In this manner, a measurement device may perform multiple optical and/or non-optical metrology and/or inspection techniques.