Patent · US Active

Metrology method and apparatus, and device manufacturing method

US9069264B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
1References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 5, 2012
Grant dateJun 30, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 24, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70683
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A target structure including a periodic structure is formed on a substrate. An image of the target structure is detected while illuminating the target structure with a beam of radiation, the image being formed using a first part of non-zero order diffracted radiation while excluding zero order diffracted radiation. Intensity values extracted from a region of interest within the image are used to determine a property of the periodic structure. A processing unit recognizes locations of a plurality of boundary features in the image of the target structure to identify regions of interest. The number of boundary features in each direction is at least twice a number of boundaries of periodic structures within the target structure. The accuracy of locating the region is greater than by recognizing only the boundaries of the periodic structure(s).

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