# US 11,906,434 B2 · Raman spectroscopy based measurement system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,434 B2 - Document ID: US11906434B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/714,035 - Filed: 2022-04-05 - Published: 2022-11-24 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-15 - Assignees: Nova Ltd. - Applicants: Nova Ltd - Inventors: Yonatan Oren - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906434B2 ## CPC - G01B 11/02: for measuring length, width or thickness (G01B11/08 takes precedence) - G01N 21/65: Raman scattering - G01N 21/17: Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated (where the material investigated is optically excited causing a change in wavelength of the incident light G01N21/63) - G01N 21/9501: {Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20)} - G03F 7/70616: {Monitoring the printed patterns} - G03F 7/70625: {Dimensions, e.g. line width, critical dimension [CD], profile, sidewall angle or edge roughness} - G01B 2210/56: Measuring geometric parameters of semiconductor structures, e.g. profile, critical dimensions or trench depth - G01N 2201/0231: Thermostating - G01N 2201/06113: Coherent sources; lasers - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract A method and system are presented for use in measuring one or more characteristics of patterned structures. The method comprises: performing measurements on a patterned structure by illuminating the structure with exciting light to cause Raman scattering of one or more excited regions of the pattern structure, while applying a controlled change of at least temperature condition of the patterned structure, and detecting the Raman scattering, and generating corresponding measured data indicative of a temperature dependence of the detected Raman scattering; and analyzing the measured data and generating data indicative of spatial profile of one or more properties of the patterned structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for use in measuring one or more characteristics of a patterned structure, the method comprising: performing measurements on a patterned structure by illuminating the patterned structure with exciting light to cause Raman scattering of one or more excited regions of the patterned structure, while applying a controlled change of a temperature condition of the patterned structure and while monitoring the temperature condition of the patterned structure; collecting the Raman scattering, by a detection unit, and generating measured data; and generating, utilizing the measured data, data indicative of spatial profile of one or more properties of the patterned structure; wherein the measured data is a temperature dependent Raman response of the patterned structure, and wherein said monitoring of the temperature comprises analyzing the temperature dependent Raman response of the patterned structure and determining the controlled change of the temperature condition from a variation of at least one of (a) Raman scattering peak intensity, (b) Raman scattering peak wavelength, or (c) Raman scattering peak width. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more properties of the patterned structure include at least one of material and geometric properties of the patterned structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein said applying the controlled change of the temperature condition comprises controllably heating the patterned structure under illumination to affect corresponding change in optical absorption of materials of the patterned structure within at least said one or more excited regions, thereby changing penetration of exciting illumination into the patterned structure, the measured data being therefore indicative of a spatial profile of sources of the Raman scattering within said one or more excited regions in the structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the regions of the patterned structure at different penetration depths are different from one another in at least one of the following: layer stacks and patterns. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said controlled change of the temperature condition is performed by heating of the patterned structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising performing a plurality of the measurement sessions while varying one or more of the following measurement conditions: wavelengths of the illumination; angles of incidence of the illumination; and polarization states of the illumination. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said illumination of the patterned structure to cause Raman scattering of one or more excited regions of the pattern structure comprises optical beams of two or more selected wavelengths. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said spatial profile of the one or more properties of the patterned structure is a two-dimensional profile of said at least one property distribution across and through the structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising determining the change of the temperature condition from the variation of the Raman scattering peak intensity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising determining the change of the temperature condition from the variation of the Raman scattering peak wavelength. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising determining the change of the temperature condition from the variation of the Raman scattering peak width. ### Claim 12 A system for measuring one or more characteristics of a patterned structure, the system comprising: a control system; and a measurement system that comprises an illumination unit and a detection unit; wherein the illumination unit is configured and operable to illuminate the patterned structure to cause Raman scattering of one or more excited regions of the patterned structure and to cause a controllable change of a temperature condition of the patterned structure; wherein the detection unit comprises at least one optical detector configured and operable to collect the Raman scattering of the structure while under the controllable change of the temperature condition, and generate corresponding measured data; and wherein the control system is configured to be in data communication with the measurement system, to monitor the temperature condition of the patterned structure, to receive the measured data, and to utilize the measured data to generate data indicative of a spatial profile of at least one property of the patterned structure; wherein the measured data is a temperature dependent Raman response of the patterned structure, and wherein the control system is configured and operable to monitor the temperature condition by analyzing the temperature dependent Raman response of the patterned structure and determine the controlled change of the temperature condition from a variation of at least one of (a) Raman scattering peak intensity, (b) Raman scattering peak wavelength, or (c) Raman scattering peak width. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the control system is configured and operable to determine the change of the temperature condition from a variation of a Raman scattering peak intensity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the control system is configured and operable to determine the change of the temperature condition from the variation of the Raman scattering peak wavelength. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the control system is configured and operable to determine the change of the temperature condition from a variation of a Raman scattering peak width.