# US 12,010,425 B2 · Overlay measurement device and method for controlling focus movement and program storage medium therefor

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- Number: US 12,010,425 B2
- Document ID: US12010425B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/205,254
- Filed: 2023-06-02
- Published: 2024-05-09
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-11-09
- Assignees: Auros Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Auros Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Seong-Yun Choi; Hyo-Sik Ham
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010425B2

## CPC

- H04N 23/676: {Bracketing for image capture at varying focusing conditions}
- G02B 7/105: with movable lens means specially adapted for focusing at close distances
- G02B 7/36: using image sharpness techniques {, e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals (image data processing per se G06T; in cameras having a solid state image sensor H04N23/67)}
- H04N 23/673: {based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

There is provided an overlay measurement device controlling a focus movement, which includes: a lighting part being configured to orient lighting toward an overlay measurement target; a collection part comprising an objective lens and a detector for obtaining one or more of images of each focus in the overlay measurement target; a lens focus actuator moving the objective lens to adjust a distance between the objective lens and a wafer; and a processor controlling an operation of the lens focus actuator. The processor obtains a focus graph respectively in relation to two layers from one or more of the images of each focus, and the processor identifies a reference focus in relation to the obtained focus graphs to move the objective lens.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An overlay measurement device controlling a focus movement, comprising:
a lighting part being configured to orient lighting toward an overlay measurement target;
a collection part comprising an objective lens and a detector for obtaining one or more of images of each focus in the overlay measurement target;
a lens focus actuator moving the objective lens to adjust a distance between the objective lens and a wafer; and
a processor controlling an operation of the lens focus actuator,
wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain a first focus graph of a first layer and a second focus graph of a second layer from one or more of the images of each focus,
identify a reference focus in relation to the obtained first focus graph and the obtained second focus graph,
identify a first contrast index and a second contrast index for each of the first layer and the second layer of the obtained measurement image,
identify a focus corresponding to each of the identified first contrast index and the identified second contrast index,
deduct a difference between the identified reference focus and the identified focus from the reference focus, and
move the objective lens to a focus corresponding to the measurement image by the deducted difference.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The overlay measurement device of claim 1, wherein
the processor identifies a third contrast index of each of the first layer and the second layer of the measurement image, and
the processor identifies a fourth contrast index of each of the first layer and the second layer of the measurement image.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The overlay measurement device of claim 2, wherein the processor identifies one third contrast index and one fourth contrast index that have a shortest focal length between the third contrast index of each of the first layer and the second layer and between the fourth contrast index of each of the first layer and the second layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The overlay measurement device of claim 3, wherein the processor identifies whether a focus value corresponding to one third contrast index identified is identical with a focus value corresponding to one fourth contrast index identified.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The overlay measurement device of claim 1, wherein the processor determines a focus corresponding to an average between the first layer and the second layer, a maximum value of each of the first layer and the second layer, and a maximum value out of minimums between the first layer and the second layer as the reference focus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The overlay measurement device of claim 1, wherein the processor deducts the calculated difference from the reference focus value, and
the processor operates the lens focus actuator, and moves the objective lens to correspond to a position of the deducted focus.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The overlay measurement device of claim 1, wherein the processor controls a movement of the objective lens through the lens focus actuator, based on the calculated difference, at each measurement point of the wafer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The overlay measurement device of claim 1, wherein the processor obtains an image corresponding to a current position of the objective lens through the detector.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The overlay measurement device of claim 8, wherein the processor obtains an image, based on a movement of a stage on which the wafer is placed.

### Claim 10

A method for controlling a focus movement of an overlay measurement device, comprising:
obtaining a first focus graph of a first layer and a second focus graph of a second layer from one or more of images of each focus;
identifying a reference focus in relation to the obtained first focus graph and the obtained second focus graph and moving the objective lens;
identifying a first contrast index and a second contrast index for each of the first layer and the second layer of the obtained measurement image,
identifying a focus corresponding to each of the identified first contrast index and the identified second contrast index,
deducting a difference between the identified reference focus and the identified focus from the reference focus, and
moving the objective lens to a focus corresponding to the measurement image by the deducted difference.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, moving the objective lens, comprising:
as a measurement image is obtained, identifying a first contrast index and a second contrast index in relation to each of the first layer of the second layer of the obtained measurement image, based on the identified reference focus; and
identifying a focus corresponding to each of the identified first contrast index and the identified second contrast index in each of the first layer and the second layer of one or more of the images of each focus.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, moving the objective lens, comprising:
calculating a difference between the reference focus and the identified focus, and
moving the objective lens to a focus corresponding to the measurement image, based on the calculated difference.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, identifying a focus corresponding to each of the identified first contrast index and the identified second contrast index, comprising:
identifying a third contrast index of each of the first layer and the second layer of the measurement image, and
identifying a fourth contrast index of each of the first layer and the second layer of the measurement image.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, moving the objective lens, comprising:
deducting the calculated difference from the reference focus value, and
moving the objective lens to correspond to a position of the deducted focus.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises controlling a movement of the objective lens, based on the calculated difference, at each measurement point of the wafer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises obtaining an image corresponding to a current position of the objective lens.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein identifying the reference focus comprises determines a focus corresponding to an average between the first layer and the second layer, a maximum value of each of the first layer and the second layer, and a maximum value out of minimums between the first layer and the second layer as the reference focus.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises identifying one third contrast index and one fourth contrast index that have a shortest focal length between the third contrast index and between the fourth contrast index.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein identifying one third contrast index and one fourth contrast index comprises identifying whether a focus value corresponding to one third contrast index identified is identical with a focus value corresponding to one fourth contrast index identified.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a program that comprises instructions for controlling a focus movement of an overlay measurement device,
the program comprising:
instructions for obtaining a first focus graph of a first layer and a second focus graph of a second layer from one or more of images of each focus;
instructions for identifying a reference focus in relation to the obtained first focus graph and the obtained second focus graph and moving an objective lens;
instructions for identifying a first contrast index and a second contrast index for each of the first layer and the second layer of the obtained measurement image;
instructions for identifying a focus corresponding to each of the identified first contrast index and the identified second contrast index;
instructions for deducting a difference between the identified reference focus and the identified focus from the reference focus; and
instructions for moving the objective lens to a focus corresponding to the measurement image by the deducted difference.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, the program comprising:
instructions for identifying a first contrast index and a second contrast index in relation to each of the first layer and the second layer of a measurement image, based on the identified reference focus, as the measurement image is obtained; and
instructions for identifying a focus corresponding to each of the identified first contrast index and the identified second contract index in each of the first layer and the second layer of one or more of the images of each focus.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, the program comprising:
instructions for calculating a difference between the reference focus and the identified focus; and
instructions for moving the objective lens to a focus corresponding to the measurement image, based on the calculated difference.