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US 12,345,521 B2Granted
Optical measurement apparatus, measuring method using the same, and method of fabricating semiconductor device using the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJin Yong Kim, Dae Hoon Han, Wook Rae Kim, Myung Jun Lee, Gwang Sik Park, Sung Ho Jang
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Abstract
An optical measurement apparatus includes a light source unit generating and outputting light, a polarized light generating unit generating polarized light from the light, an optical system generating a pupil image of a measurement target, using the polarized light, a self-interference generating unit generating multiple beams that are split from the pupil image, and a detecting unit detecting a self-interference image generated by interference of the multiple beams with each other.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- generating a polarized light and illuminating the polarized light to a measurement target;
- generating a pupil image of the measurement target from the polarized light reflected from the measurement target, the pupil image including polarization information on a plurality of incident angles and a plurality of azimuths in a manner of one-shot;
- generating a self-interference image, using the pupil image;
- analyzing the self-interference image to measure the measurement target;
- and
- performing a semiconductor process on the measurement target depending on a result of the analyzing of the self-interference image,
- wherein the generating of the self-interference image includes:
- splitting an incident beam of the pupil image into a first component beam and a second component beam to generate multiple beams and shifting one of the first component beam and the second component beam in a first direction from a traveling direction of the incident beam, and
- receiving the first component beam and the second component beam splitted from the incident beam of the pupil image and shifting the other of the first component beam and the second component beam in a second direction from the traveling direction of the incident beam, the second direction being different from the first direction,
- making the first component beam and the second component beam interfere with each other,
- wherein the first direction is one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction which are perpendicular to the traveling direction of the incident beam, and
- wherein the second direction is the other of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.
9 more elements
An optical measurement apparatus comprising:
- a light source unit configured to generate and output light;
- a polarized light generating unit configured to generate polarized light from the light;
- an optical system including an objective lens configured to receive the polarized light reflected from a measurement target and generate a pupil image of the measurement target, the pupil image including polarization information on a plurality of incident angles and a plurality of azimuths in a manner of one-shot;
- a self-interference generating unit configured to receive an incident beam of the pupil image from the optical system and generate a self-interference image having an interference pattern;
- and
- a detecting unit configured to detect the self-interference image,
- wherein the generating of the self-interference image includes:
- generating multiple beams including a first component beam and a second component beam that are split from the incident beam of the pupil image, at least one of the first component beam and the second component beam being shifted from the incident beam, and
- making the first component beam and the second component beam interfere with each other to generate the interference pattern,
- wherein the self-interference generating unit includes a first beam displacer and a second beam displacer,
- wherein the first beam displacer and the second beam displacer are configured such that the second beam displacer receives the first component beam and the second component beam from the first beam displacer and the first beam displacer is configured to shift one of the first component beam and the second component beam in a first direction from the incident beam of the pupil image and the second beam displacer is configured to shift the other of the first component beam and the second component beam in a second direction from the incident beam of the pupil image, and
- wherein the first direction is different from the second direction.
9 more elements
An optical measurement apparatus comprising:
- a light source unit configured to generate and output light;
- a polarized light generating unit configured to generate polarized light from the light;
- a first beam splitter configured to:
- direct the polarized light toward a measurement target, and
- emit a reflected light reflected from the measurement target;
- an objective lens configured to:
- condense the polarized light on the measurement target, and
- generate an incident beam of a pupil image of the measurement target from the reflected light, wherein the pupil image includes polarization information on a plurality of incident angles and a plurality of azimuths in a manner of one-shot;
- a self-interference generating unit configured to generate a self-interference image having an interference pattern;
- and
- a first detecting unit configured to detect the self-interference image,
- wherein the generating of the self-interference image includes:
- generating multiple beams including a first component beam and a second component beam that are split from the incident beam of the pupil image, and
- making the first component beam and the second component beam interfere with each other to generate the interference pattern, and
- wherein the self-interference generating unit includes:
- a first beam displacer and a second beam displacer that generate the multiple beams, each of the first and second beam displacers including a birefringent material, wherein the first beam displacer and the second beam displacer are configured such that the second beam displacer receives the first component beam and the second component beam from the first beam displacer, wherein the first beam displacer is configured to shift one of the first component beam and the second component beam in a first direction from the incident beam of the pupil image and the second beam displacer is configured to shift the other of the first component beam and the second component beam in a second direction from the incident beam of the pupil image, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction, a first wave plate configured to receive the first component beam and the second component beam from the second beam displacer, and wherein the second beam displacer is between the first beam displacer and the first wave plate, and
- an analyzer configured to filter a polarization state of the multiple beams.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.