Systems and methods for metrology recipe and model generation
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorTalat Fatima Hasan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methodologies are disclosed for generating setup information for use measuring process parameters associated with semiconductor devices. A system comprises an off-line measurement instrument to measure an unpatterned wafer and a setup information generator to generate setup information according to the unpatterned wafer measurement. The system then provides the setup information to a process measurement system for use in measuring production wafers in a semiconductor manufacturing process.
Claims30
A system for creating setup information for use in measuring process parameters associated with semiconductor wafers in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, comprising:
- an off-line measurement instrument adapted to measure a wafer;
- and
- a setup information generator operatively coupled to the off-line measurement instrument to create setup information according to a measurement therefrom and to provide the setup information to an active process measurement system associated with the semiconductor device manufacturing process, the setup information being usable by the active process measurement system to measure process parameters associated with semiconductor wafers in the semiconductor device manufacturing process,
- wherein the setup information generator is operatively coupled to the active process measurement system to facilitate communication between the off-line measurement instrument, the setup information generator and the active process measurement system.
A method of generating setup information for measurement of process parameters associated with a process measurement system in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, comprising:
- performing a measurement of a wafer using an off-line measurement instrument;
- generating setup information according to the measurement using a setup information generator;
- and
- providing the setup information from the setup information generator to the process measurement system using a network.
A system for generating a model for use in matching measured spectra from an optical scatterometer with performance parameters associated with a processed semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a spectroscopic ellipsometer operative to measure at least one optical constant associated with an unpatterned wafer and to provide a file including the at least one optical constant according to film and process parameters associated with the unpatterned wafer and calibration information associated with the spectroscopic ellipsometer;
- a model generator receiving the file from the spectroscopic ellipsometer and operative to generate a model usable by a process measurement system according to the file, film and process parameters, and metrology instrument parameters associated with the process measurement system;
- and
- a network for transferring the model to the process measurement system.
A measurement system for measuring process parameters associated with semiconductor products in a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising:
- a first measurement instrument integrated into a process tool in the manufacturing process and adapted to measure a performance parameter associated with wafers processed by the process tool
- a stand-alone measurement system having a second measurement instrument similar to the first measurement instrument, the stand-alone measurement system being operative to perform at least one support service for the first measurement instrument using the second measurement instrument;
- and
- a network operatively interconnecting the first measurement instrument in the process tool with the stand-alone measurement system, information and data being transferable therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.