Periodic patterns and technique to control misalignment between two layers
OwnerIbrahim Abdulhalim, Mike Adel +2inventors
InventorsIbrahim Abdulhalim, Mike Adel, Michael Friedmann, Michael Faeyrman
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Abstract
A method and system to measure misalignment error between two overlying or interlaced periodic structures are proposed. The overlying or interlaced periodic structures are illuminated by incident radiation, and the diffracted radiation of the incident radiation by the overlying or interlaced periodic structures are detected to provide an output signal. The misalignment between the overlying or interlaced periodic structures may then be determined from the output signal.
Claims102
A method of measuring line profile asymmetries in microelectronic devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing light at an array of microelectronic features of a microelectronic device;
- detecting light scattered back from the array comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more angles of reflection and one or more wavelengths;
- and
- comparing one or more characteristics of the back-scattered light by performing an operation comprising examining data from complementary angles of reflection.
An apparatus for measuring line profile asymmetries in microelectronic devices, said apparatus comprising:
- means for directing light at an array of microelectronic features of a microelectronic device;
- means for detecting light scattered back from the array comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more angles of reflection and one or more wavelengths;
- and
- means for comparing one or more characteristics of the back-scattered light by performing an operation comprising examining data from complementary angles of reflection.
A method of measuring line profile asymmetries in microelectronic devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing light at an array of microelectronic features of a microelectronic device;
- detecting light scattered back from the array comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more angles of reflection and one or mare wavelengths;
- and
- comparing one or more characteristics of the back-scattered light by performing an operation comprising performing a model comparison with an asymmetric model.
An apparatus for measuring line profile asymmetries in microelectronic devices, said apparatus comprising:
- means for directing light at an array of microelectronic features of a microelectronic device;
- means for detecting light scattered back from the array comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more angles of reflection and one or more wavelengths;
- and
- means for comparing one or more characteristics of the back-scattered light by performing an operation comprising performing a model comparison with an asymmetric model.
A method of measuring misalignments in devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing radiation at periodic structures of features of a device;
- detecting radiation scattered back from the periodic structures comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more polarization angles and one or more wavelengths;
- and
- comparing one or more characteristics of the back-scattered light by performing an operation comprising examining data from polarization angles.
An apparatus for measuring misalignment in devices, said apparatus comprising:
- means for directing radiation at periodic structures of features of a device;
- means for detecting radiation from the periodic structures comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more polarization angles and one or more wavelengths;
- and
- means for comparing one or more characteristics of the back-scattered light by performing an operation comprising examining data from polarization angles.
A method of measuring misalignment in devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing radiation at periodic structures of features of a device;
- detecting diffracted radiation from the periodic structures comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more polarization angles and one or mare wavelengths;
- and
- comparing one or more characteristics of the diffracted radiation by performing an operation comprising performing a comparison with a reference signal.
An apparatus for measuring misalignment in devices, said apparatus comprising:
- means for directing radiation at a periodic structure of features of a device;
- means for detecting diffracted radiation from the periodic structures comprising one or more features selected from the group consisting of one or more polarization angles and one or more wavelengths;
- and
- means for comparing one or more characteristics of the diffracted radiation by performing an operation comprising performing a comparison with a reference signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.