Alignment of Multi-Beam Patterning Tool
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorNuriel Amir
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Alignment of multi-beam pattern tools includes generating a test pattern having multiple features with a multi-beam patterning tool, acquiring an image standard associated with a test pattern standard, acquiring an image of a portion of the test pattern, comparing the portion of the image of the test pattern to the image standard to identify one or more irregularities between the portion of the image of the test pattern and the image standard, and adjusting one or more beams of the multi-beam patterning tool based on the one or more identified irregularities between the portion of the image of the test pattern and the image standard.
Claims20
A multi-beam patterning system comprising:
- an imaging sub-system, the imaging sub-system having at least a detector;
- a multi-beam patterning tool including a plurality of beams, the plurality of beams configured to produce a pattern having a plurality of features;
- a pattern correction controller communicatively coupled to the imaging sub-system and the multi-beam patterning tool, the pattern correction controller configured to execute a set of program instructions maintained in memory, the set of program instructions configured to cause the processor to:
- acquire an image standard;
- receive image data associated with at least a portion of an image of a pattern generated by the multi-beam patterning tool;
- compare the image data to the image standard to identify one or more irregularities between the image data and the image standard;
- and
- adjust a beam of the multi-beam patterning tool based at least on the identified irregularity between the image data and the image standard.
A multi-beam patterning tool for simultaneous alignment of multiple beams comprising:
- at least one energy source capable of initiating and sustaining a plurality of beams;
- one or more optical elements;
- and
- a pattern correction controller communicatively coupled to the multi-beam patterning tool, the pattern correction controller configured to execute a set of program instructions maintained in memory, the set of program instructions configured to cause the processor to:
- generate a pattern having a plurality of features with the plurality of beams;
- receive an image standard;
- receive image data associated with at least a portion of an image of the pattern generated;
- compare the image data to the image standard to identify one or more irregularities between the image data and the image standard;
- and
- adjust a beam of the plurality of beams based at least on the identified irregularity between the image data and the image standard.
A method for alignment of a multi-beam patterning tool comprising:
- generating a test pattern having a plurality of features with a multi-beam patterning tool;
- acquiring a first image standard associated with a test pattern standard;
- acquiring an image of the test pattern;
- comparing at least a portion of the image of the test pattern to the first image standard to identify an irregularity between the at least a portion of the image of the test pattern and the first image standard;
- and
- adjusting at least a beam of the multi-beam patterning tool based at least on the identified irregularity between the at least a portion of the image of the test pattern and the first image standard.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.