# US 2021/0278769 A1 · Overlay-shift measurement system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0278769 A1 - Document ID: US20210278769A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/329,772 - Filed: 2021-05-25 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-13 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Yu-Ching LEE; Yu-Piao FANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210278769A1 ## CPC - G03F 7/70633: {Overlay, i.e. relative alignment between patterns printed by separate exposures in different layers, or in the same layer in multiple exposures or stitching} - H10W 46/00: Marks applied to devices, e.g. for alignment or identification - G03F 7/2022: {Multi-step exposure, e.g. hybrid; backside exposure; blanket exposure, e.g. for image reversal; edge exposure, e.g. for edge bead removal; corrective exposure} - G03F 7/70466: {Multiple exposures, e.g. combination of fine and coarse exposures, double patterning or multiple exposures for printing a single feature (stitching G03F7/70475)} - G03F 7/70625: {Dimensions, e.g. line width, critical dimension [CD], profile, sidewall angle or edge roughness} - G03F 7/70641: {Focus} - G03F 7/70683: {Mark designs} - G03F 9/7076: {Mark details, e.g. phase grating mark, temporary mark} - H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects} - H10P 74/27: {Structural arrangements therefor} - B82Y 20/00: Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals - G02B 6/1225: {comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices} - H10W 46/301: {for alignment} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Overlay-shift measurement systems are provided. An overlay-shift measurement system includes an optical device, a first light detection device and a processor. The optical device is configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure. The first light detection device is configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target. The processor is configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the transmitted light. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An overlay-shift measurement system, comprising: an optical device configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure; a first light detection device configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target; and a processor configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the transmitted light. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a second light detection device configured to receive a reflected light from the metrology target when the input light illuminates the metrology target, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the overlay-shift is present according to the characteristics of both the transmitted light and the reflected light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metrology target comprises a first pattern formed by the first photonic crystals with a first pitch, and a second pattern formed by the second photonic crystals with a second pitch, wherein the first light detection device is configured to receive the transmitted light from the first and second patterns when the input light penetrates the first and second patterns. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first and second photonic crystals have the same sectional shape, and the first pitch is equal to the second pitch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the transmitted light comprise information regarding center wavelength shift, scattering wavelength count, scatter angle, center wavelength intensity, fill width at half maximum or photonic band gap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the transmitted light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics the transmitted light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first photonic crystals are separated from the second photonic crystals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second photonic crystals have the same height on the semiconductor structure. ### Claim 10 An overlay-shift measurement system, comprising: an optical device configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure; a first light detection device configured to receive a reflected light from the metrology target when the input light illuminates the metrology target; and a processor configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the reflected light, wherein the first and second photonic crystals have two heights on the semiconductor structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: a second light detection device configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the overlay-shift is present according to the characteristics of both the transmitted light and the reflected light. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metrology target comprises a first pattern formed by the first photonic crystals with a first pitch, and a second pattern formed by the second photonic crystals with a second pitch, wherein the first light detection device is configured to receive the reflected light from the first and second patterns when the input light illuminates the first and second patterns. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first and second photonic crystals have the same sectional shape, and the first pitch is equal to the second pitch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the characteristics of the reflected light comprise information regarding center wavelength shift, scattering wavelength count, scatter angle, center wavelength intensity, fill width at half maximum or photonic band gap. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the reflected light. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics the reflected light. ### Claim 17 An overlay-shift measurement system, comprising: an optical device configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure; a first light detection device configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target; a second light detection device configured to receive a reflected light from the metrology target when the input light illuminates the metrology target; and a processor configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the transmitted light and the reflected light, wherein the first photonic crystals and the second photonic crystals are formed by different materials. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the transmitted light and the reflected light. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the transmitted light and the reflected light. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first photonic crystals are separated from the second photonic crystals, and the first and the second photonic crystals have the same height on the semiconductor structure.