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US 6,789,033 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for characterizing features at small dimensions
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsEric P. Solecky, Charles N. Archie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Prediction of a functional characteristic(s) and/or description of a physical characteristic(s) of structural features on a substrate is performed using a method where a combination of a weighting function(s) and a correlation function(s) is applied to feedback information from the structural feature. The combination of functions is preferably selected using a calibration database containing (A) information describing a functional performance characteristic of reference structural features, and/or (B) information describing a physical characteristic of reference structural features, and information describing feedback from the reference structural features as a function of position over such reference structural features.
Claims30
A method for evaluation of target structural features on a substrate said method comprising:
- (a) providing a calibration database comprising:
- (i) information elements selected from the group consisting of (A) information elements describing a functional performance characteristic of respective reference structural features on a substrate, and (B) information elements describing a physical characteristic of each of said respective reference structural features, or both types of information elements, and
- (ii) information elements describing feedback from said respective reference structural features as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features,
- (b) providing at least one weighting function as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features and at least one correlation function as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features, wherein a plurality of weighting functions and/or correlation functions is provided,
- (c) determining a combination of weighting function and correlation function from said provided which provide a desired degree of correlation between said information elements (i) and (ii) for respective reference structural features,
- (d) providing information elements describing feedback from said target structural features as a function of position over each of said respective target structural features on said substrate, and
- (e) applying said combination of weighting function and correlation function to said target structural feature information elements to predict said functional performance characteristic of respective target structural features and/or to describe said physical characteristic of respective target structural features.
4 more elements
A method for evaluation of target structural features on a substrate, said method comprising:
- (a) providing information elements describing feedback from said target structural features as a function of position over each of said respective targ t structural features on said substrate,
- (b) applying a combination of a weighting function and a correlation function to said target structural feature information elements to predict a functional performance characteristic of respective target structural features and/or to describe a physical characteristic of respective target structural features.
A system for evaluation of target structural features on a substrate, said system comprising:
- (a) a calibration database in a computer-readable medium, said database comprising:
- (i) information elements selected from the group consisting of information elements describing a functional performance characteristic of respective reference structural features on a substrate and information elements describing physical analysis of each of said respective reference structural features, and
- (ii) information elements describing feedback from said respective structural features as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features,
- (b) information elements in a computer-readable medium corresponding to at least one weighting function as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features, and at least one correlation function as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features, wherein a plurality of weighting functions and/or correlation functions is provided,
- (c) means for determining a combination of weighting function and correlation function from said provided which provide a desired degree of correlation between said information elements (i) and (ii) for respective reference structural features,
- (d) information elements in a computer-readable medium describing feedback from said target structural features as a function of position over each of said respective target structural features on said substrate,
- (e) means for applying said combination of weighting function and correlation function to said target structural feature information elements to predict said functional performance characteristic of respective target structural features and/or to describe said physical characteristic of respective target structural features.
4 more elements
An apparatus for evaluation of target structural features on a substrate, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) information elements in a computer-readable medium describing feedback from said target structural features as a function of position over each of said respective target structural features on said substrate,
- (b) means for applying a combination of weighting function and correlation function to said target structural feature information elements to predict a functional performance characteristic of respective target structural features and/or to describe a physical characteristic of respective target structural features.
A computer program stored in a computer-readable medium, said program performing a method of evaluating target structural features on a substrate, said method comprising:
- (a) creating a calibration database comprising:
- (i) information elements selected from the group consisting of (A) information elements describing a functional performance characteristic of respective reference structural features on a substrate, and (B) information elements describing a physical characteristic of each of said respective reference structural features, or both types of information elements, and
- (ii) information elements describing feedback from said respective reference structural features as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features,
- (b) providing at least one weighting function as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features and at least one correlation function as a function of position over each of said respective reference structural features, wherein a plurality of weighting functions and/or correlation functions is provided,
- (c) determining a combination of weighting function and correlation function from said provided which provide a desired degree of correlation between said information elements (i) and (ii) for respective reference structural features,
- (d) obtaining information elements describing feedback from said target structural features as a function of position over each of said respective target structural features on said substrate, and
- (e) applying said combination of weighting function and correlation function to said target structural feature information elements to predict said functional performance characteristic of respective target structural features and/or to describe said physical characteristic of respective target structural features.
4 more elements
A computer program stored in a computer-readable medium, said program performing a method of evaluating target structural features on a substrate, said method comprising:
- (a) obtaining information elements describing feedback from said target structural features as a function of position over each of said respective target structural features on said substrate,
- (b) applying a combination of a weighting function and a correlation function to said target structural feature information elements to predict a functional performance characteristic of respective target structural features and/or to describe a physical characteristic of respective target structural features.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.