System for scatterometric measurements and applications

A method for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure, comprising:

• providing a model to approximate the structure, said model including calculation of eigenvalues;
• storing the eigenvalues;
• carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction from the structure;
• and
• employing the eigenvalues to obtain said value of said one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state.

A method for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure on or under one or more layers wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure, comprising:

• carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction from the structure;
• providing one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to one or more sets of values of said one or more parameters, wherein the wavelengths of the intensity or change in polarization state data in the one or more sets are chosen as a function of the properties of the one or more layers;
• and
• deriving the value of the one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state and the one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data.

An apparatus for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure on or under one or more layers wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure, comprising:

• a system carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction from the structure;
• and
• a processor providing one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to one or more sets of values of said one or more parameters, wherein the wavelengths of the intensity or change in polarization state data in the one or more sets are chosen as a function of the properties of the one or more layers;
• and deriving the value of the one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state and the one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data.

An apparatus for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure, comprising:

• a system carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction from the structure;
• and
• a processor providing one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to one or more sets of values of said one or more parameters, wherein density of the intensity or change in polarization state data provided at the wavelengths in the one or more sets is chosen as a function of sensitivity of the intensity or change in polarization state data to changes in wavelengths;
• and deriving the value of the one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state and the one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data.

An apparatus for finding a value related to one or more parameters of a three-dimensional diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure, comprising:

• a system carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction from the structure;
• and
• a data source that supplies a library of sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths, wherein each set corresponds to a set of values of said one or more parameters, and wherein said library is arrived at by means of a mulitmodal process;
• and
• a processor comparing the measured intensities or changes in polarization state to the library to finding a value related to one or more parameters of the three-dimensional diffracting structure.

A computer readable storage device embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• sad method comprising:
• providing a set of change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to a first set of values of said one or more parameters;
• and
• performing an optimized estimation within a neighborhood of the set of change in polarization state data using said measured changes in polarization state to arrive at a second set of values of the one or more parameters.

A computer readable storage device embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• said method comprising:
• providing a model to approximate the structure, said model including calculation of eigenvalues;
• storing the eigenvalues;
• and
• employing the eigenvalues to obtain said value of said one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state.

A computer readable storage device embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure on or under one or more layers wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• said method comprising:
• providing one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to one or more sets of values of said one or more parameters, wherein the wavelengths of the intensity or change in polarization state data in the one or more sets are chosen as a function of the properties of the one or more layers;
• and
• deriving the value of the one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state and the one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data.

A computer readable storage device embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• said method comprising:
• providing one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to one or more sets of values of said one or more parameters, wherein density of the intensity or change in polarization state data provided at the wavelengths in the one or more sets is chosen as a function of sensitivity of the intensity or change in polarization state data to changes in wavelengths;
• and
• deriving the value of the one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state and the one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data.

A method for transmitting a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a process for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• said method comprising:
• causing a program of instructions to be transmitted to a client device, thereby enabling the client device to perform, by means of such program, the following process:
• providing a set of change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to a first set of values of said one or more parameters;
• and
• performing an optimized estimation within a neighborhood of the set of change in polarization state data using said measured changes in polarization state to arrive at a second set of values of the one or more parameters.

A method for transmitting a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a process for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• said method comprising:
• causing a program of instructions to be transmitted to a client device, thereby enabling the client device to perform, by means of such program, the following process:
• providing a model to approximate the structure, said model including calculation of eigenvalues;
• storing the eigenvalues;
• and
• employing the eigenvalues to obtain said value of said one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state.

A method for transmitting a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a process for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure on or under one or more layers wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• said method comprising:
• causing a program of instructions to be transmitted to a client device, thereby enabling the client device to perform, by means of such program, the following process:
• providing one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to one or more sets of values of said one or more parameters, wherein the wavelengths of the intensity or change in polarization state data in the one or more sets are chosen as a function of the properties of the one or more layers;
• and
• deriving the value of the one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state and the one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data.

A method for transmitting a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a process for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding intensities or changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure to obtain measured intensities or changes in polarization state of the diffraction from the structure;

• said method comprising:
• causing a program of instructions to be transmitted to a client device, thereby enabling the client device to perform, by means of such program, the following process:
• providing one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to one or more sets of values of said one or more parameters, wherein density of the intensity or change in polarization state data provided at the wavelengths in the one or more sets is chosen as a function of sensitivity of the intensity or change in polarization state data to changes in wavelengths;
• and
• deriving the value of the one or more parameters of the diffracting structure from the measured intensities or changes in polarization state and the one or more sets of intensity or change in polarization state data.

An apparatus for finding and using a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure of a sample wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding data of a diffraction of said beam from said structure, comprising:

• a system carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured data of a diffraction from the structure;
• and
• a processor using said measured data to arrive at a set of value(s) of the one or more parameters;
• and
• an instrument processing the sample according to one or more processing parameters, said instrument altering said one or more processing parameters in response to the set of value(s).

A method for finding and using a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure of a sample wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding data of a diffraction of said beam from said structure, comprising:

• carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured data of a diffraction from the structure;
• and
• using said measured data to arrive at a set of value(s) of the one or more parameters;
• and
• processing the sample according to one or more processing parameters, said processing including altering said one or more processing parameters in response to the set of value(s).

A method for finding a value of one or more parameters of a diffracting structure wherein a measurement is carried out by directing a polychromatic beam of electromagnetic radiation at said diffracting structure and detecting corresponding changes in polarization state of a diffraction of said beam at a number of wavelengths from said structure, comprising:

• carrying out a measurement of the structure to obtain measured intensity or change in polarization state of a diffraction from the structure;
• providing a set of intensity or change in polarization state data of the diffraction at the wavelengths corresponding to a first set of values of said one or more parameters, said providing including obtaining a coarse library of sets of diffraction data at different wavelengths with corresponding sets of values of the parameters at a coarse resolution;
• and
• performing an optimized estimation within a neighborhood of the set of intensity or change in polarization state data using said measured change in polarization state to arrive at a second set of values of the one or more parameters at a resolution finer than the coarse resolution.