Apparatus and method for process-window characterization
First Claim
1. A method for characterizing a process window of a patterning process, the method comprising:
- obtaining a set of inspection locations for a pattern, the pattern defining features to be applied to a substrate with a patterning process, the set of inspection locations corresponding to a subset of the features, the subset of features being selected from among the features according to sensitivity of the respective one or more features of the subset of features to variation in one or more process characteristics of the patterning process;
optically or physically patterning one or more substrates under variations of one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; and
determining, for each of the variations in the one or more process characteristics, whether at least some of the subset of features yielded one or more unacceptable patterned structures on the one or more substrates at corresponding one or more inspection locations.
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Abstract
A process of characterizing a process window of a patterning process, the process including: obtaining a set of inspection locations for a pattern, the pattern defining features to be applied to a substrate with a patterning process, the set of inspection locations corresponding to a set of the features, the set of features being selected from among the features according to sensitivity of the respective features to variation in one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; patterning one or more substrates under varying process characteristics of the patterning process; and determining, for each of the variations in the process characteristics, whether at least some of the set of features yield unacceptable patterned structures on the one or more substrates at corresponding inspection locations.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for characterizing a process window of a patterning process, the method comprising:
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obtaining a set of inspection locations for a pattern, the pattern defining features to be applied to a substrate with a patterning process, the set of inspection locations corresponding to a subset of the features, the subset of features being selected from among the features according to sensitivity of the respective one or more features of the subset of features to variation in one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; optically or physically patterning one or more substrates under variations of one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; and determining, for each of the variations in the one or more process characteristics, whether at least some of the subset of features yielded one or more unacceptable patterned structures on the one or more substrates at corresponding one or more inspection locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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obtaining an inspection location for a pattern, the pattern defining features to be applied to a substrate with a patterning process, the inspection location corresponding to a feature of the pattern, the feature being selected from among the features according to sensitivity of the respective feature to variation in one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; optically or physically patterning one or more substrates under variations of one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; and determining, for at least some of the variations in the one or more process characteristics, whether the feature yielded an unacceptable patterned structure on the one or more substrates at the corresponding inspection location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions, upon execution by a data processing apparatus, are configured to cause the data processing apparatus to at least:
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obtain a set of inspection locations for a pattern, the pattern defining features to be applied to a substrate with a patterning process, the set of inspection locations corresponding to a subset of the features, the subset of features being selected from among the features according to sensitivity of the respective one or more features of the subset of features to variation in one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; simulate a patterning process with a plurality of different simulations, each under different values of one or more process characteristics, and each with at least some of the same features in a pattern; and determine, for each of the different values of one or more process characteristics, whether at least some of the subset of features yielded one or more unacceptable patterned structures on the one or more substrates at corresponding one or more inspection locations. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions, upon execution by a data processing apparatus, are configured to cause the data processing apparatus to at least:
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obtain an inspection location for a pattern, the pattern defining features to be applied to a substrate with a patterning process, the inspection location corresponding to a feature of the pattern, the feature being selected from among the features according to sensitivity of the respective feature to variation in one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; obtain measurement results from one or more substrates optically or physically patterned under variations of one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; and determine, for at least some of the variations in the one or more process characteristics and based on the measurement results, whether the feature yielded an unacceptable patterned structure on the one or more substrates at the corresponding inspection location.
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Specification