Automated creation of metrology recipes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for setting up a metrology tool used to measure features of a device, comprising:
- processing a design database characterizing features on the device to produce a simulated image of a feature for use in the metrology tool for a measurement of the feature; and
supplying the simulated image to the metrology tool.
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Abstract
An automated metrology recipe set up process is described for a manufacturing process, in which patterns to be formed on a device are defined using a design database. The design database is processed to produce a simulated image of a feature for use in a metrology tool for a measurement of the feature. The simulated image is supplied to the metrology tool, where it is used as a basis for alignment of the tool for the measurement. Other recipe data is combined with the simulated image to provide a fully automated metrology set up process.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A method for setting up a metrology tool used to measure features of a device, comprising:
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processing a design database characterizing features on the device to produce a simulated image of a feature for use in the metrology tool for a measurement of the feature; and
supplying the simulated image to the metrology tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for setting up a metrology tool used to measure features of a device, comprising:
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processing a design database characterizing features on the device to produce recipe data for the metrology tool for measurements of a set of selected features on the device, the recipe data for a selected feature including a location on the selected feature for said measurement and at least one of a simulated image of the selected feature and a pointer to said simulated image; and
storing the recipe data in a machine readable medium accessible to the metrology tool, for measurements using the metrology tool. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for setting up recipes for a metrology tool used to measure features of a device characterized by a design database, comprising:
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identifying a set of selected features on the device;
simulating an image of at least one feature in said set of selected features using said design database;
providing recipe data for said set of selected features, the recipe data for said at least one feature including location data and one of said image and a pointer to said image; and
storing the recipe data in a machine readable medium for use by a metrology tool.
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21. A method for setting up a metrology tool used to measure features of a device, comprising:
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processing a design database characterizing features on the device to identify a set of candidate features for metrology;
presenting the set of candidate features to a user with a graphical user interface by which features from the set of candidate features are selected;
for features selected from the set of candidate features, presenting an image of a selected feature to the user with a graphical user interface by which a location for measurement on the selected feature is set, and providing recipe data for measurements of the selected feature, the recipe data including the location for measurement and one of an image of the feature and a pointer to an image of the feature; and
storing the recipe data for selected features in memory accessible by the metrology tool. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A data processing system, including:
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a data processor; and
a memory system, in communication with the data processor, the memory system storing a design database characterizing features of a device, and programs of instruction executable by the data processor, the programs of instruction including simulation code for simulating images of features, and code that processes the design database to produce recipe data for measurements of a set of selected features on the device, the recipe data for a particular feature in the selected set including a measurement location on the device for said measurement and one of a simulated image of the particular feature and a pointer to a simulated image; and
that stores the recipe data in the memory system for measurements using a metrology tool. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A metrology system, including:
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a communication network;
a metrology tool, including a controller coupled to the communication network;
a data processor coupled to the communication network; and
a memory system, in communication with the data processor and the metrology tool, the memory system storing a design database characterizing features of a device, and programs of instruction executable by the data processor and the controller for the metrology tool, the programs of instruction including simulation code for simulating images of features, and code that processes the design database to produce recipe data for measurements of a set of selected features on the device, the recipe data for a particular feature in the selected set including a measurement location on the device for said measurement and one of a simulated image of the particular feature and a pointer to a simulated image; and
that stores the recipe data in the memory accessible by the metrology tool for measurements using the metrology tool. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An article of manufacture providing computer programs for setting up a metrology tool for measurement of features on a device, the device being characterized by a design database characterizing features of a device, comprising:
a machine readable data storage medium storing programs of instruction executable by a data processor in one of a workstation and a controller for the metrology tool, the programs of instruction including simulation code for simulating images of features, and code that processes the design database to produce recipe data for measurements of a set of selected features on the device, the recipe data for a particular feature in the selected set including a measurement location on the device for said measurement and one of a simulated image of the particular feature and a pointer to a simulated image; and
that stores the recipe data in the memory accessible by the metrology tool for measurements using the metrology tool.- View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A semiconductor manufacturing method, including:
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forming a structure having a plurality of features on a wafer with processing equipment using lithographic processes;
loading the wafer in a metrology tool;
reading recipe data for a feature of said structure in a set of selected features;
aligning the metrology tool for a measurement on the feature using the recipe data, the recipe data including a simulated image of the feature supporting said alignment;
capturing results of the measurement;
repeating the reading, aligning and capturing steps for the set of selected features;
processing the captured results for process control in the processing equipment. - View Dependent Claims (66)
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Specification