Reference wafer and process for manufacturing same

• US 20070072091A1
• Filed: 03/08/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Litel Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Litel Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Adlai, Hunter, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,261,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/5
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/44 Testing or measuring features, e.g. grid patterns, focus monitors, sawtooth scales or notched scales
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70458 Mix-and-match, i.e. multiple exposures of the same area using a similar type of exposure apparatus, e.g. multiple exposures using a UV apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70516 Calibration of components of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. light sources, addressable masks or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70616 Monitoring the printed patterns
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7076 Mark details, e.g. phase grating mark, temporary mark
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/143 Electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/168 X-ray exposure process

Abstract

An apparatus and method for manufacturing and using a calibrated registration reference wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing facility where an archive media includes etched alignment attributes. Exposing a pattern of complementary alignment attributes onto the archive media such that the pattern of complementary alignment attributes overlay and interlock with the etched alignment attributes thereby forming completed alignment attributes. Then, measuring offsets in the completed alignment attributes and constructing a calibration file for the archive media based upon the offset measurements and other characteristic data of the exposure tool.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a calibration file for an archive media, the method comprising:

providing an archive media which includes etched alignment attributes;

exposing a pattern of complementary alignment attributes onto the archive media such that the pattern of complementary alignment attributes overlay and interlock with the etched alignment attributes thereby forming completed alignment attributes;

measuring offsets in the completed alignment attributes; and

constructing a calibration file for the archive media based upon the offset measurements and dynamic intrafield lens distortion data of a lens used to expose the pattern of complementary alignment attributes, and calibration error of the complementary alignment attributes.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the complementary alignment attributes are included on a reticle.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media is performed in a static mode.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media is performed in a dynamic mode.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein exposing a pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media comprises multiple sub-nominal exposures.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the calibration reticle is partially transmitting.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the archive media is a silicon wafer, a flat panel display, a reticle, or electronic media.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein exposing the pattern of complementary alignment attributes onto the archive media comprises a stepper machine, a step and scan machine, or a two dimensional scanner machine.

9. A method of constructing a calibration file for an archive media;

the method comprising;

providing an archive media which includes etched alignment attributes;

exposing a pattern of a calibration reticle onto the archive media, wherein the pattern of the calibration reticle includes complementary alignment attributes, and the pattern is positioned such that the pattern of complementary alignment attributes overlay and interlock with the etched alignment attributes thereby forming interlocking rows and columns of completed alignment attributes between adjacent static calibration reticle exposure fields;

measuring offsets in the completed alignment attributes; and

constructing a calibration file for the archive media based upon the offset measurements and intrafield lens distortion data of a lens used to expose the pattern of complementary alignment attributes, and manufacturing error data for the calibration reticle.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media is performed in a static mode.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media is performed in a dynamic mode.

12. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media comprises multiple sub-nominal exposures.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the calibration reticle is partially transmitting.

14. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising exposing z-height mapping structures onto the archive media.

15. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein constructing a calibration file for the archive media is further based upon a combined effect of a source and exit pupil non-telecentricity of a projection imaging tool used in exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media.

16. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein constructing a calibration file for the archive media is further based upon a lens aberration of a projection imaging tool used in exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media.

17. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein constructing a calibration file for the archive media is further based upon a focus variation of a projection imaging tool used in exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media.

18. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the archive media is a silicon wafer, a flat panel display, a reticle, or electronic media.

19. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein exposing the pattern of complementary alignment attributes onto the archive media comprises a stepper machine, a step and scan machine, or a two dimensional scanner machine.

20. A method of constructing a calibration file for an archive media;

the method comprising;

providing an archive media which includes etched alignment attributes;

exposing a pattern of a calibration reticle onto the archive media, wherein the pattern of the calibration reticle includes central overlay groups and offset overlay groups, and the pattern is positioned such that a complementary alignment attribute of the central overlay group interlocks with an etched alignment attribute thereby forming a completed alignment attribute archive, and wherein attributes in adjacent exposures of the calibration reticle pattern interlock with complementary alignment attributes of the offset overlay groups thereby forming completed alignment attributes calibration;

measuring offsets in the completed alignment attribute archive and completed alignment attribute calibration; and

constructing a calibration file for the archive media based upon the offset measurements and manufacturing error data for the calibration reticle.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising constructing the calibration file based upon static field distortion error of a projection imaging machine used to expose the pattern of the calibration reticle.

22. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media is performed in a static mode.

23. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media is performed in a dynamic mode.

24. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein exposing the pattern of the calibration reticle onto the archive media comprises multiple sub-nominal exposures.

25. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the calibration reticle is partially transmitting.

26. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the archive media is a silicon wafer, a flat panel display, a reticle, or electronic media.

27. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein exposing the pattern of complementary alignment attributes onto the archive media comprises a stepper machine, a step and scan machine, or a two dimensional scanner machine.

28. A reticle for use in constructing a calibration file for an archive media;

the reticle comprising a pattern of complementary alignment attributes that are exposed onto an archive media such that the pattern of complementary alignment attributes overlay and interlock with a etched alignment attributes on the archive thereby forming completed alignment attributes, wherein measurements of offsets in the completed alignment attributes are used to construct a calibration file for the archive media based upon the offset measurements and dynamic intrafield lens distortion data of a lens used to expose the pattern of complementary alignment attributes, and calibration error of the complementary alignment attributes.

29. A calibration reticle for use in constructing a calibration file for an archive media;

the calibration reticle comprising a pattern exposed onto an archive media, wherein the pattern of the calibration reticle includes complementary alignment attributes, and the reticle is positioned such that the pattern of complementary alignment attributes overlay and interlock etched alignment attributes on the archive media, thereby forming interlocking rows and columns of completed alignment attributes between adjacent static calibration reticle exposure fields, wherein measurements of offsets in the completed alignment attributes are used to construct a calibration file for the archive media based upon the offset measurements and intrafield lens distortion data of a lens used to expose the pattern of complementary alignment attributes, and manufacturing error data for the calibration reticle.

30. A method of manufacturing a reference substrate on a projection imaging tool, the method comprising:

providing at least one reticle, the at least one reticle including interlocking rows and columns of alignment attributes;

exposing the at least one reticle onto a substrate that includes a recording media, in a pattern such that adjacent exposures create a pattern of interlocking alignment attributes;

measuring overlay errors of desired alignment attributes and calculating positional coordinates of the desired alignment attributes with respect to intra-field error data and overlay errors; and

creating a calibration file associated with the reference substrate that records the positional coordinates of the alignment attributes.

31. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor silicon wafer, a semiconductor quartz wafer, a flat panel display, a reticle, a photo-mask, or a mask plate.

32. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the recording media is a positive resist material, a negative resist material, an electronic CCD, a diode array, a liquid crystal, or an optically sensitive material.

33. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the at least one reticle is chrome patterned glass, reflective, or an attenuated phase shift mask.