Automated metrology recipe generation

• US 20070156275A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wafertech LLC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Wafertech LLC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited)
• Inventors: Westfall, Scott, Piper, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70508 Data handling in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. handling pattern data for addressable masks or data transfer to or from different components within the exposure apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70625 Dimensions, e.g. line width, critical dimension [CD], profile, sidewall angle or edge roughness
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring

Abstract

A method, system and encoded computer instructions provide for automatic generation of a metrology recipe without referencing a wafer. The highly accurate metrology recipe provides for locating measurement locations corresponding to test features on the wafer and directing the metrology tool to the locations, by calculating coordinates for the measurement locations based on mask data, lithography tool data, CAD data and process data. The metrology recipe directs the metrology tool to within 10 microns of test features formed on the wafer. Criteria may be input to a data base to identify multiple existing recipes and the automatically generated recipe may be generated to replace each identified recipe.

Claims

1. A method for automatic generation of a metrology recipe for measuring a test feature in a pattern transferred from a mask onto a wafer, without referencing said test feature, the method comprising:

determining coordinates of at least one measurement location of said test feature on said wafer by manipulating mask data, CAD data, and lithography tool data,

the mask data including field size of a mask image, width of a scribe line peripherally surrounding said mask image, center shift of said mask image relative to a mask origin, and test structure coordinates indicative of a test structure origin relative to said mask origin,

the CAD data including test feature coordinate data indicative of a position of said test feature relative to said test structure origin, and

the lithography tool data including a mask magnification factor; and

automatically creating said metrology recipe to direct a metrology tool to at least one said measurement location without referencing said test feature formed on said wafer.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said measurement location is within 10 microns of said test feature as formed on said wafer.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising performing CAD mapping to obtain said test feature coordinate data.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein said metrology recipe further directs said metrology tool to perform a measurement at said measurement location and further comprising providing said metrology recipe to said metrology tool and said metrology tool automatically measuring said test feature starting at said measurement location.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein

the mask comprises a reticle having a reticle pattern,

the pattern comprises a plurality of said reticle patterns formed on said wafer,

the lithography tool data further includes x, y grid data indicative of locations of said reticle patterns on said wafer,

the determining comprises determining coordinates of a plurality of measurement locations, each defined relative to a corresponding one of said mask origins, and

the metrology tool measuring said test feature comprises measuring a plurality of said test features, each starting at a corresponding one of said measurement locations, and includes said metrology tool locating a plurality of origin locations on said wafer, each corresponding to one of said mask origins, based on said x, y grid data.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein the measuring further comprises said metrology tool automatically globally aligning to locate each of said origin locations.

7. The method as in claim 4, wherein said measurement location is within 10 microns of said test feature as formed on said wafer when said wafer is automatically loaded onto said metrology tool.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein said mask comprises a reticle, said pattern comprises a plurality of reticle patterns formed on said wafer, said determining coordinates comprises determining a plurality of said measurement locations, wherein said lithography tool data further includes x, y grid data indicative of locations of said reticle patterns on said wafer, said automatically creating includes defining each of said coordinates relative to a corresponding said mask origin, and wherein said metrology recipe further comprises directing said metrology tool to locate each of said plurality of measurement locations by first locating a corresponding one of said mask origins using global alignment techniques.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising providing instructions to said metrology tool indicative of a type of measurement to be performed.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein said type of measurement comprises critical dimension (CD) measurement.

11. The method as in claim 1, further comprising querying a process flow data base to determine a mask level and wherein at least said mask data and said CAD data are based on said mask level.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein said determining includes a recipe generator apparatus querying a mask server to obtain said mask data, querying a CAD data base to obtain said CAD data and querying a lithography tool server to obtain said lithography tool data.

13. The method as in claim 1, further comprising, prior to said determining:

providing a database containing a plurality of existing first recipes for metrology measurement;

inputting at least one criterion to a system that accesses said database;

a computer product querying said database and identifying at least one identified recipe of said plurality of existing first recipes that satisfies said criteria; and

wherein said metrology recipe is one said at least one identified recipe.

14. A method for automatic generation of a metrology recipe for measuring a test feature in a pattern transferred from a mask onto a wafer, without referencing said test feature, said method comprising:

querying a process data base to identify a mask level;

querying a mask server to obtain mask data, querying a user defined data base to obtain CAD data, querying a lithography data base to obtain lithography tool data and manipulating said mask data, CAD data, and lithography tool data, said CAD data and said mask data dependant on said mask level;

determining at least one measurement location on said wafer, said measurement location having coordinates determined by said mask data, said CAD data, and said lithography tool data and representing a location of said test feature on said wafer; and

automatically creating said metrology recipe directing said metrology tool to locate the at least one measurement location without referencing the test feature formed on the wafer and to perform a measurement at at least one the measurement location.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein

the mask data includes field size of a mask image, width of a scribe line peripherally surrounding the mask image, center shift of the mask image relative to a mask origin, and coordinates indicative of a test structure origin relative to the mask origin,

the CAD data includes test feature coordinate data indicative of a position of the test feature relative to the test structure origin,

the lithography tool data includes a mask magnification factor, and

the measurement location is within 10 microns of the test feature as formed on the wafer.

16. The method as in claim 14, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of mask patterns formed from the mask, the lithography tool data includes x, y grid data indicative of locations of the mask origin formed on the wafer, and the automatically creating further comprises creating the metrology recipe for the metrology tool to perform a measurement at a plurality of the measurement locations, each defined relative to the mask origin and a corresponding one of the locations.

17. A method for automatically creating at least one metrology recipe, comprising:

providing a database containing a plurality of existing first recipes for metrology measurements;

inputting at least one criterion to a system that accesses said database;

a computer product reviewing said database and identifying at least one identified recipe of said plurality of existing first recipes that satisfies said at least one criteria;

replacing each identified recipe by automatically generating the metrology recipe for measuring a test feature in a pattern transferred from a mask onto a wafer, without referencing said test feature, said metrology recipe overwriting said identified recipe and said automatically generating comprising;

determining coordinates of at least one measurement location of said test feature on said wafer by manipulating mask data, CAD data, and lithography tool data,

said mask data including field size of a mask image, width of a scribe line peripherally surrounding said mask image, center shift of said mask image relative to a mask origin, and test structure coordinates indicative of a test structure origin relative to said mask origin,

said CAD data including test feature coordinate data indicative of a position of said test feature relative to said test structure origin, and

said lithography tool data including a mask magnification factor; and

automatically creating said metrology recipe to direct a metrology tool to at least one said measurement location without referencing said test feature formed on said wafer.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein said at least one criteria comprises mask level.

19. The method as in claim 17, wherein said at least one criteria comprises technology type or device type.

20. The method as in claim 17, wherein said at least one criteria comprises a type of error or shortcoming that is experienced when running at least one of said plurality of existing first recipes.

21. A computer program product with encoded instructions for performing operations for automatic generation of a metrology recipe for measuring a test feature in a pattern transferred from a mask onto a wafer without referencing the test feature, the computer program product comprising instructions for:

determining coordinates of at least one measurement location of the test feature on the wafer by manipulating mask data, CAD data, and lithography tool data,

the mask data including field size of a mask image, width of a scribe line peripherally surrounding the mask image, center shift of the mask image relative to a mask origin, and test structure coordinates indicative of a test structure origin relative to the mask origin,

the CAD data including test feature coordinate data indicative of a position of the test structure relative to the test structure origin, and

the lithography tool data including a mask magnification factor; and

automatically creating the metrology recipe to direct the metrology tool to at least one the measurement location without referencing the test feature on the wafer.

22. The computer program product as in claim 21, the computer program product further comprising instructions for performing CAD mapping to obtain the test feature coordinate data.

23. The computer program product as in claim 21, wherein the measurement location is within 10 microns of the test feature on the wafer when the wafer is automatically loaded onto the metrology tool.

24. The computer program product as in claim 21, the computer program product further comprising instructions for directing the metrology tool to perform a type of metrology measurement at the at least one measurement location.

25. The computer program product as in claim 24, wherein the mask comprises a reticle, the pattern comprises a plurality of reticle patterns formed on the wafer, the lithography tool data further includes x, y grid data indicative of locations of the reticle patterns on the wafer, the determining comprises instructions for determining coordinates of a plurality of the measurement locations, each defined relative to a corresponding one of the mask origins, and wherein the instructions for directing the metrology tool to perform a type of metrology measurement comprise instructions for measuring a plurality of the test features, each starting at a corresponding one of the measurement locations, and includes the metrology tool locating a plurality of origin locations on the wafer, each corresponding to one of the mask origins, based on the x, y grid data.

26. The computer program product as in claim 21, further comprising encoded instructions for querying a process flow data to determine mask level, wherein at least the mask data and the CAD data depend upon the mask level.

27. The computer program product as in claim 21, wherein the computer program product further compress instructions for:

a recipe generator apparatus querying a mask server to obtain the mask data, querying a user defined data base to obtain the CAD data and querying a lithography tool server to obtain the lithography tool data.

28. The computer program product as in claim 25, wherein the metrology recipe further directs the metrology tool to automatically globally align to each of the origin locations and to perform a measurement at each the measurement location.

29. The computer program product as in claim 25, said computer program product further comprising instructions for:

accessing a database containing a plurality of existing first recipes for metrology measurement;

querying said database and identifying at least one identified recipe of said plurality of existing first recipes that satisfies at least one criteria input to said database; and

wherein said metrology recipe is one said at least one identified recipe.

30. The computer program product as in claim 29, wherein said criteria comprises at least one of technology type, mask level, and device type

31. A computer program product with encoded instructions for automatically generating a metrology recipe for measuring a test feature in a pattern transferred from a mask onto a wafer, without referencing the test feature, the computer program product comprising instructions for:

querying a process data base to identify a mask level;

querying a mask server to obtain mask data, querying a user defined data base to obtain CAD data, querying a lithography tool data base to obtain lithography tool data and manipulating the mask data, CAD data, and lithography tool data, the CAD data and the mask data dependant on the mask level;

determining at least one measurement location on the wafer, the measurement location having coordinates determined by manipulating the mask data, the CAD data, and the lithography tool data and representing a location of the test feature on the wafer; and

automatically creating the metrology recipe for the metrology tool to perform a measurement at at least one the measurement location without referencing the test feature formed on the wafer.

32. The computer program product as in claim 31, wherein

the mask data includes field size of a mask image, width of a scribe line peripherally surrounding the mask image, center shift of the mask image relative to a mask origin, and coordinates indicative of a test structure origin relative to the mask origin,

the CAD data includes test feature coordinate data indicative of a position of the test feature relative to the test structure origin,

the lithography tool data includes a mask magnification factor, and

the measurement location is within 10 microns of the test feature formed on the wafer.

33. A metrology recipe creation system for automatic generation of a metrology recipe for measuring a test feature in a pattern transferred from a mask onto a wafer without referencing the test feature, the system comprising:

a metrology tool;

means for determining coordinates of at least one measurement location of the test feature on the wafer by manipulating mask data, CAD data, and lithography tool data,

the mask data including field size of a mask image, width of a scribe line peripherally surrounding the mask image, center shift of the mask image relative to a mask origin, and test structure coordinates indicative of a test structure origin relative to the mask origin,

the CAD data including test feature coordinate data indicative of a position of the test feature relative to the test structure origin, and

the lithography tool data including a mask magnification factor; and

means for automatically creating the metrology recipe that directs the metrology tool to at least one the measurement location without referencing the test feature formed on the wafer.

34. The metrology recipe creation system as in claim 33, the metrology tool further comprising means for automatically measuring the test feature at the at least one the measurement location.

35. The metrology recipe creation system as in claim 34, the metrology tool including means for locating a plurality of mask origins formed on the wafer and wherein the means for automatically creating the metrology recipe includes the metrology recipe identifying a plurality of measurement locations based on the plurality of mask origins.

36. The metrology recipe creation system as in claim 33, further comprising means for querying the mask data, the CAD data and the lithography tool data.

37. The metrology recipe creation system as in claim 33, further comprising:

a database containing a plurality of existing first recipes for metrology measurement;

a first system that accesses said database;

means for inputting at least one criteria to said first system; and

a computer program product with encoded instructions for querying said database and identifying at least one identified recipe of said plurality of existing first recipes that satisfies said at least one criteria, and

wherein said metrology recipe is one of said at least one identified recipe.

38. The metrology recipe creation system as in claim 33, wherein said criteria comprises at least one of technology type, mask level, and device type.