Dynamically Adjustable Semiconductor Metrology System
First Claim
1. A dynamically adjustable metrology system, comprising:
- an illumination source configured to illuminate one or more metrology targets disposed on a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage;
a detector configured to detect at least a portion of light reflected from the one or more metrology targets;
a selectably adjustable optical system including an illumination arm and a collection arm, the illumination source and the detector being optically coupled by the optical system, the optical system further including at least one of the group including;
a dynamically adjustable illumination pupil positioned in the illumination arm;
a dynamically adjustable collection pupil positioned in the collection arm;
a dynamically adjustable illumination field stop positioned in the illumination arm; and
a dynamically adjustable collection field stop positioned in the collection arm;
a sensor configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop, the dynamically adjustable collection field stop and the one or more metrology targets of the sample;
a control system communicatively coupled to at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop and the dynamically adjustable collection field stop, wherein the control system is configured to;
receive one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop, the dynamically adjustable collection field stop and the one or more metrology targets of the sample from the sensor;
monitor one or more optical characteristics of one or more metrology targets of the sample;
responsive to the measured one or more optical characteristics, selectably dynamically adjust at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop, and a spectral radiance of the illumination source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention may include an illumination source, a detector, a selectably adjustable optical system including a dynamically adjustable illumination pupil of the illumination arm, a dynamically adjustable collection pupil of the collection arm, a dynamically adjustable illumination field stop of the illumination arm, a dynamically adjustable collection field stop of the collection arm, a sensor configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of one or more components of the optical system, and a control system configured to selectably dynamically adjust at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop, and a spectral radiance of the illumination source.
113 Citations
70 Claims
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1. A dynamically adjustable metrology system, comprising:
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an illumination source configured to illuminate one or more metrology targets disposed on a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage; a detector configured to detect at least a portion of light reflected from the one or more metrology targets; a selectably adjustable optical system including an illumination arm and a collection arm, the illumination source and the detector being optically coupled by the optical system, the optical system further including at least one of the group including; a dynamically adjustable illumination pupil positioned in the illumination arm; a dynamically adjustable collection pupil positioned in the collection arm; a dynamically adjustable illumination field stop positioned in the illumination arm; and a dynamically adjustable collection field stop positioned in the collection arm; a sensor configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop, the dynamically adjustable collection field stop and the one or more metrology targets of the sample; a control system communicatively coupled to at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop and the dynamically adjustable collection field stop, wherein the control system is configured to; receive one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop, the dynamically adjustable collection field stop and the one or more metrology targets of the sample from the sensor; monitor one or more optical characteristics of one or more metrology targets of the sample; responsive to the measured one or more optical characteristics, selectably dynamically adjust at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop, and a spectral radiance of the illumination source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A dynamically adjustable metrology system, comprising:
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an illumination source configured to illuminate one or more metrology targets disposed on a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage; a spectrograph configured to measure spectral properties of at least a portion of light reflected from the one or more metrology targets; a selectably adjustable optical system including an illumination arm and a collection arm, the illumination source and the detector being optically coupled by the optical system, the optical system further including at least one of the group including; a dynamically adjustable illumination pupil positioned in the illumination arm; a first polarizing element positioned in the illumination arm; a dynamically adjustable illumination field stop positioned in the illumination arm; a dynamically adjustable collection pupil positioned in the collection arm; a second polarizing element disposed in the collection arm; and a dynamically adjustable collection field stop positioned in the collection arm; a sensor configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop the dynamically adjustable collection field stop and one or more metrology targets of the sample. a control system communicatively coupled to the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop and the dynamically adjustable collection field stop, wherein the control system is configured to; receive one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the dynamically adjustable illumination pupil, the dynamically adjustable collection pupil, the dynamically adjustable illumination field stop and the dynamically adjustable collection field stop from the sensor; monitor one or more optical characteristics at one or more metrology targets of the sample; responsive to the measured one or more optical characteristics, selectably dynamically adjust at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop, and a spectral radiance of the illumination source. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A dynamically adjustable metrology system, comprising:
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an illumination source configured to illuminate one or more metrology targets disposed on a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage; a detector configured to detect at least a portion of light reflected from the one or more metrology targets; a selectably adjustable optical system including an illumination arm and a collection arm, the illumination source and the detector being optically coupled by the optical system, the optical system further including at least one of the group including; an illumination pupil positioned in the illumination arm; a collection pupil positioned in the collection arm; an illumination field stop positioned in the illumination arm; and a collection field stop positioned in the collection arm, wherein at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop and the collection field stop is dynamically adjustable, wherein at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop and the collection field stop is static; a sensor configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop and the one or more metrology targets of the sample; a control system communicatively coupled to at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop and the collection field stop, wherein the control system is configured to; receive one or more optical characteristics of at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop and the one or more metrology targets of the sample from the sensor; monitor one or more optical characteristics of one or more metrology targets of the sample; responsive to the measured one or more optical characteristics, selectably dynamically adjust at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop, and a spectral radiance of the illumination source.
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Specification