Method and structure for calibrating scatterometry-based metrology tool used to measure dimensions of features on a semiconductor device

• US 6,742,168 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Nariman, Homi E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US10/103,223
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 716/4, 716/21, 700/109, 700/120, 700/121, 702/83, 702/84, 702/118, 702/134, 702/172, 356/328, 356/334, 356/336, 356/337, 356/237.4, 356/237.5, 382/144, 382/145
• US Class Current: 438/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4788 Diffraction for sizing particles G01N15/0205

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a method and a structure for calibrating a scatterometry-based metrology tool used to measure dimensions of features on a semiconductor device. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool, measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above the wafer using the scatterometry tool, each of the grating structures having a different critical dimension, and correcting the measured critical dimension of the at least one production feature based upon the measurement of the at least one grating structure. In further embodiments, the method comprises forming a plurality of production features above a wafer, forming a plurality of grating structures above the wafer, each of the grating structures comprised of a plurality of features each having a target critical dimension that thereby defines a critical dimension of the grating structure, each of the grating structures having a different critical dimension, measuring a critical dimension of at least one of the production features using a scatterometry tool, measuring at least one of the grating structures using the scatterometry tool to determine a measured critical dimension of at least one feature of the at least one grating structure, and correcting the measured critical dimension of the at least one production feature based upon a comparison between the measured critical dimension of the at least one feature on the at least one grating structure and the target critical dimension of the feature on the at least one grating structure.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool;

measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension; and

correcting said measured critical dimension of said at least one production feature based upon said measurement of said at least one of said grating structures.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises illuminating said at least one production feature and measuring light reflected off of said at least one production feature using said scatterometry tool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool, said production feature comprised of at least one of a shallow trench isolation, a gate electrode structure and a conductive line.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprised of a light source and a detector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, a first of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension of a first size, at least one of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension of a second size, said second size being greater than said first size, the remainder of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension that is less than said first size.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, said critical dimensions of said grating structures varying from one another by a fixed increment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises measuring at least one of five grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises illuminating said at least one grating structure and measuring light reflected off of said at least one grating structure using said scatterometry tool.

9. A method, comprising:

measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool;

measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, said critical dimension of each of said grating structures being defined by a critical dimension of features that comprise said grating structure; and

correcting said measured critical dimension of said at least one production feature based upon said measurement of said at least one of said grating structures.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises illuminating said at least one production feature and measuring light reflected off of said at least one production feature using said scatterometry tool.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool, said production feature comprised of at least one of a shallow trench isolation, a gate electrode structure and a conductive line.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprised of a light source and a detector.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, a first of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension of a first size, at least one of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension of a second size, said second size being greater than said first size, the remainder of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension that is less than said first size.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, said critical dimensions of said grating structures varying from one another by a fixed increment.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises measuring at least one of five grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises illuminating said at least one grating structure and measuring light reflected off of said at least one of said grating structures using said scatterometry tool.

17. A method, comprising:

measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool;

measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, said critical dimension of each of said grating structures being defined by a critical dimension of features that comprise said grating structure, said critical dimensions of said grating structures varying from one another by a fixed increment, a first of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension of a first size that is a nominal critical dimension for said at least one production feature, at least one of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension of a second size, said second size being greater than said first size, the remainder of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension that is less than said first size; and

correcting said measured critical dimension of said at least one production feature based upon said measurement of said at least one of said grating structures.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises illuminating said at least one production feature and measuring light reflected off of said at least one production feature using said scatterometry tool.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool, said production feature comprised of at least one of a shallow trench isolation, a gate electrode structure and a conductive line.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprised of a light source and a detector.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises measuring at least one of five grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein measuring at least one of a plurality of grating structures formed above said wafer using said scatterometry tool, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension, comprises illuminating said at least one grating structure and measuring light reflected off of said at least one of said grating structures using said scatterometry tool.

23. A method, comprising:

forming a plurality of production features above a wafer;

forming a plurality of grating structures above said wafer, each of said grating structures comprised of a plurality of features each having a target critical dimension that thereby defines a critical dimension of said each of said grating structures, each of said grating structures having a different critical dimension;

measuring a critical dimension of at least one of said production features using a scatterometry tool;

measuring at least one of said grating structures using said scatterometry tool to determine a measured critical dimension of at least one feature of at least one of said grating structures; and

correcting said measured critical dimension of said at least one production feature based upon a comparison between said measured critical dimension of said at least one feature on said at least one of said grating structures and said target critical dimension of said feature on said at least one grating structure.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein forming a plurality of production features above a wafer comprises forming a plurality of production features above a wafer, said production features comprised of at least one of a shallow trench isolation, a gate electrode structure and a conductive line.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein each of said grating structures is comprised of a plurality of at least one of a shallow trench isolation, a gate electrode structure and a conductive line.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said grating structures have a different critical dimension that varies by a fixed increment.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one of said production features using a scatterometry tool comprises illuminating and measuring light reflected off of said at least one of said production features using said scatterometry tool.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein measuring at least one of said grating structures using said scatterometry tool to determine a measured critical dimension of at least one feature of said at least one of said grating structures comprises illuminating and measuring light reflected off of said at least one of said grating structures using said scatterometry tool.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool, said production feature comprised of at least one of a shallow trench isolation, a gate electrode structure and a conductive line.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein measuring a critical dimension of at least one of said production features formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprises measuring a critical dimension of at least one production feature formed above a wafer using a scatterometry tool comprised of a light source and a detector.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein a first of said plurality of grating structures has a critical dimension of a first size, at least one of said plurality of grating structures has a critical dimension of a second size, said second size being greater than said first size, the remainder of said plurality of grating structures having a critical dimension that is less than said first size.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein forming a plurality of grating structures above said wafer comprises forming at least five grating structures above said wafer.