Method and apparatus for multidomain data analysis

• US 7,050,179 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Therma-Wave Incorporated (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Therma-Wave Incorporated (KLA Corporation)
• Inventors: Sidorowich, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lauchman, Layla G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sang H.
• Application Number:
  US10/791,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 3562372-2375, 356/630, 356/632, 250/559.45, 382/141, 382/145, 382/147, 382/149, 706/13
• US Class Current: 356/630
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8422 Investigating thin films, e.g. matrix isolation method
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9501 Semiconductor wafers manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2111 by using evolutionary computational techniques, e.g. genetic algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/126 Evolutionary algorithms, e.g. genetic algorithms or genetic programming

Abstract

An optical measuring device generates a plurality of measured optical data from inspection of a thin film stack. The measured optical data group naturally into several domains. In turn the thin film parameters associated with the data fall into two categories: local and global. Local “genes” represent parameters that are associated with only one domain, while global genes represent parameters that are associated with multiple domains. A processor evolves models for the data associated with each domain, which models are compared to the measured data, and a “best fit” solution is provided as the result. Each model of theoretical data is represented by an underlying “genotype” which is an ordered set of the genes. For each domain a “population” of genotypes is evolved through the use of a genetic algorithm. The global genes are allowed to “migrate” among multiple domains during the evolution process. Each genotype has a fitness associated therewith based on how much the theoretical data predicted by the genotype differs from the measured data. During the evolution process, individual genotypes are selected based on fitness, then a genetic operation is performed on the selected genotypes to produce new genotypes. Multiple generations of genotypes are evolved until an acceptable solution is obtained or other termination criterion is satisfied.

Claims

1. A system for evaluating parameters of a semiconductor wafer or wafer set comprising:

a source which generates a probe beam which is transmitted through a lens and onto a semiconductor wafer;

a detector which detects the probe beam after it is reflected off the semiconductor wafer, and the detector outputs signals based on the probe beam reflected of the semiconductor wafer;

a processor coupled to the detector to receive the signals; and

wherein the processor is operable to generate measurement data, based on the received signals, for multiple points on the semiconductor wafer or wafer set, and to define multiple domains, wherein a domain has corresponding measured data, and to determine an optimum group of parameter values for each domain, wherein to determine the optimum group for each domain the processor is operable to;

associate different sets of theoretical semiconductor wafer parameter values with each domain;

compare a first set of theoretical measurement data, derived from a first set of theoretical semiconductor wafer parameter values associated with a domain, to the measured data corresponding to the domain; and

generate a new set of theoretical semiconductor wafer parameter values to be associated with the domain based on the comparing in a manner so as to associate increasingly more optimal theoretical semiconductor wafer parameter values with the domain, wherein the generation of the new set of theoretical semiconductor parameter values includes migrating at least one theoretical semiconductor parameter value from a set of theoretical semiconductor parameter values that has been associated with a different domain.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed such that the new set of theoretical semiconductor wafer parameter values are generated in accordance with a genetic algorithm.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed such that the processor generates a plurality of sets of theoretical semiconductor wafer parameter values, and derives a set of theoretical measurement data for each set of theoretical semiconductor wafer parameter values, and wherein the generating a plurality of sets of theoretical wafer parameter values includes defining a plurality of genotypes wherein a genotype includes a plurality of genes, wherein the plurality of genes correspond to different wafer parameters.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is programmed such that one or more of the plurality of genes is defined as belonging to a first class where genes of the first class are optimized for each domain, and one or more of the plurality of genes is defined as belonging to a second class where genes of the second class are optimized across a plurality of domains, and one or more of the plurality genes is defined as belonging to a third class where genes of the third class are optimized across all domains, such that the genes of the third class are deemed to have the same value for each domain.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is programmed such that each of the genes of the plurality of genes is defined as belonging to one class of a group of different gene classes, wherein the group of different gene classes includes a first class where genes of the first class are optimized for each domain, a second class where genes of the second class are optimized across a plurality of domains, and a third class where genes of the third class are optimized across all domains, such that the genes of the third class are deemed to have the same value for each domain.