Methods and systems for determining a presence of macro and micro defects on a specimen

• US 7,460,981 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Inventors: Levy, Ady, Wack, Dan, Fielden, John, Bultman, Gary, Brown, Kyle A., Nikoonahad, Mehrdad
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn; Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US10/974,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20060072807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 702/81, 702/155, 702/40, 702/159, 702/170, 702/172
• US Class Current: 702/155
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/646 Detecting fluorescent inhomogeneities at a position, e.g. for detecting defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8825 Separate detection of dark field and bright field
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/211 Ellipsometry optical thickness measurement G01B11/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/47 Scattering, i.e. diffuse reflection G01N21/25, G01N21/41 take precedence G01N21/55 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/636 using an arrangement of pump beam and probe beam; using the measurement of optical non-linear properties; non-linear optics per se G02F1/35
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9501 Semiconductor wafers manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9503 Wafer edge inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/956 Inspecting patterns on the surface of objects contactless testing of electronic circuits G01R31/308; testing currency G07D; manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70616 Monitoring the printed patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70625 Dimensions, e.g. line width, critical dimension [CD], profile, sidewall angle or edge roughness
• 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 7/7065 Defects, e.g. optical inspection of patterned layer for defects
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70658 Electrical testing
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70708 being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31701 Ion implantation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1004 : with means for measuring, testing, or sensing

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. The illumination system and the detection system may be configured such that the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of the specimen. For example, the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of a specimen including, but not limited to, a presence of macro and micro defects. In this manner, a measurement device may perform multiple optical and/or non-optical metrology and/or inspection techniques.

Claims

1. A method for determining at least two properties of a specimen, comprising:

disposing the specimen upon a stage, wherein the stage is coupled to a measurement device, and wherein the measurement device comprises an illumination system and a detection system;

directing energy toward a surface of the specimen using the illumination system;

detecting energy propagating from the surface of the specimen using the detection system;

generating one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy; and

processing the one or more output signals to determine a first property and a second property of the specimen, wherein the first property comprises a presence of macro defects on the specimen, and wherein the second property comprises a presence of micro defects on the specimen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising laterally moving the stage during said directing energy and said detecting energy.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotatably moving the stage during said directing energy and said detecting energy.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising laterally and rotatably moving the stage during said directing energy and said detecting energy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the illumination system comprises a single energy source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the illumination system comprises more than one energy source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection system comprises a single energy sensitive device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection system comprises more than one energy sensitive devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting energy comprises detecting dark field light propagating along a dark field path from the surface of the specimen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a non-imaging scatterometer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a scatterometer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a spectroscopic scatterometer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a reflectometer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a spectroscopic reflectometer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises an ellipsometer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a spectroscopic ellipsometer.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a bright field imaging device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a dark field imaging device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a bright field and dark field imaging device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a non-imaging bright field device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a non-imaging dark field device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a non-imaging bright field and dark field device.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a double dark field device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises at least a first measurement device and a second measurement device, and wherein the first and second measurement devices are selected from the group consisting of a non-imaging scatterometer, a scatterometer, a spectroscopic scatterometer, a reflectometer, a spectroscopic reflectometer, an, ellipsometer, a spectroscopic ellipsometer, a bright field imaging device, a dark field imaging device, a bright field and dark field imaging device, a non-imaging bright field device, a non-imaging dark field device, a non-imaging bright field and dark field device, a double dark field device, an X-ray reflectometer, an X-ray fluorescence device, an optical fluorescence device, an eddy current imaging device, and a relatively large spot e-beam device.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises at least a first measurement device and a second measurement device, and wherein optical elements of the first measurement device comprise optical elements of the second measurement device.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing energy toward a bottom surface of the specimen; and

detecting energy propagating from the bottom surface of the specimen, wherein the first property further comprises a presence of macro defects on the bottom surface of the specimen.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the one or more output signals to determine a thickness of a copper film, wherein the macro defects or the micro defects comprise voids in the copper film.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the macro defects comprise copper contamination on a back side of the specimen.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the one or more output signals to determine a third property of the specimen, wherein the third property is selected from the group consisting of a roughness of the specimen, a roughness of a layer on the specimen, and a roughness of a feature of the specimen.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool selected from the group consisting of a lithography tool, an atomic layer deposition tool, a cleaning tool, and an etch tool.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the one or more output signals to determine the first and second properties of the specimen comprises substantially simultaneously determining the first and second properties of the specimen.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing energy toward multiple locations on the surface of the specimen substantially simultaneously and detecting energy propagating from the multiple locations substantially simultaneously such that one or more of the at least two properties of the specimen can be determined at the multiple locations substantially simultaneously.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool, and wherein the stage and the measurement device are arranged laterally proximate to the process tool.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool, and wherein the stage and the measurement device are disposed within the process tool.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool, and wherein the process tool is selected from the group consisting of a lithography tool, an etch tool, an ion implanter, a chemical-mechanical polishing tool, a deposition tool, a thermal tool, a cleaning tool, and a plating tool.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool, wherein the process tool comprises a wafer handler, and wherein disposing the specimen upon the stage comprises moving the specimen from the process tool to the stage using the wafer handler.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool, the method further comprising moving the specimen to the process tool subsequent to said directing and said detecting using the stage.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool, the method further comprising determining at least the two properties of the specimen while the specimen is waiting between process steps.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are further coupled to a process tool, wherein the process tool comprises a support device configured to support the specimen during a process step, and wherein an upper surface of the support device is substantially parallel to an upper surface of the stage.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are coupled to a process tool, wherein the process tool comprises a support device configured to support the specimen during a process step, and wherein an upper surface of the stage is angled with respect to an upper surface of the support device.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are disposed within a measurement chamber, and wherein the measurement chamber is coupled to a process tool.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are disposed within a measurement chamber, and wherein the measurement chamber is disposed within a process tool.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are disposed within a measurement chamber, and wherein the measurement chamber is arranged laterally proximate to a process chamber of a process tool.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage and the measurement device are disposed within a measurement chamber, and wherein the measurement chamber is arranged vertically proximate to a process chamber of a process tool.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the specimen upon the stage comprises disposing the specimen upon a support device disposed within a process chamber of a process tool, and wherein the support device is configured to support the specimen during a process step.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising performing said directing and said detecting during the process step.

48. The method of claim 46, further comprising obtaining a signature characterizing the process step, wherein the signature comprises at least one singularity representative of an end of the process step.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising altering a parameter of one or more instruments coupled to the process tool in response to at least one of the determined properties using an in situ control technique.

50. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the specimen from a first process chamber to a second process chamber using the stage, wherein the first process chamber and the second process chamber are disposed within a process tool.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising performing said directing and said detecting during said moving the specimen from the first process chamber to the second process chamber.

52. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing at least one of the first and second properties of the specimen and determined properties of a plurality of specimens.

53. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing at least one of the first and second properties of the specimen to a predetermined range for the at least one of the first and second properties.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising generating an output signal if the at least one of the first and second properties of the specimen is outside of the predetermined range.

55. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a sampling frequency of the measurement device in response to at least one of the first and second properties of the specimen.

56. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a parameter of one or more instruments coupled to the measurement device in response to at least one of the first and second properties using a feedback control technique.

57. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a parameter of one or more instruments coupled to the measurement device in response to at least one of the first and second properties using a feedforward control technique.

58. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a database, wherein the database comprises the first and second properties of the specimen.

59. The method of claim 58, further comprising calibrating the measurement device using the database.

60. The method of claim 58, further comprising monitoring output signals generated by the measurement device using the database.

61. The method of claim 58, wherein the database further comprises first and second properties of a plurality of specimens.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the first and second properties of the plurality of specimens are generated using a plurality of measurement devices.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising calibrating the plurality of measurement devices using the database.

64. The method of claim 62, further comprising monitoring output signals generated by the plurality of measurement devices using the database.

65. The method of claim 1, wherein a stand alone system is coupled to the measurement device, the method further comprising calibrating the stand alone system with a calibration standard and calibrating the measurement device with the stand alone system.

66. The method of claim 1, wherein a stand alone system is coupled to the measurement device and at least one additional measurement device, the method further comprising calibrating the stand alone system with a calibration standard and calibrating the measurement device and at least the one additional measurement device with the stand alone system.

67. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining at least the two properties of the specimen at more than one position on the specimen, wherein the specimen comprises a wafer, the method further comprising altering at least one parameter of one or more instruments coupled to a process tool in response to at least one of the determined properties of the specimen at the more than one position on the specimen to reduce within wafer variation of at least one of the determined properties.

68. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a parameter of one or more instruments coupled to a process tool in response to at least one of the first and second properties of the specimen using a feedback control technique.

69. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a parameter of one or more instruments coupled to a process tool in response to at least one of the first and second properties of the specimen using a feedforward control technique.

70. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a parameter of one or more instruments coupled to the process tool.

71. The method of claim 70, further comprising determining a relationship between at least one of the first and second properties and at least one of the monitored parameters.

72. The method of claim 71, further comprising altering a parameter of at least one of the one or more instruments in response to the relationship.

73. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a parameter of one or more instruments coupled to a plurality of process tools in response to at least one of the first and second properties of the specimen.

74. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device comprises non-optical components, and wherein said detecting energy comprises measuring a non-optical characteristic of the surface of the specimen.

75. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the one or more output signals comprises:

at least partially processing the one or more output signals using a local processor, wherein the local processor is coupled to the measurement device;

sending the at least partially processed one or more output signals from the local processor to a remote controller computer; and

further processing the at least partially processed one or more output signals using the remote controller computer.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein at least partially processing the one or more output signals comprises determining the first and second properties of the specimen.

77. The method of claim 75, wherein further processing the at least partially processed one or more output signals comprises determining the first and second properties of the specimen.

78. A computer-implemented method for controlling a system configured to determine at least two properties of a specimen during use, wherein the system comprises a measurement device, comprising:

controlling the measurement device, wherein the measurement device comprises an illumination system and a detection system, and wherein the measurement device is coupled to a stage, comprising;

controlling the illumination system to direct energy toward a surface of the specimen;

controlling the detection system to detect energy propagating from the surface of the specimen; and

generating one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy; and

processing the one or more output signals to determine a first property and a second property of the specimen, wherein the first property comprises a presence of macro defects on the specimen, and wherein the second property comprises a presence of micro defects on the specimen.

79. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a portion of the semiconductor device upon a specimen;

disposing the specimen upon a stage, wherein the stage is coupled to a measurement device, and wherein the measurement device comprises an illumination system and a detection system;

directing energy toward a surface of the specimen using the illumination system;

detecting energy propagating from the surface of the specimen using the detection system;

generating one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy; and

processing the one or more output signals to determine a first property and a second property of the specimen, wherein the first property comprises a presence of macro defects on the specimen, and wherein the second property comprises a presence of micro defects on the specimen.