Managing and using metrology data for process and equipment control
First Claim
1. An apparatus for examining a patterned structure formed on a semiconductor wafer using an optical metrology model, the system comprising:
- a first fabrication system comprising;
a first fabrication cluster configured to process wafers, the wafers having a first patterned and a first unpatterned structures, the first patterned structures having underlying film thicknesses, critical dimension, and profile;
a first metrology cluster including one or more optical metrology devices coupled to the first fabrication cluster, the first metrology cluster configured to measure diffraction signals off the first patterned and the first unpatterned structures;
a first metrology model optimizer coupled to the first fabrication cluster and the first metrology cluster, the first metrology model optimizer configured to optimize an optical metrology model of the first patterned structure using one or more measured diffraction signals off the first patterned structure and with floating profile parameters, material refraction parameters, and metrology device parameters;
a first real time profile estimator coupled to the first optical model optimizer and the first metrology cluster, configured to use the optimized optical metrology model from the first metrology model optimizer, the measured diffraction signals off the first patterned structure, and a fixed value within the range of values for at least one parameter from amongst the material refraction parameters and the metrology device parameters, and wherein the first real time profile estimator is configured to create an output comprising underlying film thickness, critical dimension, and profile of the first patterned structure; and
a metrology processor coupled to the first fabrication system, the metrology data processor configured to receive, process, store, and transmit the fixed value within the range of values for the at least one parameter from amongst the material refraction parameters and the metrology device parameters.
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Abstract
A system for examining a patterned structure formed on a semiconductor wafer using an optical metrology model includes a first fabrication cluster, a metrology cluster, an optical metrology model optimizer, and a real time profile estimator. The first fabrication cluster configured to process a wafer, the wafer having a first patterned and a first unpatterned structure. The first patterned structure has underlying film thicknesses, critical dimension, and profile. The metrology cluster including one or more optical metrology devices coupled to the first fabrication cluster. The metrology cluster is configured to measure diffraction signals off the first patterned and the first unpatterned structure. The metrology model optimizer is configured to optimize an optical metrology model of the first patterned structure using one or more measured diffraction signals off the first patterned structure and with floating profile parameters, material refraction parameters, and metrology device parameters.
51 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus for examining a patterned structure formed on a semiconductor wafer using an optical metrology model, the system comprising:
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a first fabrication system comprising; a first fabrication cluster configured to process wafers, the wafers having a first patterned and a first unpatterned structures, the first patterned structures having underlying film thicknesses, critical dimension, and profile; a first metrology cluster including one or more optical metrology devices coupled to the first fabrication cluster, the first metrology cluster configured to measure diffraction signals off the first patterned and the first unpatterned structures; a first metrology model optimizer coupled to the first fabrication cluster and the first metrology cluster, the first metrology model optimizer configured to optimize an optical metrology model of the first patterned structure using one or more measured diffraction signals off the first patterned structure and with floating profile parameters, material refraction parameters, and metrology device parameters; a first real time profile estimator coupled to the first optical model optimizer and the first metrology cluster, configured to use the optimized optical metrology model from the first metrology model optimizer, the measured diffraction signals off the first patterned structure, and a fixed value within the range of values for at least one parameter from amongst the material refraction parameters and the metrology device parameters, and wherein the first real time profile estimator is configured to create an output comprising underlying film thickness, critical dimension, and profile of the first patterned structure; and a metrology processor coupled to the first fabrication system, the metrology data processor configured to receive, process, store, and transmit the fixed value within the range of values for the at least one parameter from amongst the material refraction parameters and the metrology device parameters. - 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)
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26. A method of managing metrology data related to structures in a wafer undergoing one or more fabrication processes, the method comprising:
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a) creating an optical metrology model for the patterned structure, the optical metrology model having profile parameters, material refraction parameters, and metrology device parameters; b) defining ranges of values for the profile parameters, material refraction parameters, and metrology device parameters; c) obtaining one or more measured diffraction signals of the patterned structure; d) optimizing the optical metrology model to obtain an optimized optical metrology model using the ranges of values defined in b) and the one or more measured diffraction signals of the patterned structure obtained in c); e) for at least one parameter from amongst the material refraction parameters and the metrology device parameters, setting the at least one parameter to a fixed value within the range of values for the at least one parameter; f) generating one or more metrology data stores using the optimized optical metrology model, wherein the one or more metrology data stores are used to determine the profile parameters of the patterned structure; g) determining the profile parameters of the patterned structure using a measured diffraction signal off the patterned structure and the one or more generated metrology data stores; and h) associating the determined patterned structure profile parameters to identifying information related to material data, metrology device data, location of the patterned structure in the wafer, wafer identification, and/or fabrication step identification. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification