Apparatus and methods for detecting overlay errors using scatterometry

• US 7,564,557 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Inventors: Golovanesky, Boris, Fabrikant, Anatoly, Levy, Ady, Friedmann, Michael, Smith, Ian, Adel, Michael E., Mieher, Walter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr.; Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stock, Jr.; Gordon J
• Application Number:
  US11/926,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20080049226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 356/401
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/213 Spectrometric ellipsometry
• 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 7/70625 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 7/70683 Mark designs
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7049 Technique, e.g. interferometric
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7084 Position of mark on substrate, i.e. position in (x, y, z) of mark, e.g. buried or resist covered mark, mark on rearside, at the substrate edge, in the circuit area, latent image mark, marks in plural levels
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7088 Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection

Abstract

Disclosed is a combined scatterometry mark comprising a scatterometry critical dimension (CD) or profile target capable of being measured to determine CD or profile information and a scatterometry overlay target disposed over the scatterometry CD or profile target, the scatterometry overlay target cooperating with the scatterometry CD or profile target to form a scatterometry mark capable of being measured to determine overlay.

Claims

1. A single metrology tool, comprising:

a scatterometry overlay measurement system configured to measure overlay on a combined mark having a scatterometry overlay target disposed over a scatterometry CD or profile target; and

a CD-SEM system configured to measure critical dimension on the CD or profile target of the combined mark,

wherein the scatterometry overlay measurement system is configured to measure overlay on both the scatterometry overlay target and the scatterometry CD or profile target based on a scatterometry overlay technique without using calibration or a model regression technique, wherein the scatterometry overlay technique is a phase based technique that includes representing each measured optical signal as a set of periodic functions having a plurality of known parameters and an unknown overlay error parameter and analyzing the set of periodic functions to solve for the unknown overlay error parameter to thereby determine the overlay error.

2. The tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the scatterometry overlay measurement system is configured to measure overlay on a combined mark having a scatterometry overlay target disposed over a scatterometry CD or profile target and having predefined offsets between periodic structures of the scatterometry overlay target.

3. The tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the combined mark is formed in at least two layers of a work piece, the scatterometry CD or profile target being formed in a first layer, and the scatterometry overlay target being formed in the first layer and a second layer, wherein the scatterometry overlay target in the first layer comprises the scatterometry CD or profile target in the first layer.

4. The tool as recited in claim 1, further including a robotic handling system configured to transfer work pieces between stations of the single metrology tool.

5. The tool as recited in claim 4, wherein the CD-SEM system and the scatterometry overlay measurement system are separate systems capable of independent operation, the systems being linked by at least a portion of the robotic handling system.

6. The tool as recited in claim 4, wherein the scatterometry overlay measurement system is integrated within the CD-SEM system such that the CD-SEM system and scatterometry overlay measurement system share at least a portion of the robotic handling system.

7. The tool as recited in claim 5, wherein the CD-SEM system is configured to measure critical dimension on the CD or profile target after formation of patterns in a first layer, and wherein the scatterometry overlay measurement system is configured to measure overlay after the formation of patterns in a second layer.