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Optical metrology of structures formed on semiconductor wafers using machine learning systems

  • US 7,831,528 B2
  • Filed: 03/05/2009
  • Issued: 11/09/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of examining a structure formed on a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

  • obtaining a first diffraction signal measured using a metrology device;

    obtaining a second diffraction signal generated using a machine learning algorithm,wherein the first and second diffraction signal represent light diffracted from the structure formed on the semiconductor wafer, andwherein the machine learning algorithm receives as a direct input one or more parameters that characterize a profile of the structure to generate the second diffraction signal as a direct output of the machine learning algorithm;

    comparing the first and second diffraction signals; and

    when the first and second diffraction signals match within a matching criterion, determining a feature of the structure based on the one or more parameters of the profile used by the machine learning algorithm to generate the second diffraction signal.

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