Methods for improved monitor and control of lithography processes

• US 9,188,974 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2011
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Inventors: Mack, Chris, Preil, Moshe E
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US13/184,565
• Time in Patent Office: 1,584 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/108, 700/110, 702/183, 702/184, 340/3.43, 340/3.44
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70591 Testing optical components
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70616 Monitoring the printed patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production

Abstract

Various computer-implemented methods are provided. One method includes determining errors across a field of a lens of a lithography system based on wafer measurements. In addition, the method includes separating the errors into correctable and non-correctable errors across the field. The errors may include dose errors, focus errors, or dose and focus errors. In another embodiment, the method may include determining correction terms for parameter(s) of the lithography system, which if applied to the parameter(s), the correctable errors would be eliminated resulting in approximately optimal imaging performance of the lithography system. Another method includes controlling one or more parameters of features within substantially an entire printed area on a product wafer using a limited number of wafer measurements performed on a test wafer. The wafer measurements may be performed on a first feature type, and the features that are controlled may include a second, different feature type.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

controlling one or more parameters of features within an entire printed area on a product wafer using a limited number of wafer measurements performed on the product wafer or another wafer, wherein the wafer measurements comprise one or more parameters of horizontal features and vertical features printed on the product wafer or the other wafer using a lithoaraphy system;

determining exposure conditions applied to the product wafer or the other wafer based on the wafer measurements;

predicting one or more parameters of one or more feature types printed on the product wafer using a tuned simulation model with the exposure conditions and design data for the product wafer, wherein the one or more feature types comprise at least one feature type on which the wafer measurements were not performed;

determining errors in performance of a lens of the lithography system across a field of the lens based on the wafer measurements and separating the errors into correctable and non-correctable errors across the field, wherein the errors comprise dose errors, focus errors, or dose and focus errors; and

determining astigmatism errors in the lens using the errors, wherein said controlling, said determining the exposure conditions, said predicting, said determining the errors, and said determining the astigmatism errors are performed by a computer having one or more processors executing instructions from a memory medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wafer measurements are performed within an integrated circuit die or within a scribe line on the product wafer or the other wafer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wafer measurements are performed on a first feature type on the product wafer or the other wafer, and wherein the features on the product wafer that are controlled comprise a second feature type different than the first feature type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising developing the tuned simulation model based on aberrations of the lens of the lithography system and parameters of a lithography process.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said predicting comprises predicting the one or more parameters of the one or more feature types printed in a resist at one or more positions within a field of the lens using the wafer measurements, the tuned simulation model, and the design data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the exposure conditions comprises comparing the wafer measurements to one or more predicted parameters of one or more feature types, of the features on which the wafer measurements were performed, printed in a resist to determine the exposure conditions applied to the product wafer or the other wafer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the one or more parameters of the one or more feature types pass or fail specifications for the one or more parameters of the one or more feature types.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wafer measurements are performed using a scatterometry technique.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling comprises applying exposure corrections to the lithography system that are fixed across a field printed on the product wafer by the lithography system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling comprises applying exposure corrections to the lithography system that vary from field to field printed on the product wafer by the lithography system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling comprises applying exposure corrections to the lithography system that vary across a field printed on the product wafer by the lithography system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the features have different dimensions, different pitches, or different dimensions and pitches, the method further comprising determining low order aberrations in the lens using the errors.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining correction terms for one or more parameters of the lithography system as a function of position within the field.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising program instructions executable on a processor to perform a computer-implemented method, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

controlling one or more parameters of features within an entire printed area on a product wafer using a limited number of wafer measurements performed on the product wafer or another wafer, wherein the wafer measurements comprise one or more parameters of horizontal features and vertical features printed on the product wafer or the other wafer using a lithography system;

determining exposure conditions applied to the product wafer or the other wafer based on the wafer measurements;

predicting one or more parameters of one or more feature types printed on the product wafer using a tuned simulation model with the exposure conditions and design data for the product wafer, wherein the one or more feature types comprise at least one feature type on which the wafer measurements were not performed;

determining errors in performance of a lens of the lithography system across a field of the lens based on the wafer measurements and separating the errors into correctable and non-correctable errors across the field, wherein the errors comprise dose errors, focus errors, or dose and focus errors; and

determining astigmatism errors in the lens using the errors.

15. A system, comprising:

a measurement device configured to perform wafer measurements; and

a computer configured for;

controlling one or more parameters of features within an entire printed area on a product wafer using a limited number of the wafer measurements performed on the product wafer or another wafer, wherein the wafer measurements comprise one or more parameters of horizontal features and vertical features printed on the product wafer or the other wafer using a lithography system;

determining exposure conditions applied to the product wafer or the other wafer based on the wafer measurements;

predicting one or more parameters of one or more feature types printed on the product wafer using a tuned simulation model with the exposure conditions and design data for the product wafer, wherein the one or more feature types comprise at least one feature type on which the wafer measurements were not performed;

determining errors in performance of a lens of the lithography system across a field of the lens based on the wafer measurements and separating the errors into correctable and non-correctable errors across the field, wherein the errors comprise dose errors, focus errors, or dose and focus errors; and

determining astigmatism errors in the lens using the errors, wherein the computer has one or more processors executing instructions from a memory medium.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wafer measurements are performed within an integrated circuit die or within a scribe line on the product wafer or the other wafer.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the wafer measurements are performed on a first feature type on the product wafer or the other wafer, and wherein the features on the product wafer that are controlled comprise a second feature type different than the first feature type.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer is further configured for developing the tuned simulation model based on aberrations of the lens of the lithography system and parameters of a lithography process.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said predicting comprises predicting the one or more parameters of the one or more feature types printed in a resist at one or more positions within a field of the lens using the wafer measurements, the tuned simulation model, and the design data.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said determining the exposure conditions comprises comparing the wafer measurements to one or more predicted parameters of one or more feature types, of the features on which the wafer measurements were performed, printed in a resist to determine the exposure conditions applied to the product wafer or the other wafer.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer is further configured for determining if the one or more parameters of the one or more feature types pass or fail specifications for the one or more parameters of the one or more feature types.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the wafer measurements are performed using a scatterometry technique.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein said controlling comprises applying exposure corrections to the lithography system that are fixed across a field printed on the product wafer by the lithography system.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein said controlling comprises applying exposure corrections to the lithography system that vary from field to field printed on the product wafer by the lithography system.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein said controlling comprises applying exposure corrections to the lithography system that vary across a field printed on the product wafer by the lithography system.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the features have different dimensions, different pitches, or different dimensions and pitches, and wherein the computer is further configured for determining low order aberrations in the lens using the errors.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer is further configured for determining correction terms for one or more parameters of the lithography system as a function of position within the field.