Integrated circuit metrology
First Claim
1. A computer-based method comprisingselecting sites to be measured on an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated using at least one fabrication process, the sites being selected based on:
- (a) dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within an integrated circuit design for the integrated circuit, and(b) at least one of topographic, thickness and width dimensions of features or patterns determined using a pattern-dependent model that characterizes interactions between (i) the dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within the integrated circuit design and (ii) dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within the integrated circuit that would result from using the at least one fabrication process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sites to be measured on a device that is to be fabricated using at least one fabrication process, are selected based on a pattern-dependent model of the process. A metrology tool to measure a parameter of a semiconductor device includes a control element to select sites for measurement based on a pattern dependent model of a process with respect to the device. Problematic areas, within a chip or die and within a wafer, are identified that result from process variation. The variation is identified and characterized, and the location of each site is stored. The sites may be manually entered into a metrology tool or the method will automatically generate a measurement plan. Process variation and electrical impact are used to direct the measurement of within-die and wafer-level integrated circuit locations.
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Citations
102 Claims
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1. A computer-based method comprising
selecting sites to be measured on an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated using at least one fabrication process, the sites being selected based on: -
(a) dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within an integrated circuit design for the integrated circuit, and (b) at least one of topographic, thickness and width dimensions of features or patterns determined using a pattern-dependent model that characterizes interactions between (i) the dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within the integrated circuit design and (ii) dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within the integrated circuit that would result from using the at least one fabrication process. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 82, 83, 86, 87, 88, 89, 95, 96, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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2. A computer-based method comprising
selecting sites to be measured on an integrated circuit that is to be fabricated using at least one fabrication process, the sites being selected based on: -
(a) dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within an integrated circuit design, and (b) at least one of topographic, thickness and width dimensions of features or patterns determined using a pattern-dependent model that characterizes interactions between (i) the dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within an integrated circuit design and (ii) dimensional or geometric characteristics of features or patterns within an integrated circuit that would result from using the at least one fabrication process, and (c) analysis of the electrical impact of the determined features or patterns in the integrated circuit design. - View Dependent Claims (18, 69)
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51. A machine-based method comprising
selecting measurement sites for an entire semiconductor chip, the sites being selected based upon a pattern-dependent model for a single interconnect level of the chip, the pattern-dependent model characterizing a relationship between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and dimensional and geometric features within an integrated circuit that would result from at least one fabrication process.
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52. A machine-based method comprising
selecting measurement sites for an entire semiconductor chip, the sites being selected based upon a pattern-dependent model for multiple interconnect levels of the chip, the pattern-dependent model characterizing a mapping among: -
(a) dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design, (b) dimensional and geometric features and patterns in at least one interconnect level within the integrated circuit that result from at least one fabrication process, and (c) dimensional and geometric features and patterns in at least one other interconnect level that result from at least one fabrication process.
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53. A method comprising
measuring wafer-state parameters in an integrated circuit during fabrication in accordance with a measurement plan that is based on a pattern-dependent model characterizing an interaction between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and dimensional and geometric features and patterns that would result from a fabrication process, and verifying predicted variations in wafer-state parameters during fabrication, the wafer-state parameters including at least one of: - minimum and maximum film thickness variation and minimum and maximum critical dimension variation within a specified area or block.
- View Dependent Claims (54)
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55. A machine-based method comprising
measuring a device that has been subjected to a chemical mechanical polishing process in accordance with a measurement plan that is based on a pattern-dependent model, and identifying areas of the device in which the chemical mechanical polishing process resulted in incomplete removal of material, the pattern-dependent model characterizing the interaction between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and the dimensional and geometric features and patterns that result from a fabrication process.
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56. A method comprising
measuring a semiconductor device in accordance with a measurement plan that is based on a pattern-dependent model of a process in order to identify characteristics of residual copper remaining on the device after processing, and using results of the measurement as feedback to a process control system, the pattern-dependent model characterizing the interaction between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and dimensional and geometric features and patterns on an integrated circuit that result from a fabrication process.
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57. A machine-based method comprising
measuring a semiconductor device in accordance with a measurement plan that is based on a pattern-dependent model in order to identify characteristics of residual copper remaining on the device after processing, and using results of the measurement as feedback to a process for recipe synthesis, the pattern-dependent model characterizing the interaction between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit that result from a fabrication process.
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74. A machine-based method comprising
selecting sites to be measured on a semiconductor device that is being fabricated, measuring the sites, the sites being selected based on a pattern-dependent model of a process; -
rejecting the device if the result of the measuring at least one of the site indicates that the device does not meet a requirement, selecting other sites to be measured on the semiconductor device, the sites being selected based on a pattern-dependent model of a process; measuring the other sites, and rejecting the device if the result of the measuring at least one of the other sites indicates that the device does not meet a requirement, the pattern-dependent model characterizing the interaction between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit that result from a fabrication process. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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84. A machine-based method comprising
selecting sites to be measured on a device that is to be fabricated using at least one fabrication process, the process including clearing of material from a surface of the device, the sites being selected based on a pattern-dependent model of the process to test whether clearing has occurred within an acceptable tolerance, the pattern-dependent model characterizing the interaction between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit that result from a fabrication process.
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97. A machine-based method comprising
measuring a semiconductor device in accordance with a measurement plan that is based on a plasma etch pattern-dependent model in order to identify critical dimensions of IC features, the pattern-dependent model characterizing the interaction between dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit design and dimensional and geometric features and patterns within an integrated circuit that result from a fabrication process, the geometric features including but not limited to: - critical dimensions, trench width, trench depth, and aspect ratio.
Specification