Improved critical dimension inspection for the semiconductor industry

Ryabko, Maxim; Koptyev, Sergey; Щекин, А. Ю.; Медведев, А. С.

doi:10.1117/2.1201409.005515

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Measurement sensitivity of less than 0.1 nm was revealed for sub-25 nm wide lines (critical dimensions (CDs)) again using 546 nm wavelength [8]. TSOM is being increasingly recognized as a viable nanometrology method, as evidenced by being listed in several technology roadmaps and guides [19–21], patent applications [22,23], and science news reports [24,25]. …”

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confidence: 99%

Noise analysis for through-focus scanning optical microscopy

Attota¹

2016

Opt. Lett.

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A systematic noise-analysis study for optimizing data collection and data processing parameters for through-focus scanning optical microscopy (TSOM) is presented. TSOM is a three-dimensional shape metrology method that can achieve sub-nanometer measurement sensitivity by analyzing sets of images acquired through-focus using a conventional optical microscope. We show that best balance between signal-to-noise performance and acquisition time can be achieved by judicious spatial averaging. Correct background-signal subtraction of the imaging-system inhomogeneities is also critical, as well as careful alignment of the constituent images in the case of differential TSOM analysis.

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confidence: 99%

Noise analysis for through-focus scanning optical microscopy

Attota¹

2016

Opt. Lett.

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“…Through-focus scanning optical microscopy (TSOM) is another optical metrology method developed at the NIST that demonstrated 3-D shape analysis capability with sub-nanometer measurement resolution using low-cost, conventional optical microscopes [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. TSOM is ideally suitable as a 3-D shape process monitoring tool for high-volume manufacturing (HVM).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Measurement sensitivity of less than 0.1 nm was revealed for sub-25 nm wide lines (critical dimensions (CDs)) again using 546 nm wavelength [42]. TSOM is increasingly recognized as a viable nanometrology method, as evidenced by being listed in several technology road maps and guides [33,46,49], patent applications [50,51], and science news reports [41,43].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parameter optimization for through-focus scanning optical microscopy

Attota¹,

Kang²

2016

Opt. Express

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It is important to economically and non-destructively analyze three-dimensional (3-D) shapes of nanometer to micrometer scale objects with sub-nanometer measurement resolution for emerging high-volume nanomanufacturing, especially for process control. High-throughput through-focus scanning optical microscopy (TSOM) demonstrates promise for such applications. TSOM uses a conventional optical microscope for 3-D shape metrology by making use of the complete set of through-focus, four-dimensional optical data. However, a systematic study showing the effect of various parameters on the TSOM method is lacking. Here we present the optimization of the basic parameters such as illumination numerical aperture (NA), collection NA, focus step height, digital camera pixel size, illumination polarization, and illumination wavelength to achieve peak performance of the TSOM method.

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“…Measurement sensitivity of less than 0.1 nm was revealed for sub-25 nm wide lines (critical dimensions (CDs)) again using 546 nm wavelength [6]. TSOM is being increasingly recognized as a viable nanometrology method, as evidenced by being listed in several technology road maps and guides [59-61], patent applications [62, 63], and science news reports [64, 65]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing noise for defect analysis with through-focus scanning optical microscopy

Attota¹,

Kramar²

2016

SPIE Proceedings

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Through-focus scanning optical microscopy (TSOM) shows promise for patterned defect analysis, but it is important to minimize total system noise. TSOM is a three-dimensional shape metrology method that can achieve sub-nanometer measurement sensitivity by analyzing sets of images acquired through-focus using a conventional optical microscope. Here we present a systematic noise-analysis study for optimizing data collection and data processing parameters for TSOM and then demonstrate how the optimized parameters affect defect analysis. We show that the best balance between signal-to-noise performance and acquisition time can be achieved by judicious spatial averaging. Correct background-signal subtraction of the imaging-system inhomogeneities is also critical, as well as careful alignment of the constituent images used in differential TSOM analysis.

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Improved critical dimension inspection for the semiconductor industry

Abstract: Critical dimension inspection based on a library of simulated throughfocus diffraction patterns and a mechanical-free defocusing process could improve high-throughput quality control.

Cited by 3 publications

References 7 publications

Noise analysis for through-focus scanning optical microscopy

Noise analysis for through-focus scanning optical microscopy

Parameter optimization for through-focus scanning optical microscopy

Optimizing noise for defect analysis with through-focus scanning optical microscopy

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