IP Library Granted Patent US 9,929,103
Granted Patent B2
US 9,929,103 · App. 14/744,453 · Granted Mar 27, 2018

Misalignment checking device and manufacturing method of semiconductor device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,929,103
App. No.
14/744,453
Granted
Mar 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, an optical element branches reflection light from a first mark and a second mark having different focus positions, a first imaging element captures an image of the first mark based on a first branch light branched by the optical element, a second imaging element captures an image of the second mark based on a second branch light branched by the optical element, and an arithmetic processing unit that calculates a misalignment between the first mark and the second mark based on a result of superimposition of the image of the first mark and the image of the second mark.

Claims (40)

1. A misalignment checking device, comprising:

an optical element configured to branch reflection light from a first mark and a second mark which have different focus positions;

a first imaging element configured to capture an image of the first mark based on a first branch light branched by the optical element, the first imaging element being either CCDs or CMOS image sensors;

a second imaging element configured to capture an image of the second mark based on a second branch light branched by the optical element, the second imaging element being either CCDs or CMOS image sensors;

a light source that generates illumination light to illuminate the first mark and the second mark;

an object lens that collects the illumination light on the first mark and the second mark;

an illumination lens that collects the illumination light emitted from the light source;

an imaging lens that collects the illumination light on the first imaging element and the second imaging element;

a half mirror that reflects the illumination light emitted from the first mark and the second mark or lets the reflection light from the first mark and the second mark pass therethrough;

an arithmetic processing unit configured to calculate a misalignment between the first mark and the second mark based on a result of superimposition of the image of the first mark and the image of the second mark;

a first drive unit configured to drive the first imaging element in a direction of an optical axis of the first imaging element;

a second drive unit configured to drive the second imaging element in a direction of an optical axis of the second imaging element;

an image processing unit configured to extract edges of the image of the first mark and the image of the second mark;

a drive control unit configured to control driving of the first drive unit and the second drive unit to sharpen the edges and to control driving of the wafer drive unit such that the wafer is held at a height at which the first mark and the second mark are observable at the same time;

a wafer drive unit configured to drive vertically a wafer stage holding a wafer on which the first mark and the second mark are formed;

a first filter provided in front of the first imaging element to select a wavelength region suited for imaging of the first mark; and

a second filter provided in front of the second imaging element to select a wavelength region suited for imaging of the second mark.

2. A misalignment checking device, comprising:

an optical element configured to branch reflection light from a first mark in an X-axis direction and a second mark in a Y-axis direction at a first focus position and branches reflection light from a third mark in the X-axis direction and a fourth mark in the Y-axis direction at a second focus direction;

a first imaging element configured to capture an image of the first mark based on a first branch light branched by the optical element, the first imaging element being either CCDs or CMOS image sensors;

a second imaging element configured to capture an image of the second mark based on a second branch light branched by the optical element, the second imaging element being either CCDs or CMOS image sensors;

a third imaging element configured to capture an image of the third mark based on a third branch light branched by the optical element, the third imaging element being either CCDs or CMOS image sensors;

a fourth imaging element configured to capture an image of the fourth mark based on a fourth branch light branched by the optical element, the fourth imaging element being either CCDs or CMOS image sensors;

a light source that generates illumination light to illuminate the first to the fourth marks;

an object lens that collects the illumination light on the first to the fourth marks;

an illumination lens that collects the illumination light emitted from the light source;

an imaging lens that collects the illumination light on the first to the fourth imagine elements;

a half mirror that reflects the illumination light emitted from the first to the fourth marks or lets the reflection light from the first to the fourth marks pass therethrough;

an arithmetic processing unit configured to calculate a misalignment between the first mark and the third mark and a misalignment between the second mark and the fourth mark, based on a result of superimposition of the imaaes of the first to fourth marks;

a first drive unit configured to drive the first imaging element in a direction of an optical axis of the first imaging element;

a second drive unit configured to drive the second imaging element in a direction of an optical axis of the second imaging element;

a third drive unit configured to drive the third imaging element in a direction of an optical axis of the third imaging element;

a fourth drive unit configured to drive the fourth imaging element in a direction of an optical axis of the fourth imaging element;

an image processing unit configured to extract each of edges of the images of the first to fourth marks;

a drive control unit configured to control driving of the first to fourth drive units to sharpen the edges and to control driving of the wafer drive unit such that the wafer is held at a height at which the first to fourth marks are observable at the same time;

a wafer drive unit configured to drive vertically a wafer on which the first to fourth marks are formed;

a first filter provided in front of the first imaging element to select a wavelength region suited for imaging of the first mark;

a second filter provided in front of the second imaging element to select a wavelength region suited for imaging of the second mark;

a third filter provided in front of the third imaging element to select a wavelength region suited for imaging of the third mark; and

a fourth filter provided in front of the fourth imaging element to select a wavelength region suited for imaging of the fourth mark.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043088/0620 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2015
From: SEGAWA, KAZUHIRO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 035867/0658 →