Method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of topographic semiconductor device wafers

1. A method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers comprising:

providing a multilayered semiconductor device wafer comprising at least a first layer and a second layer comprising at least one misregistration measurement target comprising a first periodic structure formed together with said first layer having a first pitch and a second periodic structure formed together with said second layer having a second pitch;

imaging said first layer and said second layer using an imager at a depth of focus and using light having at least one first wavelength that causes images of both said first layer and said second layer to appear in at least one plane within said depth of focus, wherein said first layer and said second layer are mutually separated by a perpendicular distance which is greater than said depth of focus; and

quantifying offset in said at least one plane between said images of said first layer and said second layer using an offset quantifier, thereby to calculate misregistration of said first layer and said second layer.

2. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 1 , wherein said imaging comprises a single grab.

3. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 2 , wherein said imaging of said first layer and said second layer is performed using light having at least two different wavelengths that causes images of both said first layer and said second layer to appear in at least one plane within said depth of focus.

4. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 1 , wherein said multilayered semiconductor device wafer comprises at least a third layer and said at least one misregistration measurement target comprises at least a third periodic structure on said at least third layer and wherein said method further comprises:

imaging said first layer and said third layer at a second depth of focus and using light having at least one second wavelength that causes images of both said first layer and said third layer to appear in planes which are mutually separated by a perpendicular distance that is less than said second depth of focus.

5. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 1 , wherein said depth of focus is approximately 50 nm for a numerical aperture of less than 0.3.

6. A method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers comprising:

providing a multilayered semiconductor device wafer comprising at least a first layer and a second layer comprising at least one misregistration measurement target comprising a first periodic structure formed together with said first layer having a first pitch and a second periodic structure formed together with said second layer having a second pitch, said at least first layer and second layer being mutually separated by a perpendicular distance of greater than 2 μm;

imaging said first layer and said second layer using an imager at a depth of focus and using light having at least one first wavelength that causes images of both said first layer and said second layer to appear in at least one plane within said depth of focus, wherein said first layer and said second layer are mutually separated by a perpendicular distance which is greater than a depth of focus; and

measuring offsets in said at least one plane between said images of said first layer and said second layer using an offset quantifier, thereby to calculate misregistration of said first layer and said second layer.

7. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 6 , wherein said imaging of said first layer is performed by a first imager and said imaging of said second layer is performed by a second imager.

8. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 7 , wherein said first imager and said second imager operate at different wavelengths.

9. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 7 , wherein said first imager and said second imager operate at identical wavelengths.

10. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 6 , wherein said imaging of said first layer and said imaging of said second layer are performed by a single imager.

11. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 10 , wherein said single imager images said first layer and said second layer with a light having a single wavelength.

12. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 10 , wherein said single imager images said first layer and said second layer with a light having at least two wavelengths.

13. The method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 12 , wherein said single imager images said first layer and said second layer in a single grab.

14. A system for measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers, the system comprising:

an imager configured to image at least a first layer and a second layer of a multilayered semiconductor device wafer comprising at least one misregistration measurement target comprising a first periodic structure formed together with said first layer having a first pitch and a second periodic structure formed together with said second layer having a second pitch, said imager operating at a depth of focus and using light having at least one first wavelength that causes images of both said first layer and said second layer to appear in at least one plane within said depth of focus, wherein said first layer and said second layer are mutually separated by a perpendicular distance which is greater than said depth of focus; and

an offset quantifier configured to measure offsets in said at least one plane between said images of said first layer and said second layer, thereby to calculate misregistration.

15. The system of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 14 , wherein said imaging comprises a single grab.

16. The system of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 15 , wherein said imager operates at said depth of focus and using light having at least two different wavelengths that causes images of both said first layer and said second layer to appear in at least one plane within said depth of focus.

17. The system for measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 14 , wherein said multilayered semiconductor device wafer comprises at least a third layer and said at least one misregistration measurement target comprises at least a third periodic structure on said at least third layer and wherein said imager is also operative for imaging said first layer and said third layer at a second depth of focus and using light having at least one second wavelength that causes images of both said first layer and said third layer to appear in planes which are mutually separated by a perpendicular distance that is less than said depth of focus.

18. The system for measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 14 , wherein said depth of focus is approximately 50 nm for a numerical aperture of less than 0.3.

19. A system for measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers having a multilayered semiconductor device wafer comprising at least a first layer and a second layer comprising at least one misregistration measurement target comprising a first periodic structure formed together with said first layer having a first pitch and a second periodic structure formed together with said second layer having a second pitch, said at least first layer and second layer being mutually separated by a perpendicular distance of greater than 2 μm, the system comprising;

at least one imager configured to image said first layer and said second layer at at least one depth of focus and using light having at least one first wavelength that causes images of both said first layer and said second layer to appear in at least one plane within said depth of focus, wherein said first layer and said second layer are mutually separated by a perpendicular distance which is greater than said depth of focus; and

an offset quantifier configured to measure offsets in said at least one plane between said images of said first layer and said second layer, thereby to calculate misregistration.

20. The system for measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 19 , wherein said at least one imager comprises a first imager imaging said first layer using light having said at least one first wavelength and a second imager imaging said second layer using light having at least one second wavelength, causing images of both said first layer and said second layer to appear in said at least one plane within said depth of focus.

21. The system for measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 20 , wherein said first imager and said second imager operate at different wavelengths.

22. The system for measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers according to claim 20 , wherein said first imager and said second imager operate at identical wavelengths.