IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,022,889
Granted Patent B2
US 11,022,889 · App. 16/100,365 · Granted Jun 1, 2021

Overlay-shift measurement system and method for manufacturing semiconductor structure and measuring alignment mark of semiconductor structure

Inventors: Yu-Ching Lee (Kaohsiung, TW); Yu-Piao Fang (Tainan, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
G03F7/2022G03F7/70466G03F7/70625G03F7/70633G03F7/70641G03F7/70683G03F9/7076B82Y20/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,022,889
App. No.
16/100,365
Granted
Jun 1, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods for manufacturing a semiconductor structure are provided. A substrate is provided. A first lithography is performed according to a first layer mask, to form a plurality of first photonic crystals with a first pitch on a first area of a layer above the substrate. A second lithography is performed according to a second layer mask, to form a plurality of second photonic crystals with a second pitch on a second area of the layer. A light is provided to illuminate the first and second photonic crystals. Light reflected by the first and second photonic crystals or transmitted through the first and second photonic crystals is received. The received light is analyzed to detect overlay-shift between the first photonic crystals corresponding to the first layer mask and the second photonic crystals corresponding to the second layer mask.

Claims (46)

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising:

providing a substrate;

performing a first lithography according to a first layer mask, to form a plurality of first photonic crystals with a first pitch on a first area of a layer above the substrate;

performing a second lithography according to a second layer mask, to form a plurality of second photonic crystals with a second pitch on a second area of the layer;

providing a light to illuminate the first and second photonic crystals;

receiving light reflected by the first and second photonic crystals or transmitted through the first and second photonic crystals; and

analyzing the received light to detect overlay-shift between the first photonic crystals corresponding to the first layer mask and the second photonic crystals corresponding to the second layer mask.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

analyzing the received light to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

analyzing the received light to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals comprise Si, SiN, Cu, or a High K material.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals are pillars formed by etched air holes in a material of the layer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals have the same sectional shape, and the first pitch is equal to the second pitch.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first photonic crystals are divided into a plurality of first groups and the second photonic crystals are divided into a plurality of second groups, wherein each of the first groups is surrounded by the two adjacent second groups, and each of the second groups is surrounded by the two adjacent first groups.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first photonic crystals are separated from the second photonic crystals.

9. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising:

providing a substrate;

performing a first lithography according to a first layer mask, to form a plurality of first photonic crystals with a first height on a first area and with a second height on a second area of a layer above the substrate;

performing a second lithography according to a second layer mask, to form a plurality of second photonic crystals with the first height on a third area and with the second height on a fourth area of the layer;

providing a light to illuminate the first and second photonic crystals;

receiving light reflected by the first and second photonic crystals or transmitted through the first and second photonic crystals; and

analyzing the received light to detect overlay-shift between the first photonic crystals corresponding to the first layer mask and the second photonic crystals corresponding to the second layer mask.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising:

analyzing the received light to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising:

analyzing the received light to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals comprise Si, SiN, Cu, or a High K material.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals are pillars formed by etched air holes in a material of the layer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals have the same sectional shape.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first area is separated from the second area by the third and fourth areas.

16. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising:

providing a substrate;

performing a first lithography according to a first layer mask, to form a plurality of first photonic crystals in an array of a layer above the substrate;

performing a second lithography according to a second layer mask, to form a plurality of second photonic crystals in the array of the layer;

providing a light to illuminate the first and second photonic crystals;

receiving light reflected by the first and second photonic crystals or transmitted through the first and second photonic crystals; and

analyzing the received light to detect overlay-shift between the first photonic crystals corresponding to the first layer mask and the second photonic crystals corresponding to the second layer mask,

wherein the first photonic crystals and the second photonic crystals have the same height, and the first photonic crystals and the second photonic crystals are formed by different materials,

wherein in each row of the array, the number of the first photonic crystals is equal to the number of the second photonic crystals.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising:

analyzing the received light to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising:

analyzing the received light to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals have the same sectional shape.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first photonic crystals and the second photonic crystals are interlaced in each row of the array.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: LEE, YU-CHING; FANG, YU-PIAO
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 046677/0017 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62584995 · Nov 13, 2017
Related Publication 20190148123A1 · May 16, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,217,121 US 12,602,557