IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,378,892
Granted Patent B2
US 11,378,892 · App. 17/329,772 · Granted Jul 5, 2022

Overlay-shift measurement system

Inventors: Yu-Ching Lee (Kaohsiung, TW); Yu-Piao Fang (Tainan, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
G03F7/70633G03F7/2022G03F7/70466G03F7/70625G03F7/70641G03F7/70683G03F9/7076B82Y20/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,378,892
App. No.
17/329,772
Granted
Jul 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Overlay-shift measurement systems are provided. An overlay-shift measurement system includes an optical device, a first light detection device and a processor. The optical device is configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure. The first light detection device is configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target. The processor is configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the transmitted light.

Claims (36)

1. An overlay-shift measurement system, comprising:

an optical device configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure;

a first light detection device configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target;

a processor configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the transmitted light; and

a second light detection device configured to receive a reflected light from the metrology target when the input light illuminates the metrology target,

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the overlay-shift is present according to the characteristics of both the transmitted light and the reflected light.

2. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metrology target comprises a first pattern formed by the first photonic crystals with a first pitch, and a second pattern formed by the second photonic crystals with a second pitch, wherein the first light detection device is configured to receive the transmitted light from the first and second patterns when the input light penetrates the first and second patterns.

3. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals have the same sectional shape, and the first pitch is equal to the second pitch.

4. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the characteristics of the transmitted light comprise information regarding center wavelength shift, scattering wavelength count, scatter angle, center wavelength intensity, full width at half maximum or photonic band gap.

5. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the transmitted light.

6. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the transmitted light.

7. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first photonic crystals are separated from the second photonic crystals.

8. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second photonic crystals have the same height on the semiconductor structure.

9. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first photonic crystals are arranged in a first array and the second photonic crystals are arranged in a second array with the same pitch.

10. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second photonic crystals have different heights on the semiconductor structure.

11. An overlay-shift measurement system, comprising:

an optical device configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure;

a first light detection device configured to receive a reflected light from the metrology target when the input light illuminates the metrology target;

a processor configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the reflected light; and

a second light detection device configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target,

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the overlay-shift is present according to the characteristics of both the transmitted light and the reflected light,

wherein the first and second photonic crystals have two heights on the semiconductor structure.

12. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the metrology target comprises a first pattern formed by the first photonic crystals with a first pitch, and a second pattern formed by the second photonic crystals with a second pitch, wherein the first light detection device is configured to receive the reflected light from the first and second patterns when the input light illuminates the first and second patterns.

13. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first and second photonic crystals have the same sectional shape, and the first pitch is equal to the second pitch.

14. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the characteristics of the reflected light comprise information regarding center wavelength shift, scattering wavelength count, scatter angle, center wavelength intensity, full width at half maximum or photonic band gap.

15. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the reflected light.

16. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the reflected light.

17. An overlay-shift measurement system, comprising:

an optical device configured to provide an input light to a metrology target of a semiconductor structure;

a first light detection device configured to receive a transmitted light from the metrology target when the input light penetrates the metrology target;

a second light detection device configured to receive a reflected light from the metrology target when the input light illuminates the metrology target; and

a processor configured to determine whether overlay-shift between a plurality of first photonic crystals and a plurality of second photonic crystals in the metrology target is present according to characteristics of the transmitted light and the reflected light,

wherein the first photonic crystals and the second photonic crystals are formed by different materials.

18. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain a critical dimension of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the transmitted light and the reflected light.

19. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain depth-of-focus of the semiconductor structure according to the characteristics of the transmitted light and the reflected light.

20. The overlay-shift measurement system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the first photonic crystals are separated from the second photonic crystals, and the first and the second photonic crystals have the same height on the semiconductor structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2021
From: LEE, YU-CHING; FANG, YU-PIAO
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056344/0520 →
Continuity (3)
Division 16100365 · Aug 10, 2018
Provisional Application 62584995 · Nov 13, 2017
Related Publication 20210278769A1 · Sep 9, 2021