Optical critical dimension metrology system integrated into semiconductor wafer process tool

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

APP PUB NO 20020018217A1
SERIAL NO

09927102

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Abstract

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A wafer measurement station integrated within a process tool has a scatterometry instrument for measuring patterned features on wafers. A wafer handler feeds wafers between a cassette and one or more process stations of the process tool. Wafers presented to the measurement station are held on a wafer support, which may be moveable, and a scatterometry instrument has an optical measurement system that is moveable by a stage over the wafer support. A window isolates the moveable optics from the wafer. The optical measurement system are microscope-based optics forming a low NA system. The illumination spot size at the wafer is larger than a periodicity of the patterned features, and data processing uses a scattering model to analyze the optical signature of the collected light.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDTOKYO 107-6325

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Cahill, James M San Jose, CA 7 181
Norton, Adam E Palo Alto, CA 44 1322
Ruth, Douglas E Sunnyvale, CA 5 144
Stanke, Fred E Cupertino, CA 41 1355
Tong, Edric H Sunnyvale, CA 4 138
Weber-Grabau, Michael Sunnyvale, CA 13 288

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