US 11,990,380 B2
Methods and systems for combining x-ray metrology data sets to improve parameter estimation
Christopher Liman, Milpitas, CA (US); Antonio Arion Gellineau, Santa Clara, CA (US); Andrei V. Shchegrov, Campbell, CA (US); and Sungchul Yoo, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to KLA Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed by KLA Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/847,388.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/836,261, filed on Apr. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0335406 A1, Oct. 22, 2020
Int. Cl. G01B 15/02 (2006.01); G01B 15/04 (2006.01); G01N 23/20 (2018.01); H01L 21/66 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 22/26 (2013.01) [G01B 15/02 (2013.01); G01B 15/04 (2013.01); G01N 23/20 (2013.01); H01L 21/67253 (2013.01); G01B 2210/56 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A metrology system comprising:
an x-ray scatterometer comprising:
an illumination source that provides a first amount of illumination radiation to one or more subsequent instances of a complex semiconductor structure after a critical process step of a semiconductor fabrication process flow; and
a detector that detects a first amount of radiation from the one or more subsequent instances of the complex semiconductor structure in response to the first amount of illumination radiation and generates a first amount of measurement data in response to the first amount of detected radiation; and
a computing system configured to estimate a value of a structural parameter of interest of the one or more subsequent instances of the complex semiconductor structure based on the first amount of measurement data and a second amount of measurement data indicative of a measurement of one or more prior instances of the complex semiconductor structure by the x-ray scatterometer before the critical process step of the fabrication process flow.
 
17. A metrology system comprising:
an x-ray scatterometer comprising:
an illumination source that provides a first amount of illumination radiation to one or more subsequent instances of a complex semiconductor structure after a critical process step of a semiconductor fabrication process flow; and
a detector that detects a first amount of radiation from the one or more subsequent instances of the complex semiconductor structure in response to the first amount of illumination radiation and generates a first amount of measurement data in response to the first amount of detected radiation; and
a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising:
code for causing a computing system to estimate a value of a structural parameter of interest of the one or more subsequent instances of the complex semiconductor structure based on the first amount of measurement data and a second amount of measurement data indicative of a measurement of one or more prior instances of the complex semiconductor structure by the x-ray scatterometer before the critical process step of the fabrication process flow.