US 12,480,893 B2
Optical and X-ray metrology methods for patterned semiconductor structures with randomness
Daniel James Haxton, Fremont, CA (US); Christopher Liman, San Jose, CA (US); Inkyo Kim, Cupertino, CA (US); Boxue Chen, San Jose, CA (US); Hyowon Park, Milpitas, CA (US); Thaddeus Gerard Dziura, San Jose, CA (US); Nakyoon Kim, Hwaseong-si (KR); Houssam Chouaib, Milpitas, CA (US); Anderson Chou, Hillsboro, OR (US); and Dimitry Sanko, Vallejo, CA (US)
Assigned to KLA Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed by KLA Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/430,350.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/595,761, filed on Nov. 3, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0146961 A1, May 8, 2025
Int. Cl. G01N 23/20 (2018.01); G01N 21/95 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 23/20 (2013.01) [G01N 21/9501 (2013.01)] 39 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system configured for determining random variation in one or more structures formed on a specimen, comprising:
an output acquisition subsystem configured for generating output for one or more structures formed on a specimen, wherein the output acquisition subsystem comprises at least an energy source and a detector, wherein the energy source is configured to generate energy that is directed to the specimen by the output acquisition subsystem, and wherein the detector is configured to detect energy from the specimen and to generate the output responsive to the detected energy; and
a computer subsystem configured for:
determining one or more characteristics of the output generated for the one or more structures;
simulating the one or more characteristics of the output with parameter values for the one or more structures;
determining parameter values of the one or more structures formed on the specimen as the parameter values that resulted in the simulated one or more characteristics that best match the determined one or more characteristics, wherein the determined parameter values are responsive to random variation in one or more parameters of the one or more structures on the specimen, and wherein the random variation comprises randomness in geometric parameters, material parameters, or geometric and material parameters of the one or more structures on the specimen; and
altering a process that was or will be performed on the specimen based on the determined parameter values.