Patent ID: 6795747
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A registration system, comprising:a registration measurement structure disposed within overlying layers of a semiconductor construction, a first component of the registration measurement structure disposed within a first layer of the semiconductor construction and comprising first and second edges and a distance therebetween, and a second component of the registration measurement structure disposed within a second layer of the semiconductor construction and comprising first and second edges; a registration apparatus operable for acquiring image data of i) the first and second edges of the first component; ii) the first and second edges of the second component; iii) an edge of a film layer asymmetrically deposited onto the second edge of the first component; and iv) the first or second edge of the first component in relation to the first edge of the second component; a processor operable for producing distance values between said edges from the acquired image data, the distance values comprising: i) a first distance measured from the first edge to the second edge of the first component; and ii) a second distance measured from the first edge of the first component to the edge of the asymmetrically deposited film layer; the processor further operable for producing an apparent registration measurement of the first component in relation to the second component based on measurements of the first or second edge of the first component to the first edge of the second component; the processor further operable for comparing the second distance value to the first distance value to generate an alignment error value corresponding to a third distance between the edge of the asymmetrically deposited film layer and the second edge of the first component; the processor further operable for comparing the apparent registration measurement and the alignment error value to generate an actual registration value corresponding to the position of the second component relative to the first component; the processor further operable to convey the actual registration value to a patterning apparatus for aligning a subsequent layer to the registration measurement structure.