Source: http://www.google.ca/patents/US9103662
Timestamp: 2017-12-16 11:16:29
Document Index: 767643389

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 02', 'Application No. 02', 'Application No. 02728700', 'Application No. 02728700', 'Application No. 02728700', 'Application No. 02', 'Application No. 02']

Patent US9103662 - Periodic patterns and technique to control misalignment between two layers - Google Patents
A method and system to measure misalignment error between two overlying or interlaced periodic structures are proposed. The overlying or interlaced periodic structures are illuminated by incident radiation, and the diffracted radiation of the incident radiation by the overlying or interlaced periodic...http://www.google.ca/patents/US9103662?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US9103662 - Periodic patterns and technique to control misalignment between two layers
Publication number US9103662 B2
Application number US 14/035,766
Also published as EP1390692A1, EP1390692A4, EP1390692B1, US7656528, US8525994, US8570515, US9234745, US9476698, US20030002043, US20040061857, US20040229471, US20050157297, US20050208685, US20060065625, US20060132807, US20060262326, US20070127025, US20090231584, US20100073688, US20140022563, US20150300815, US20160084639, US20170038198, WO2002084213A1
Publication number 035766, 14035766, US 9103662 B2, US 9103662B2, US-B2-9103662, US9103662 B2, US9103662B2
Patent Citations (159), Non-Patent Citations (61), Classifications (18)
US 9103662 B2
US5960296 * 18 Dec 1996 28 Sep 1999 Texas Instruments Incorporated Method for aligning the device layers in a semiconductor device
US6407396 * 24 Jun 1999 18 Jun 2002 International Business Machines Corporation Wafer metrology structure
US6465322 * 15 Jan 1998 15 Oct 2002 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Semiconductor processing methods and structures for determining alignment during semiconductor wafer processing
US6876092 21 May 2002 5 Apr 2005 Asml Netherlands B.V. Substrate provided with an alignment mark, method of designing a mask, computer program, mask for exposing said mark, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby
JPH09232221A * Title not available
WO2001097279A3 9 May 2001 11 Jul 2002 Advanced Micro Devices Inc Method and apparatus for using scatterometry to perform feedback and feed-forward control
WO2002015238A3 10 Aug 2001 3 Oct 2002 Sensys Instr Corp Device and method for optical inspection of semiconductor wafer
WO2002025723A3 20 Sep 2001 13 Feb 2003 Nova Measuring Instr Ltd Lateral shift measurement using an optical technique
WO2002035300A3 16 Aug 2001 16 Jan 2003 Advanced Micro Devices Inc Method and apparatus for embedded process control framework in tool systems
WO2002050509A3 18 Dec 2001 12 Dec 2002 Kla Tencor Corp Improved system for measuring periodic structures
WO2002065545A3 12 Feb 2002 22 Jan 2004 Sensys Instr Corp Overlay alignment metrology using diffraction gratings
WO2002069390A9 25 Feb 2002 30 Jan 2003 Timbre Tech Inc Grating test patterns and methods for overlay metrology
WO2003001297A3 26 Jun 2002 20 Mar 2003 Kla Tencor Corp Method for determining lithographic focus and exposure
WO2003054475A3 19 Dec 2002 11 Dec 2003 Kla Tencor Corp Parametric profiling using optical spectroscopic systems
1 "A Mask-to-Wafer* Alignment and Gap Setting Method for X-Ray Lithography Using Gratings", Journal: Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B. vol. 9, No. 6. p. 3202-6, 1991, (Abstract).
2 "A Modal Analysis of Lamellar Diffraction Gratings in Conical Mountings", Li, Journal of Modern Optics, 1993, vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 553-573.
4 "Alignment Mark Optimization to Reduce Tool and Wafer-Induced Shift for XTRA-1000", Ina et al., Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 38, No. 12B, p. 7065-70, 1999 (Abstract).
5 "Automatic Classification of Spatial Signatures on Semiconductor Wafermaps", Tobin et al., SPIE, vol. 3050, 1997, p. 434-444.
6 "Automatic In-Situ Focus Monitor Using Line Shortening Effect", Journal: Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 3677, pt. 1-2. p. 184-93, 1999 (Abstract).
7 "Characterization and Monitoring of Variable NA and Variable Coherence Capable Photo Steppers Utilizing the Phase Shift Focus Monitor Reticule", Journal: Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 2439, p. 61-9, 1995, (Abstract).
16 "Kinetics of the Diffraction Efficiency of Light-Induced Dynamic Gratings in Layers of Disordered Semiconductors", Arkhipov et al., Quantum Electron, vol. 23, Nov. 1993, p. 986-988.
17 "Light Diffraction Based Overlay Measurement", Bischoff et al., Proceedings SPIE, vol. 4344-28 (2001), 12 pages.
18 "Mask Overlay Determination", IBM TDB, Dec. 1978.
19 "Minimization of Total Overlay Errors on Product Wafers Using an Advanced Optimization Scheme", Levinson et al., SPIE, p. 362-73, 1997 (Abstract).
20 "Modeling of Optical Scatterometry with Finite-Number-of-Periods Grating", Journal: Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 3743, p. 41-8, 1999 (Abstract).
21 "Optimal Sampling Strategies for sub-100 nm Overlay", Rangarajan et al., SPIE, vol. 3332, 1998, p. 348-359.
22 "Performance of New Overlay Measurement Mark", Sung-Man Bae and Ki-Ho Baik, SPIE, vol. 2725, 1996, p. 424-435.
23 "Phase-Sensitive Overlay Analysis Spectrometry", IBM TDB, Mar. 1990.
24 "Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis of Planar-Grating Diffraction", Moharam et al., vol. 71, No. 7, Jul. 1981, J. Opt. Soc. Am., pp. 811-818.
25 "Super Sparse Overlay Sampling Plans: An Evaluation of Methods and Algorithms for Optimizing Overlay Quality Control and Metrology Tool Throughput", Pellegrini et al., SPIE, vol. 3677, p. 72-82, Mar. 1999.
26 "Towards the Optimal Design of Binary Optical Elements with Different Phase Levels Using a Method of Phase Mismatch Correction", Kodate et al., Trends in Optics and Photonics, vol. 41, p. 174-6, 2002, (Abstract).
27 "Width and Overlay Narrow Kerf Test Site", IBM TDB, Apr. 1978.
28 Communication Pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for European Application No. 02 728 700.2 dated Feb. 10, 2011, 3 pages.
29 Communication Pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for European Application No. 02 728 700.2 dated Sep. 26, 2012, 9 pages.
30 Email Communication regarding U.S. Appl. No. 12/428,401 dated Oct. 5, 2002, 1 page.
31 EPO, "Office Action," mailed in corresponding European Patent Application No. 02728700.2 on Apr. 9, 2009, 5 pages.
32 EPO, "Office Action," mailed in corresponding European Patent Application No. 02728700.2 on Jan. 23, 2008, 6 pages.
33 EPO, "Office Action," mailed in corresponding European Patent Application No. 02728700.2 on Jun. 18, 2010, 7 pages.
34 EPO, "Supplementary European Search Report," mailed in corresponding European Patent Application No. 02 72 8700.2 on Aug. 13, 2007, 3 pages.
35 * IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin,Phase-Sensitive Overlay Analysis Spectrometry, Mar. 1990, vol. 32, pp. 170-174.
36 Invitation Pursuant to Article 94(3) and Rule 71(1) EPC for European Application No. 02 728 700.2 dated Feb. 14, 2012, 18 pages.
46 Photoreactive Optical Properties of Volume Phase Gratings Induced in Sillenite Crystals, When the Grating Vector Lies on the (III) Plane, Papzoglou et al., Applied Physics B 71, p. 841-848 (2000).
48 Summons to Attend Oral Proceedings for European Application No. EPP88925 dated Jun. 2, 2014, 5 pages.
49 USPTO, "Office Action", mailed in U.S. Appl. No. 12/428,401 on Oct. 14, 2010, 24 pages.
50 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 10/699,153 on Jan. 17, 2008, 25 pages.
51 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 10/699,153 on Oct. 17, 2008, 5 pages.
52 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/125,590 on Feb. 12, 2008, 20 pages.
53 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/125,590 on Sep. 22, 2008, 20 pages.
54 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/281,820 on Nov. 14, 2007, 16 pages.
55 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/281,820 on Sep. 10, 2008, 16 pages.
56 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/495,001 on Jun. 4, 2008, 11 pages.
57 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/495,001 on Mar. 20, 2009, 14 pages.
58 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/495,001 on Sep. 2, 2009, 9 pages.
59 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/673,115 on Aug. 15, 2008, 10 pages.
60 USPTO, "Office Action," mailed in related U.S. Appl. No. 11/673,115 on Feb. 29, 2008, 20 pages.
61 Written Opinion issued by the IPEA in corresponding PCT/US02/11026, dated Apr. 11, 2003, 4 pages.
International Classification G01B11/14, G03F7/20, H01L21/66, G01B11/00, G03F9/00, H01L23/544, H01L21/027
Cooperative Classification G01B11/26, G01B11/14, H01L2223/5446, H01L2223/54426, G01N21/9501, H01L2223/54453, H01L2924/0002, G03F7/70633, H01L22/12, H01L23/544, H01L2924/00