Patents by Inventor Torsten R. Kaack

Torsten R. Kaack has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11796390
    Abstract: A spectroscopic metrology system includes a spectroscopic metrology tool and a controller. The controller generates a model of a multilayer grating including two or more layers, the model including geometric parameters indicative of a geometry of a test layer of the multilayer grating and dispersion parameters indicative of a dispersion of the test layer. The controller further receives a spectroscopic signal of a fabricated multilayer grating corresponding to the modeled multilayer grating from the spectroscopic metrology tool. The controller further determines values of the one or more parameters of the modeled multilayer grating providing a simulated spectroscopic signal corresponding to the measured spectroscopic signal within a selected tolerance. The controller further predicts a bandgap of the test layer of the fabricated multilayer grating based on the determined values of the one or more parameters of the test layer of the fabricated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Tianhan Wang, Aaron Rosenberg, Dawei Hu, Alexander Kuznetsov, Manh Dang Nguyen, Stilian Pandev, John Lesoine, Qiang Zhao, Liequan Lee, Houssam Chouaib, Ming Di, Torsten R. Kaack, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Zhengquan Tan
  • Publication number: 20220349752
    Abstract: A spectroscopic metrology system includes a spectroscopic metrology tool and a controller. The controller generates a model of a multilayer grating including two or more layers, the model including geometric parameters indicative of a geometry of a test layer of the multilayer grating and dispersion parameters indicative of a dispersion of the test layer. The controller further receives a spectroscopic signal of a fabricated multilayer grating corresponding to the modeled multilayer grating from the spectroscopic metrology tool. The controller further determines values of the one or more parameters of the modeled multilayer grating providing a simulated spectroscopic signal corresponding to the measured spectroscopic signal within a selected tolerance. The controller further predicts a bandgap of the test layer of the fabricated multilayer grating based on the determined values of the one or more parameters of the test layer of the fabricated structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Tianhan Wang, Aaron Rosenberg, Dawei Hu, Alexander Kuznetsov, Manh Dang Nguyen, Stilian Pandev, John Lesoine, Qiang Zhao, Liequan Lee, Houssam Chouaib, Ming Di, Torsten R. Kaack, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Zhengquan Tan
  • Patent number: 11378451
    Abstract: A spectroscopic metrology system includes a spectroscopic metrology tool and a controller. The controller generates a model of a multilayer grating including two or more layers, the model including geometric parameters indicative of a geometry of a test layer of the multilayer grating and dispersion parameters indicative of a dispersion of the test layer. The controller further receives a spectroscopic signal of a fabricated multilayer grating corresponding to the modeled multilayer grating from the spectroscopic metrology tool. The controller further determines values of the one or more parameters of the modeled multilayer grating providing a simulated spectroscopic signal corresponding to the measured spectroscopic signal within a selected tolerance. The controller further predicts a bandgap of the test layer of the fabricated multilayer grating based on the determined values of the one or more parameters of the test layer of the fabricated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Tianhan Wang, Aaron Rosenberg, Dawei Hu, Alexander Kuznetsov, Manh Dang Nguyen, Stilian Pandev, John Lesoine, Qiang Zhao, Liequan Lee, Houssam Chouaib, Ming Di, Torsten R. Kaack, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Zhengquan Tan
  • Publication number: 20190041266
    Abstract: A spectroscopic metrology system includes a spectroscopic metrology tool and a controller. The controller generates a model of a multilayer grating including two or more layers, the model including geometric parameters indicative of a geometry of a test layer of the multilayer grating and dispersion parameters indicative of a dispersion of the test layer. The controller further receives a spectroscopic signal of a fabricated multilayer grating corresponding to the modeled multilayer grating from the spectroscopic metrology tool. The controller further determines values of the one or more parameters of the modeled multilayer grating providing a simulated spectroscopic signal corresponding to the measured spectroscopic signal within a selected tolerance. The controller further predicts a bandgap of the test layer of the fabricated multilayer grating based on the determined values of the one or more parameters of the test layer of the fabricated structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Tianhan Wang, Aaron Rosenberg, Dawei Hu, Alexander Kuznetsov, Manh Dang Nguyen, Stilian Pandev, John Lesoine, Qiang Zhao, Liequan Lee, Houssam Chouaib, Ming Di, Torsten R. Kaack, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Zhengquan Tan
  • Patent number: 9625823
    Abstract: A system and method for local film stress calculation is disclosed. The method may include specifying a plurality of measurement points on a substrate, the substrate being configured to receive a film deposition; obtaining a local film thickness measurement for each measurement point; obtaining a local wafer shape parameter for each measurement point; and calculating a local film stress value for each measurement point based on the local film thickness measurement and the local wafer shape parameter for each corresponding measurement point. The method may further include specifying a plurality of estimation points on the substrate; obtaining a local wafer shape parameter for each estimation point; calculating an estimated local film thickness for each estimation point; and calculating a local film stress value for each estimation point based on the estimated local film thickness and the local wafer shape parameter for each corresponding estimation point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Torsten R. Kaack, Leonid Poslavsky, Yu Tay
  • Patent number: 9110020
    Abstract: A local purging tool for purging a portion of a surface of a wafer with purging gas is disclosed. The purging tool includes a purging chamber configured to contain purging gas within a cavity of the purging chamber, a permeable portion of a surface of the purging chamber configured to diffuse purging gas from the cavity of the chamber to a portion of a surface of a wafer, and an aperture configured to transmit illumination received from an illumination source to a measurement location of the portion of the surface of the wafer and further configured to transmit illumination reflected from the measurement location to a detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Hidong Kwak, Ward Dixon, Torsten R. Kaack, Ning-Yi Neil Wang, Jagjit Sandhu
  • Patent number: 9046474
    Abstract: Ellipsometry systems and ellipsometry data collection methods with improved stabilities are disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, multiple predetermined, discrete analyzer angles are utilized to collect ellipsometry data for a single measurement, and data regression is performed based on the ellipsometry data collected at these predetermined, discrete analyzer angles. Utilizing multiple discrete analyzer angles for a single measurement improves the stability of the ellipsometry system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Hidong Kwak, Ward Dixon, Leonid Poslavsky, Torsten R. Kaack
  • Patent number: 9007583
    Abstract: Ellipsometry systems and ellipsometry data collection methods with improved stabilities are disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, multiple predetermined, discrete analyzer angles are utilized to collect ellipsometry data for a single measurement, and data regression is performed based on the ellipsometry data collected at these predetermined, discrete analyzer angles. Utilizing multiple discrete analyzer angles for a single measurement improves the stability of the ellipsometry system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Hidong Kwak, Ward Dixon, Leonid Poslavsky, Torsten R. Kaack
  • Publication number: 20150029494
    Abstract: A local purging tool for purging a portion of a surface of a wafer with purging gas is disclosed. The purging tool includes a purging chamber configured to contain purging gas within a cavity of the purging chamber, a permeable portion of a surface of the purging chamber configured to diffuse purging gas from the cavity of the chamber to a portion of a surface of a wafer, and an aperture configured to transmit illumination received from an illumination source to a measurement location of the portion of the surface of the wafer and further configured to transmit illumination reflected from the measurement location to a detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Hidong Kwak, Ward Dixon, Torsten R. Kaack, Ning-Yi Neil Wang, Jagjit Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20130010296
    Abstract: Ellipsometry systems and ellipsometry data collection methods with improved stabilities are disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, multiple predetermined, discrete analyzer angles are utilized to collect ellipsometry data for a single measurement, and data regression is performed based on the ellipsometry data collected at these predetermined, discrete analyzer angles. Utilizing multiple discrete analyzer angles for a single measurement improves the stability of the ellipsometry system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidong Kwak, Ward Dixon, Leonid Poslavsky, Torsten R. Kaack
  • Publication number: 20130006539
    Abstract: The present invention includes generating a three-dimensional design of experiment (DOE) for a plurality of semiconductor wafers, a first dimension of the DOE being a relative amount of a first component of the thin film, a second dimension of the DOE being a relative amount of a second component of the thin film, a third dimension of the DOE being a thickness of the thin film, acquiring a spectrum for each of the wafers, generating a set of optical dispersion data by extracting a real component (n) and an imaginary component (k) of the complex index of refraction for each of the acquired spectrum, identifying one or more systematic features of the set of optical dispersion data; and generating a multi-component Bruggeman effective medium approximation (BEMA) model utilizing the identified one or more systematic features of the set of optical dispersion data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming Di, Torsten R. Kaack, Qiang Zhao, Xiang Gao, Leonid Poslavsky
  • Patent number: 7903250
    Abstract: A method of performing an investigation of a substrate, by measuring a reflectivity of the substrate, comparing the reflectivity of the substrate to an anticipated reflectivity value, selectively subjecting the substrate to a laser beam for a predetermined duration and at a predetermined energy only when the reflectivity of the substrate is within a specified tolerance of the anticipated reflectivity value, selectively signaling a fault condition when the reflectivity of the substrate is not within the specified tolerance of the anticipated reflectivity value, and selectively performing the investigation of the substrate only when the reflectivity of the substrate is within the specified tolerance of the anticipated reflectivity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Fabio A. Faccini, Torsten R. Kaack, Jiyou Fu, Zhiming Jiang
  • Patent number: 7453562
    Abstract: A method of performing a measurement of properties of a sample, by directing a first beam of light at the sample, where a combination of the wavelength, energy, and length of time is sufficient to cause temporary damage to the sample. The first beam is reflected from the sample. The properties of the reflected beam are sensed to create a signal. A length of time is waited, sufficient for the damage to substantially heal, before a second beam of light is directed at the sample, where a combination of the wavelength, energy, and length of time is sufficient to cause temporary damage to the sample. The second beam is reflected from the sample. The properties of the reflected beam are sensed to create a signal. The first and second electrical signals are analyzed to determine the properties of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Torsten R. Kaack, Shankar Krishnan, Fabio A. Faccini