Abstract: Automatic determination of Fourier harmonic order for computation of spectral information for diffraction structures described. An embodiment of a method includes automatically determining a Fourier harmonic order for computation of spectral information for periodic structures, wherein the determination of the Fourier harmonic order is based at least in part on the pitches in each of multiple directions of the periodic structures, material properties of the periodic structures, and characteristics of the periodic structures in which the materials are contained; and computing the spectral information for the periodic structures based at least in part on the determined Fourier harmonic order.

Abstract: An overlay metrology system may measure a first-layer pattern placement distance between a pattern of device features and a pattern of reference features on a first layer of an overlay target on a sample. The system may further measure, subsequent to fabricating a second layer including at least the pattern of device features and the pattern of reference features, a second-layer pattern placement distance between the pattern of device features and the pattern of reference features on the second layer. The system may further measure a reference overlay based on relative positions of the pattern of reference features on the first layer and the second layer. The system may further determine a device-relevant overlay for the pattern of device-scale features by adjusting the reference overlay with a difference between the first-layer pattern placement distance and the second-layer pattern placement distance.

Abstract: An overlay metrology system includes a particle-beam metrology tool to scan a particle beam across an overlay target on a sample including a first-layer target element and a second-layer target element. The overlay metrology system may further include a controller to receive a scan signal from the particle-beam metrology tool, determine symmetry measurements for the scan signal with respect to symmetry metrics, and generate an overlay measurement between the first layer and the second layer based on the symmetry measurements in which an asymmetry of the scan signal is indicative of a misalignment of the second-layer target element with respect to the first-layer target element and a value of the overlay measurement is based on the symmetry measurements.

Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes a tool cluster. The tool cluster includes a first deposition tool configured to deposit a first layer on a wafer. The tool cluster additionally includes an interferometer tool configured to obtain one or more measurements of the wafer. The tool cluster additionally includes a second deposition tool configured to deposit a second layer on the wafer. The tool cluster additionally includes a vacuum assembly. One or more correctables configured to adjust at least one of the first deposition tool or the second deposition tool are determined based on the one or more measurements. The one or more measurements are obtained between the deposition of the first layer and the deposition of the second layer without breaking the vacuum generated by the vacuum assembly.

Abstract: A system for stochastically-aware metrology includes a controller to be communicatively coupled to a fabrication tool. The controller receives a production recipe including at least a pattern of elements to be fabricated on a sample and one or more exposure parameters for exposing the pattern of elements, identifies candidate care areas of the pattern of elements susceptible to stochastic repeaters including fabrication defects predicted to occur stochastically when fabricated according to the production recipe, selects one or more care areas from the candidate care areas by comparing one or more predicted likelihoods of the one or more stochastic repeaters to a defect likelihood threshold, modifies the production recipe to mitigate the stochastic repeaters within the one or more care areas within a selected tolerance, and directs the fabrication tool to fabricate at least one sample according to the modified production recipe.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for inspecting a wafer using a film thickness map generated for the wafer. In use, a plurality of locations on a wafer are determined from a design of the wafer. Additionally, a measured brightness at each of the determined locations on the wafer is obtained. Further, a film thickness map for the wafer is generated from the obtained measurements. The wafer is then inspected using the film thickness map.

Abstract: A dual mode inspector includes an optical inspector configured to detect a defect located at a first location on a sample, a microscope configured to capture an image of the defect at the first location on the sample, and a platform that is configured to support the sample. The sample is not removed from the platform between the detecting of the defect located at the first location on the sample and the capturing of the image of the defect at the first location on the sample. The dual mode optical inspector also includes a controller that causes the optical inspector to detect the defect located at the first location on the sample and causes the microscope to capture the image of the defect at the first location on the sample. The dual mode inspector also performs scanning lens distortion correction to improve the capturing of defect images.

Abstract: A height mapping system includes a controller configured to generate a height map of a region of interest of a sample with a first optical metrology system having a first numerical aperture, receive images of features having known three-dimensional shapes at selected image plane locations from a second optical metrology system having a second numerical aperture larger than the first numerical aperture, calculate distances between the imaging plane locations and peaks of the features based on in-focus portions of the images and the known three-dimensional shapes, determine distances between the imaging plane locations and a surface of the sample for the features based on the height map, and determine heights of the features by combining the distances between the imaging plane locations and peaks of the features with the distances between the imaging plane locations and the surface of the sample for the one or more features.

Abstract: A time delay and integration charge coupled device includes an array of pixels and a clock generator. The array of pixels is distributed in a scan direction and a line direction perpendicular to the scan direction in which at least some of the pixels of the array include three or more gates aligned in the scan direction. The clock generator provides clocking signals to transfer charge along the scan direction between two or more pixel groups including two or more pixels adjacent in the scan direction. The clocking signals include phase signals to transfer the charge to an adjacent pixel group along the scan direction at a rate corresponding to the velocity of the target by driving the gates of the two or more pixel groups and generating a common potential well per pixel group for containing charge generated in response to incident illumination.

Abstract: Methods and systems for vacuum mounting a warped, thin substrate onto a flat chuck are presented herein. A vacuum chuck includes three or more collapsible bellows that move above the chuck and into contact with a warped substrate. The bellows seal and vacuum clamp onto the backside surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the bellows collapse by at least five hundred micrometers while clamping. An extensible sealing element is mounted in a recessed annular channel on the surface of the chuck body. As the substrate moves toward the chucking surface, the extensible sealing element extends at least five millimeters above the chuck body and into contact with the substrate. As the space between the chuck and the substrate is evacuated, the extensible sealing element collapse into the recessed annular channel, and the substrate is clamped onto the flat chucking surface of chuck body.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of determining at least one correctable for a process tool. In an embodiment, the method includes the steps of: measuring one or more parameter values at one or more measurement locations of each field of a selection of measured fields of a wafer; estimating one or more parameter values for one or more locations of each field of a selection of unmeasured fields of the wafer; and determining at least one correctable for a process tool based upon the one or more parameter values measured at the one or more measurement locations of each field of the selection of measured fields of the wafer and the one or more parameter values estimated for the one or more locations of each field of the selection of unmeasured fields of the wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instrumented substrate apparatus, a substrate assembly including a bottom and top substrate mechanically coupled, an electronic assembly, a nested enclosure assembly including an outer and inner enclosure wherein the outer enclosure encloses the inner enclosure and the inner enclosure encloses the electronic assembly. An insulating medium between the inner and outer enclosure and a sensor assembly communicatively coupled to the electronic assembly including one or more sensors disposed at one or more locations within the substrate assembly wherein the electronic assembly is configured to receive one or more measurement parameters from the one or more sensors.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscopy system is disclosed. The system includes a sample stage configured to secure a sample having conducting structures disposed on an insulating substrate. The system includes an electron-optical column including an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam and a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the primary electron beam onto a portion of the sample. The system includes a detector assembly configured to detect electrons emanating from the surface of the sample. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the detector assembly. The controller is configured to direct the electron-optical column and stage to perform, with the primary electron beam, an alternating series of image scans and flood scans of the portion of the sample, wherein each of the flood scans are performed sequential to one or more of the imaging scans.

Abstract: Multi-beam scanning electron microscope inspection systems are disclosed. A multi-beam scanning electron microscope inspection system may include an electron source and a beamlet control mechanism. The beamlet control mechanism may be configured to produce a plurality of beamlets utilizing electrons provided by the electron source and deliver one of the plurality of beamlets toward a target at a time instance. The multi-beam scanning electron microscope inspection system may also include a detector configured to produce an image of the target at least partially based on electrons backscattered out of the target.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing optical, model based measurements of a small sized semiconductor structure employing an anisotropic characterization of the optical dispersion properties of one or more materials comprising the structure under measurement are presented herein. This reduces correlations among geometric parameters and results in improved measurement sensitivity, improved measurement accuracy, and enhanced measurement contrast among multiple materials under measurement. In a further aspect, an element of a multidimensional tensor describing the dielectric permittivity of the materials comprising the structure is modelled differently from another element. In a further aspect, model based measurements are performed based on measurement data collected from two or more measurement subsystems combined with an anisotropic characterization of the optical dispersion of the materials under measurement.

Abstract: An inspection system and methods in which analog image data values (charges) captured by an image sensor are binned (combined) before or while being transmitted as output signals on the image sensor's output sensing nodes (floating diffusions), and in which an ADC is controlled to sequentially generate multiple corresponding digital image data values between each reset of the output sensing nodes. According to an output binning method, the image sensor is driven to sequentially transfer multiple charges onto the output sensing nodes between each reset, and the ADC is controlled to convert the incrementally increasing output signal after each charge is transferred onto the output sensing node. According to a multi-sampling method, multiple charges are vertically or horizontally binned (summed/combined) before being transferred onto the output sensing node, and the ADC samples each corresponding output signal multiple times. The output binning and multi-sampling methods may be combined.

Abstract: Targets, target elements and target design method are provided, which comprise designing a target structure to have a high contrast above a specific contrast threshold to its background in polarized light while having a low contrast below the specific contrast threshold to its background in non-polarized light. The targets may have details at device feature scale and be compatible with device design rules yet maintain optical contrast when measured with polarized illumination and thus be used effectively as metrology targets. Design variants and respective measurement optical systems are likewise provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for inspecting photolithographic reticles. A first and second reticle that were fabricated with a same design are obtained. A first and second reticle image of the first and second reticles are also obtained. The first reticle image is compared to the second reticle image to output a difference image having a plurality of difference events corresponding to candidate defects on either the first or second reticle. An inspection report of the candidate defects is then generated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining an overlay error between at least two layers in a multiple layer sample. An imaging optical system is used to measure multiple measured optical signals from multiple periodic targets on the sample, and the targets each have a first structure in a first layer and a second structure in a second layer. There are predefined offsets between the first and second structures A scatterometry overlay technique is used to analyze the measured optical signals of the periodic targets and the predefined offsets of the first and second structures of the periodic targets to thereby determine an overlay error between the first and second structures of the periodic targets. The scatterometry overlay technique is a phase based technique, and the imaging optical system is configured to have an illumination and/or collection numerical aperture (NA) and/or spectral band selected so that a specific diffraction order is collected and measured for the plurality of measured optical signals.

Abstract: An inspection system including an optical system (optics) to direct light from an illumination source to a sample, and to direct light reflected/scattered from the sample to one or more image sensors. At least one image sensor of the system is formed on a semiconductor membrane including an epitaxial layer having opposing surfaces, with circuit elements formed on one surface of the epitaxial layer, and a pure boron layer and a doped layer on the other surface of the epitaxial layer. The image sensor may be fabricated using CCD (charge coupled device) or CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) technology. The image sensor may be a two-dimensional area sensor, or a one-dimensional array sensor. The image sensor can be included in an electron-bombarded image sensor and/or in an inspection system.