Abstract: A multi-column metrology tool may include two or more measurement columns distributed along a column direction, where the two or more measurement columns simultaneously probe two or more measurement regions on a sample including metrology targets. A measurement column may include an illumination sub-system to direct illumination to the sample, a collection sub-system including a collection lens to collect measurement signals from the sample and direct it to one or more detectors, and a column-positioning sub-system to adjust a position of the collection lens. A measurement region of a measurement column may be defined by a field of view of the collection lens and a range of the positioning system in the lateral plane. The tool may further include a sample-positioning sub-system to scan the sample along a scan path different than the column direction to position metrology targets within the measurement regions of the measurement columns for measurements.

Abstract: A multi-column metrology tool may include two or more measurement columns distributed along a column direction, where the two or more measurement columns simultaneously probe two or more measurement regions on a sample including metrology targets. A measurement column may include an illumination sub-system to direct illumination to the sample, a collection sub-system including a collection lens to collect measurement signals from the sample and direct it to one or more detectors, and a column-positioning sub-system to adjust a position of the collection lens. A measurement region of a measurement column may be defined by a field of view of the collection lens and a range of the positioning system in the lateral plane. The tool may further include a sample-positioning sub-system to scan the sample along a scan path different than the column direction to position metrology targets within the measurement regions of the measurement columns for measurements.

Abstract: A self-calibrating overlay metrology system may receive device overlay data for a device targets on a sample from an overlay metrology tool, determine preliminary device overlay measurements for the device targets including device-scale features using an overlay recipe with the device overlay data as inputs, receive assist overlay data for one or more assist targets on the sample including device-scale features from the overlay metrology tool, where at least one of the one or more assist targets has a programmed overlay offset of a selected value along a particular measurement direction, determine self-calibrating assist overlay measurements for the one or more assist targets based on the assist overlay data, where the self-calibrating assist overlay measurements are linearly proportional to overlay on the sample, and generate corrected overlay measurements for the device targets by adjusting the preliminary device overlay measurements based on the self-calibrating assist overlay measurements.

Abstract: A multi-column metrology tool may include two or more measurement columns distributed along a column direction, where the two or more measurement columns simultaneously probe two or more measurement regions on a sample including metrology targets. A measurement column may include an illumination sub-system to direct illumination to the sample, a collection sub-system including a collection lens to collect measurement signals from the sample and direct it to one or more detectors, and a column-positioning sub-system to adjust a position of the collection lens. A measurement region of a measurement column may be defined by a field of view of the collection lens and a range of the positioning system in the lateral plane. The tool may further include a sample-positioning sub-system to scan the sample along a scan path different than the column direction to position metrology targets within the measurement regions of the measurement columns for measurements.

Abstract: A self-calibrating overlay metrology system may receive device overlay data for a device targets on a sample from an overlay metrology tool, determine preliminary device overlay measurements for the device targets including device-scale features using an overlay recipe with the device overlay data as inputs, receive assist overlay data for one or more assist targets on the sample including device-scale features from the overlay metrology tool, where at least one of the one or more assist targets has a programmed overlay offset of a selected value along a particular measurement direction, determine self-calibrating assist overlay measurements for the one or more assist targets based on the assist overlay data, where the self-calibrating assist overlay measurements are linearly proportional to overlay on the sample, and generate corrected overlay measurements for the device targets by adjusting the preliminary device overlay measurements based on the self-calibrating assist overlay measurements.

Abstract: A self-calibrating overlay metrology system may receive device overlay data from device targets on a sample, determine preliminary device overlay measurements for the device targets including device-scale features using an overlay recipe with the device overlay data as inputs, receive assist overlay data from sets of assist targets on the sample including device-scale features, where a particular set of assist targets includes one or more target pairs formed with two overlay targets having programmed overlay offsets of a selected value with opposite signs along a particular measurement direction.

Abstract: An overlay metrology system may receive overlay data for in-die overlay targets within various fields on a skew training sample from one or more overlay metrology tools, wherein the in-die overlay targets within the fields have a range programmed overlay offsets, wherein the fields are fabricated with a range of programmed skew offsets. The system may further generate asymmetric target signals for the in-die overlay targets using an asymmetric function providing a value of zero when physical overlay is zero and a sign indicative of a direction of physical overlay. The system may further generate corrected overlay offsets for the in-die overlay targets on the asymmetric target signals, generate self-calibrated overlay offsets for the in-die overlay targets based on the programmed overlay offsets and the corrected overlay offsets, generate a trained overlay recipe, and generate overlay measurements for in-die overlay targets on additional samples using the trained overlay recipe.

Abstract: A metrology system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the metrology system includes a controller communicatively coupled to a reference metrology tool and an optical metrology tool, the controller including one or more processors configured to: generate a geometric model for determining a profile of a test HAR structure from metrology data from a reference metrology tool; generate a material model for determining one or more material parameters of a test HAR structure from metrology data from the optical metrology tool; form a composite model from the geometric model and the material model; measure at least one additional test HAR structure with the optical metrology tool; and determine a profile of the at least one additional test HAR structure based on the composite model and metrology data from the optical metrology tool associated with the at least one HAR test structure.

Abstract: An overlay metrology system may receive overlay data for in-die overlay targets within various fields on a skew training sample from one or more overlay metrology tools, wherein the in-die overlay targets within the fields have a range programmed overlay offsets, wherein the fields are fabricated with a range of programmed skew offsets. The system may further generate asymmetric target signals for the in-die overlay targets using an asymmetric function providing a value of zero when physical overlay is zero and a sign indicative of a direction of physical overlay. The system may further generate corrected overlay offsets for the in-die overlay targets on the asymmetric target signals, generate self-calibrated overlay offsets for the in-die overlay targets based on the programmed overlay offsets and the corrected overlay offsets, generate a trained overlay recipe, and generate overlay measurements for in-die overlay targets on additional samples using the trained overlay recipe.

Abstract: A self-calibrating overlay metrology system may receive device overlay data from device targets on a sample, determine preliminary device overlay measurements for the device targets including device-scale features using an overlay recipe with the device overlay data as inputs, receive assist overlay data from sets of assist targets on the sample including device-scale features, where a particular set of assist targets includes one or more target pairs formed with two overlay targets having programmed overlay offsets of a selected value with opposite signs along a particular measurement direction.

Abstract: A metrology system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the metrology system includes a controller communicatively coupled to a reference metrology tool and an optical metrology tool, the controller including one or more processors configured to: generate a geometric model for determining a profile of a test HAR structure from metrology data from a reference metrology tool; generate a material model for determining one or more material parameters of a test HAR structure from metrology data from the optical metrology tool; form a composite model from the geometric model and the material model; measure at least one additional test HAR structure with the optical metrology tool; and determine a profile of the at least one additional test HAR structure based on the composite model and metrology data from the optical metrology tool associated with the at least one HAR test structure.

Abstract: Various metrology systems and methods for high aspect ratio and large lateral dimension structures are provided. One method includes directing light to one or more structures formed on a wafer. The light includes ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light. The one or more structures include at least one high aspect ratio structure or at least one large lateral dimension structure. The method also includes generating output responsive to light from the one or more structures due to the light directed to the one or more structures. In addition, the method includes determining one or more characteristics of the one or more structures using the output.