Abstract: Process control methods, metrology targets and production systems are provided for reducing or eliminating process overlay errors. Metrology targets have pair(s) of periodic structures with different segmentations, e.g., no segmentation in one periodic structure and device-like segmentation in the other periodic structure of the pair. Process control methods derive metrology measurements from the periodic structures at the previous layer directly following the production thereof, and prior to production of the periodic structures at the current layer, and use the derived measurements to adjust lithography stage(s) that is part of production of the current layer. Production system integrate lithography tool(s) and metrology tool(s) into a production feedback loop that enables layer-by-layer process adjustments.

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 method and system for measuring overlay in a semiconductor manufacturing process comprise capturing an image of a feature in an article at a predetermined manufacturing stage, deriving a quantity of an image parameter from the image and converting the quantity into an overlay measurement. The conversion is by reference to an image parameter quantity derived from a reference image of a feature at the same predetermined manufacturing stage with known overlay (“OVL”). There is also disclosed a method of determining a device inspection recipe for use by an inspection tool comprising identifying device patterns as candidate device care areas that may be sensitive to OVL, deriving an OVL response for each identified pattern, correlating the OVL response with measured OVL, and selecting some or all of the device patterns as device care areas based on the correlation.

Abstract: Metrology targets, production processes and optical systems are provided, which enable metrology of device-like targets. Supplementary structure(s) may be introduced in the target to interact optically with the bottom layer and/or with the top layer of the target and target cells configurations enable deriving measurements of device-characteristic features. For example, supplementary structure(s) may be designed to yield Moiré patterns with one or both layers, and metrology parameters may be derived from these patterns. Device production processes were adapted to enable production of corresponding targets, which may be measured by standard or by provided modified optical systems, configured to enable phase measurements of the Moiré patterns.

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 method for optical inspection includes illuminating a patterned polymer layer on a semiconductor wafer with optical radiation over a range of infrared wavelengths, measuring spectral properties of the optical radiation reflected from multiple points on the patterned polymer layer over the range of infrared wavelengths, and based on the measured spectral properties, computing a complex refractive index of the patterned polymer layer.

Abstract: Two machine learning modules or models are used to generate a recipe. A first machine learning module determines a set of recipes based on measured signals. The second machine learning module analyzes the set of recipes based on a cost function to determine a final recipe. The second machine learning module also can determine settings if the set of recipes fail evaluation using the cost function.

Abstract: A method for process control in the manufacture of semiconductor devices including performing metrology on at least one Design of Experiment (DOE) semiconductor wafer included in a lot of semiconductor wafers, the lot forming part of a batch of semiconductor wafer lots, generating, based on the metrology, one or more correctables to a process used to manufacture the lot of semiconductor wafers and adjusting, based on the correctables, the process performed on at least one of; other semiconductor wafers included in the lot of semi-conductor wafers, and other lots of semiconductor wafers included in the batch.

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: 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 target and method for using the same in the measurement of misregistration between at least a first layer and a second layer formed on a wafer in the manufacture of functional semiconductor devices on the wafer, the functional semiconductor devices including functional device structures (FDSTs), the target including a plurality of measurement structures (MSTs), the plurality of MSTs being part of the first layer and the second layer and a plurality of device-like structures (DLSTs), the plurality of DLSTs being part of at least one of the first layer and the second layer, the DLSTs sharing at least one characteristic with the FDSTs and the MSTs not sharing the at least one characteristic with the FDSTs.

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 system and method for generating a quality parameter value of a semiconductor device wafer (SDW), during fabrication thereof, the method including designating a plurality of measurement site sets (MSSs) on the SDW, each of the MSSs including a first measurement-orientation site (FMS) and a second measurement-orientation site (SMS), the FMS and the SMS being different measurement sites on the SDW, generating a first measurement-orientation quality parameter dataset (FMQPD) by measuring features formed within each the FMS of at least one of the MSSs in a first measurement orientation, generating a second measurement-orientation quality parameter dataset (SMQPD) by measuring features formed within each the SMS of the at least one of the MSSs in a second measurement orientation and generating at least one tool-induced-shift (TIS)-ameliorated quality parameter value (TAQPV), at least partially based on the FMQPD and the SMQPD.

Abstract: A method for optical inspection includes illuminating a patterned polymer layer on a semiconductor wafer with optical radiation over a range of infrared wavelengths, measuring spectral properties of the optical radiation reflected from multiple points on the patterned polymer layer over the range of infrared wavelengths, and based on the measured spectral properties, computing a complex refractive index of the patterned polymer layer.

Abstract: Metrology targets, production processes and optical systems are provided, which enable metrology of device-like targets. Supplementary structure(s) may be introduced in the target to interact optically with the bottom layer and/or with the top layer of the target and target cells configurations enable deriving measurements of device-characteristic features. For example, supplementary structure(s) may be designed to yield Moiré patterns with one or both layers, and metrology parameters may be derived from these patterns. Device production processes were adapted to enable production of corresponding targets, which may be measured by standard or by provided modified optical systems, configured to enable phase measurements of the Moiré patterns.

Abstract: A method for measurement of misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers, the method including measuring misregistration between layers of a semiconductor device wafer at a first instance and providing a first misregistration indication, measuring misregistration between layers of a semiconductor device wafer at a second instance and providing a second misregistration indication, providing a misregistration measurement difference output in response to a difference between the first misregistration indication and the second misregistration indication, providing a baseline difference output and ameliorating the difference between the misregistration measurement difference output and the baseline difference output.

Abstract: A metrology system and metrology methods are disclosed. The metrology system comprises a set of device features on a first layer of a sample, a first set of target features on a second layer of the sample and overlapping the set of device features, and a second set of target features on the second layer of the sample and overlapping the set of device features. Relative positions of a first set of Moiré fringes and a second set of Moiré fringes indicate overlay error between the first layer of the sample and the second layer of the sample.

Abstract: A metrology system includes a controller communicatively coupled to one or more metrology tools, the controller including one or more processors configured to execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to receive one or more metrology measurements of one or more metrology targets of a metrology sample, a metrology target of the one or more metrology targets including one or more target designs with one or more cells, the one or more target designs being generated on one or more layers of the metrology sample; determine one or more errors based on the one or more metrology measurements; and determine one or more correctables to adjust one or more sources of error corresponding to the one or more errors, the one or more correctables being configured to reduce an amount of noise in the one or more metrology measurements generated by the one or more sources of errors.

Abstract: A metrology system includes a controller communicatively coupled to one or more metrology tools, the controller including one or more processors configured to execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to receive one or more metrology measurements of one or more metrology targets of a metrology sample, a metrology target of the one or more metrology targets including one or more target designs with one or more cells, the one or more target designs being generated on one or more layers of the metrology sample; determine one or more errors based on the one or more metrology measurements; and determine one or more correctables to adjust one or more sources of error corresponding to the one or more errors, the one or more correctables being configured to reduce an amount of noise in the one or more metrology measurements generated by the one or more sources of errors.