Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in measuring on patterned samples, aimed at determining asymmetry in the pattern. A set of at least first and second measurements on a patterned region of a sample is performed, where each of the measurements comprises: directing illuminating light onto the patterned region along an illumination channel and collecting light reflected from the illuminated region propagating along a collection channel to be detected, such that detected light from the same patterned region has different polarization states which are different from polarization of the illuminating light, and generating a measured data piece indicative of the light detected in the measurement. Thus, at least first and second measured data pieces are generated for the at least first and second measurements on the same patterned region. The at least first and second measured data pieces are analyzed and output data is generated being indicative of a condition of asymmetry in the patterned region.

Abstract: A metrology method for use in determining one or more parameters of a three-dimensional patterned structure, the method including performing a fitting procedure between measured TEM image data of the patterned structure and simulated TEM image data of the patterned structure, determining a measured Lamellae position of at least one measured TEM image in the TEM image data from a best fit condition between the measured and simulated data, and generating output data indicative of the simulated TEM image data corresponding to the best fit condition to thereby enable determination therefrom of the one or more parameters of the structure.

Abstract: A metrology method for use in determining one or more parameters of a patterned structure, the method including providing raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, data indicative of a TEM measurement mode, and predetermined simulated TEM image data including data indicative of one or more simulated TEM images of a structure similar to the patterned structure under measurements and a simulated weight map including weights assigned to different regions in the simulated TEM image corresponding to different features of the patterned structure, performing a fitting procedure between the raw measured TEM image data and the predetermined simulated TEM image data and determining one or more parameters of the structure from the simulated TEM image data corresponding to a best fit condition.

Abstract: A metrology method for use in determining one or more parameters of a three-dimensional patterned structure, the method including performing a fitting procedure between measured TEM image data of the patterned structure and simulated TEM image data of the patterned structure, determining a measured Lamellae position of at least one measured TEM image in the TEM image data from a best fit condition between the measured and simulated data, and generating output data indicative of the simulated TEM image data corresponding to the best fit condition to thereby enable determination therefrom of the one or more parameters of the structure.

Abstract: A metrology method for use in determining one or more parameters of a patterned structure, the method including providing raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, data indicative of a TEM measurement mode, and predetermined simulated TEM image data including data indicative of one or more simulated TEM images of a structure similar to the patterned structure under measurements and a simulated weight map including weights assigned to different regions in the simulated TEM image corresponding to different features of the patterned structure, performing a fitting procedure between the raw measured TEM image data and the predetermined simulated TEM image data and determining one or more parameters of the structure from the simulated TEM image data corresponding to a best fit condition.

Abstract: A metrology method for use in determining one or more parameters of a three-dimensional patterned structure, the method including performing a fitting procedure between measured TEM image data of the patterned structure and simulated TEM image data of the patterned structure, determining a measured Lamellae position of at least one measured TEM image in the TEM image data from a best fit condition between the measured and simulated data, and generating output data indicative of the simulated TEM image data corresponding to the best fit condition to thereby enable determination therefrom of the one or more parameters of the structure.

Abstract: A process control method for manufacturing semiconductor devices, including determining a quality metric of a production semiconductor wafer by comparing production scatterometric spectra of a production structure of the production wafer with reference scatterometric spectra of a reference structure of reference semiconductor wafers, the production structure corresponding to the reference structure, the reference spectra linked by machine learning to a reference measurement value of the reference structure, determining a process control parameter value (PCPV) of a wafer processing step, the PCPV determined based on measurement of the production wafer and whose contribution to the PCPV is weighted with a first predefined weight based on the quality metric, and based on a measurement of a different wafer and whose contribution to the PCPV is weighted with a second predefined weight based on the quality metric, and controlling, with the PCPV, the processing step during fabrication.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for measuring a parameter of a semiconductor. A non-limiting example of the computer-implemented method includes receiving, using a processor, a raw signal from a first tool representing a measured parameter of a semiconductor device. The method also receives, using the processor, data on the measured parameter from a second tool, and calculates, using the processor, the measured parameter based on the data received from the second tool and on a constraint based on the raw signal from the first tool.

Abstract: A metrology method for use in determining one or more parameters of a three-dimensional patterned structure, the method including performing a fitting procedure between measured TEM image data of the patterned structure and simulated TEM image data of the patterned structure, determining a measured Lamellae position of at least one measured TEM image in the TEM image data from a best fit condition between the measured and simulated data, and generating output data indicative of the simulated TEM image data corresponding to the best fit condition to thereby enable determination therefrom of the one or more parameters of the structure.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in measuring on patterned samples, aimed at determining asymmetry in the pattern. A set of at least first and second measurements on a patterned region of a sample is performed, where each of the measurements comprises: directing illuminating light onto the patterned region along an illumination channel and collecting light reflected from the illuminated region propagating along a collection channel to be detected, such that detected light from the same patterned region has different polarization states which are different from polarization of the illuminating light, and generating a measured data piece indicative of the light detected in the measurement. Thus, at least first and second measured data pieces are generated for the at least first and second measurements on the same patterned region. The at least first and second measured data pieces are analyzed and output data is generated being indicative of a condition of asymmetry in the patterned region.

Abstract: A control system is presented for use in measuring one or more parameters of a three-dimensional patterned structure. The control system is configured as a computer system comprising a data processor configured to receive and process raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, and generate output data indicative of one or more parameters of a patterned structure. The data processor comprises an optimization module configured and operable to utilize data indicative of one or more parameters of TEM measurement mode and perform a fitting procedure between the raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, and a predetermined simulated TEM image data, TEMsimui based on a parametrized three-dimensional model of features of the patterned structure, and generate simulated image data corresponding to a best fit condition, to thereby enable determination therefrom of the one or more parameters of the structure.

Abstract: A process control method for manufacturing semiconductor devices, including determining a quality metric of a production semiconductor wafer by comparing production scatterometric spectra of a production structure of the production wafer with reference scatterometric spectra of a reference structure of reference semiconductor wafers, the production structure corresponding to the reference structure, the reference spectra linked by machine learning to a reference measurement value of the reference structure, determining a process control parameter value (PCPV) of a wafer processing step, the PCPV determined based on measurement of the production wafer and whose contribution to the PCPV is weighted with a first predefined weight based on the quality metric, and based on a measurement of a different wafer and whose contribution to the PCPV is weighted with a second predefined weight based on the quality metric, and controlling, with the PCPV, the processing step during fabrication.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in measuring on patterned samples, aimed at determining asymmetry in the pattern. A set of at least first and second measurements on a patterned region of a sample is performed, where each of the measurements comprises: directing illuminating light onto the patterned region along an illumination channel and collecting light reflected from the illuminated region propagating along a collection channel to be detected, such that detected light from the same patterned region has different polarization states which are different from polarization of the illuminating light, and generating a measured data piece indicative of the light detected in the measurement. Thus, at least first and second measured data pieces are generated for the at least first and second measurements on the same patterned region. The at least first and second measured data pieces are analyzed and output data is generated being indicative of a condition of asymmetry in the patterned region.

Abstract: A control system for use in measuring one or more parameters of a patterned structure. The control system is configured as a computer system and comprises: an input utility configured to receive input data comprising raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, data indicative of a TEM measurement mode; and a data processor configured to process the raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, and generate output data indicative of one or more parameters of a patterned structure. The data processor comprises an optimization module configured and operable to utilize the data indicative of the TEM measurement mode and perform a fitting procedure between the raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, and predetermined simulated TEM image data, TEMsimul, and determine one or more parameters of the structure from the simulated image data corresponding to a best fit condition.

Abstract: Process control during manufacture of semiconductor devices by collecting scatterometric spectra of a FinFET reference fin structure on a reference semiconductor wafer at a first checkpoint proximate to a first processing step during fabrication of the reference semiconductor wafer, collecting reference measurements of the reference fin structure at a second checkpoint proximate to a second processing step subsequent to the first checkpoint, and performing machine learning to identify correspondence between the scatterometric spectra and values based on the reference measurements and train a prediction model for producing a prediction value associated with a corresponding production fin structure of the FinFET on a production semiconductor wafer based on scatterometric spectra of the production fin structure collected at the corresponding first checkpoint during fabrication of the production semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: Measuring SRAM structures having FinFET transistors by obtaining, on a production semiconductor wafer, spectra of a SRAM production structure including FinFET fins and gates, identifying SRAM reference structure spectra corresponding to the spectra, the reference structure from measuring, on a reference semiconductor wafer, a reference structure including a layout of FinFET fins having gates, injecting, into an OCD model of the production structure, fin target parameter values, corresponding to the identified reference structure spectra, from measuring, on the reference wafer, a fin target including a layout of exposed FinFET fins lacking gates similar or identical to the reference structure layout, correspondence between the fin target parameter values and the reference structure spectra previously identified by ML, and determining measurement values for the FinFET gates of the production structure by fitting reference spectra associated with the production structure in the OCD model to the production struct

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for measuring a parameter of a semiconductor. A non-limiting example of the computer-implemented method includes receiving, using a processor, a raw signal from a first tool representing a measured parameter of a semiconductor device. The method also receives, using the processor, data on the measured parameter from a second tool, and calculates, using the processor, the measured parameter based on the data received from the second tool and on a constraint based on the raw signal from the first tool.

Abstract: Measuring SRAM structures having FinFET transistors by obtaining, on a production semiconductor wafer, spectra of a SRAM production structure including FinFET fins and gates, identifying SRAM reference structure spectra corresponding to the spectra, the reference structure from measuring, on a reference semiconductor wafer, a reference structure including a layout of FinFET fins having gates, injecting, into an OCD model of the production structure, fin target parameter values, corresponding to the identified reference structure spectra, from measuring, on the reference wafer, a fin target including a layout of exposed FinFET fins lacking gates similar or identical to the reference structure layout, correspondence between the fin target parameter values and the reference structure spectra previously identified by ML, and determining measurement values for the FinFET gates of the production structure by fitting reference spectra associated with the production structure in the OCD model to the production struct

Abstract: A control system is presented for use in measuring one or more parameters of a three-dimensional patterned structure. The control system is configured as a computer system comprising a data processor configured to receive and process raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, and generate output data indicative of one or more parameters of a patterned structure. The data processor comprises an optimization module configured and operable to utilize data indicative of one or more parameters of TEM measurement mode and perform a fitting procedure between the raw measured TEM image data, TEMmeas, and a predetermined simulated TEM image data, TEMsimui based on a parametrized three-dimensional model of features of the patterned structure, and generate simulated image data corresponding to a best fit condition, to thereby enable determination therefrom of the one or more parameters of the structure.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in model-based optical measurements in patterned structures. The method comprises: selecting an optimal optical model for interpretation of optical measured data indicative of optical response of the structure under measurements. The selection of the optimal optical model comprises: creating a complete optical model with floating parameters defining multiple configurations of said complete model including one or more model configurations describing an optical response of the structure under measurements, utilizing the complete model for predicting a reference optical response from the structure and generating corresponding virtual reference data, and using the virtual reference data for selecting the optimal optical model for interpretation of the optical measured data.