Semiconductor structures and manufacturing methods
A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming an alignment mark in a semiconductor wafer. The alignment mark includes a fist set of parallel lines and a second set of parallel lines. The parallel lines in the first set overlie and cross the parallel lines in the second set. The alignment mark can be used to determine a location of the semiconductor wafer.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/733,665, filed on Dec. 8, 2000, which is divisional of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/362,976, filed on Jul. 28, 1999, now abandoned, which applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis invention relates generally to semiconductor structures and manufacturing methods and more particularly to alignment techniques used therein.
BACKGROUND As is known in the art, semiconductor integrated circuits are manufactured using a series of process steps that require proper alignment of the semiconductor wafer. Many alignment systems use reflected light from profile patterns formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to determine the location of the wafer. Such an arrangement is shown in
More particularly, and referring also to
Referring again to
More particularly, to determine the location of an alignment site, two marks 13, 15 (
In accordance with the present invention, a semiconductor body is provided having an alignment mark comprising a pair of sets of parallel lines disposed on the semiconductor body. The parallel lines in one of the sets are disposed orthogonal to the parallel lines in the other one of the set. The two sets of parallel lines are in an overlaying relationship.
With such structure, the same amount of wafer surface area enables twice as many alignment sites. Thus, the arrangement allows the alignment system to acquire twice the amount of metrology information during the same alignment scanning process to thereby increase the alignment quality. Further, there is no loss of through-put because the same time is used for scanning the sites as in the system described above.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method is provided for detecting an alignment mark on a semiconductor body. The method includes providing the alignment mark on the semiconductor body. This alignment mark includes a pair of sets of parallel lines disposed on the semiconductor body. The parallel lines in one of the sets are disposed orthogonal to the parallel lines in the other one of the set and the two sets of parallel lines are in an overlaying relationship. The alignment illumination includes a pair of orthogonal, lines of impinging light that is scanned over the surface of the alignment mark. One of such pair of impinging light lines is orthogonal to, and laterally displaced from, the other one of such pair of impinging light lines. Impinging light is reflected by the alignment lines in the surface of the semiconductor when such impinging light is over to provide a pair of laterally displaced beams of reflected light. The method includes detecting in each one of a pair of laterally spaced detectors a corresponding one of the laterally displaced beams of reflected light.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention an apparatus is provided for detecting an alignment mark on a semiconductor body. The alignment mark comprises a pair of sets of parallel lines disposed on the semiconductor body. The parallel lines in one of the sets are disposed orthogonal to the parallel lines in the other one of the set and the two sets of parallel lines are in an overlaying relationship. The apparatus includes an optical system for scanning an alignment illumination that provides a pair of orthogonal, lines of impinging light over the surface of the alignment mark. One of such pair of impinging light lines is orthogonal to, and laterally displaced from, the other one of such pair of impinging light lines. Impinging light is reflected by the alignment lines in the surface of the semiconductor when such impinging light is over to provide a pair of laterally displaced beams of reflected light. The apparatus also includes a pair of laterally spaced detectors, each being positioned to detect a corresponding one of the laterally displaced beams of reflected light.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThese and other features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring now to
More particularly, the semiconductor body 100 has an alignment mark 102 comprising a pair of sets of parallel lines 112, 114 (
An apparatus 200 shown in
The apparatus 200 includes an optical system 202 for scanning an alignment illumination 204, which comprises a pair of orthogonal, laterally displaced along the X axis lines 208, 210 of impinging light over the surface of the alignment mark 102. One of the pair of impinging light lines, here line 208, is orthogonal to, and laterally displaced from, the other one of such pair of impinging light lines 210. Here, the line 210 is projected onto the surface of the wafer 100 at an angle of −45 degrees with respect to the Y axis (
The apparatus includes a detector arrangement 220. The detector arrangement 220 includes a pair of detectors configurations 2201 and 2202. The projected beams 211, 213 are directed by the optical system 200 to the detector configurations 2201 and 2202, respectively, as indicated. The detector configuration 2201 includes a pair of detectors 2221 and 2222, shown in
In like manner, the detector configuration 2202 includes a pair of detectors 2223 and 2224, shown in
With such apparatus, the alignment illumination is scanned over the surface of the alignment mark 102. One pair of impinging light lines 108 is orthogonal to, and laterally displaced from, the other one of such pair of impinging light lines 110. Impinging light is reflected by the alignment lines in the surface of the semiconductor when such impinging light is over to provide a pair of laterally displaced beams 211, 213 lines of reflected light. The detectors 2221, 2222, 2223 and 2224 detect in each one of a pair of laterally spaced detector configurations 2201, 2202, respectively, a corresponding one of the laterally displaced beams 211, 213 of reflected light. The −45 degree and +45 degree oriented alignment lines 208, 210, respectively, of the cross-shaped alignment illumination 204 are separated locally by at least the width W (
Other embodiments are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, other types of composite alignment marks may be used such as shown in
Claims
1. A method of making a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor wafer; and
- forming an alignment mark in the semiconductor wafer, the alignment mark comprising a first set of parallel lines and a second set of parallel lines, the parallel lines in the first set overlying and crossing the parallel lines in the second set.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the parallel lines in the first set are aligned orthogonally relative to the parallel lines in the second set.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein both the first set and the second set of parallel lines includes more than, three parallel lines.
4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising using the alignment mark to determine a location of the semiconductor wafer.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein using the alignment mark to determine a location of the semiconductor wafer comprises reflecting energy with a predetermined wavelength from a surface of the semiconductor wafer.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein using the alignment mark to determine a location of the semiconductor wafer comprises:
- simultaneously directing a first beam of light and a second beam of light toward the semiconductor wafer, the first beam of light being spaced from the second beam of light;
- receiving the first beam of light after the first beam of light has been reflected from the semiconductor wafer; and
- receiving the second beam of light after the second beam of light has been reflected from the semiconductor wafer.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first beam of light comprises a first line of light and wherein the second beam of light comprises a second line of light, the first line of light being orthogonal to the second light of line.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the parallel lines in the first set are aligned orthogonally relative to the parallel lines in the second set.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first beam of light is received at a first detector and the second beam of light is received at a second detector.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises a semiconductor body of single crystal silicon, and wherein forming an alignment mark comprises etching grooves into the semiconductor body.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein forming an alignment mark comprises forming a plurality of alignment marks.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of alignment marks are formed along a line, the method further comprising simultaneously directing a first beam of light and a second beam of light toward the semiconductor wafer, the first beam of light being spaced from the second beam of light.
13. A method of making a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor wafer; and
- forming an alignment mark in the semiconductor wafer, the alignment mark comprising a first set of parallel lines and a second set of parallel lines, the parallel lines in the first set overlying and crossing the parallel lines in the second set;
- using the alignment mark to align the semiconductor wafer; and
- performing a process step to form an integrated circuit in the semiconductor wafer.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the parallel lines in the first set are aligned orthogonally relative to the parallel lines in the second set.
15. The method of claim 13 and further comprising using the alignment mark to determine a location of the semiconductor wafer.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein using the alignment mark to determine a location of the semiconductor wafer comprises reflecting energy with a predetermined wavelength from a surface of the semiconductor wafer.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein using the alignment mark to determine a location of the semiconductor wafer comprises:
- simultaneously directing a first beam of light and a second beam of light toward the semiconductor wafer, the first beam of light being spaced from the second beam of light;
- receiving the first beam of light after the first beam of light has been reflected from the semiconductor wafer; and
- receiving the second beam of light after the second beam of light has been reflected from the semiconductor wafer.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first beam of light comprises a first line of light and wherein the second beam of light comprises a second line of light, the first line of light being orthogonal to the second line of light.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises a semiconductor body of single crystal silicon, and wherein forming an alignment mark comprises etching grooves into the semiconductor body.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein forming an alignment mark comprises forming a plurality of alignment marks, each of the alignment marks comprising a first set of parallel grooves and a second set of parallel grooves, the parallel grooves in the first set overlying and crossing the parallel grooves in the second set.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 18, 2005
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2005
Inventor: Christian Summerer (Fishkill, NY)
Application Number: 11/108,467