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US-12620549-B2 - Dynamic determination of a sample inspection recipe of charged particle beam inspection

US12620549B2US 12620549 B2US12620549 B2US 12620549B2US-12620549-B2

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method comprising: determining parameters of a recipe of charged particle beam inspection of a region on a sample, based on a second set of characteristics of the sample; inspecting the region using the recipe.

Inventors

  • Zhong-Wei Chen
  • Jack Jau
  • Wei Fang
  • Chiyan Kuan

Assignees

  • ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20180925

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . A method comprising: identifying a region based on a first set of characteristics of a sample, wherein the first set of characteristics comprises characteristics of a process by which patterns in the region are formed, wherein the identifying the region comprises comparing the characteristics of the process and process windows of the patterns; and determining parameters of a recipe of charged particle beam inspection of the region on the sample, based on a second set of characteristics of the sample; and inspecting the region using the recipe.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of characteristics comprises a shape of the sample, a density of the sample, a composition of the sample, or a structure of the sample.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of patterns formed in the region.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the characteristics of patterns formed in the region comprise design of the patterns.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of a process by which patterns in the region are formed.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the characteristics of the process comprise parameters of etching, parameters of lithography, or parameters of deposition.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of defects in the region.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the characteristics of defects comprise existence of defects, density of defects, types of defects, or geometric characteristics of defects.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of prior inspections on the region.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the characteristics of prior inspections on the region comprise parameters of recipes used in the prior inspections, results of the prior inspections, metrics representing of effectiveness of the prior inspections.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters of the recipe are any of: landing energy of one or more beams of charged particles, current of one or more beams of charged particles, focus of one or more beams of charged particles, scan direction of one or more beams of charged particles, scan speed of one or more beams of charged particles, destigmation of one or more beams of charged particles, type of charged particles of one or more beams of charged particles, averaging of signals recorded using one or more beams of charged particles, spot size of one or more beams of charged particles, magnification, type of signals recorded, or acceleration voltage of charged particles of one or more beams of charged particles.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the region further comprises obtaining a simulation result by simulating the patterns based on the design and the characteristics of the process.
  13. 13 . A method comprising: identifying a region based on a first set of characteristics of a sample, wherein the first set of characteristics comprises characteristics of the process by which the patterns in the region are formed, wherein the identifying the region comprises obtaining a simulation result by simulating the patterns based on the design and the characteristics of the process; and determining parameters of a recipe of charged particle beam inspection of the region on the sample, based on a second set of characteristics of the sample and inspecting the region using the recipe.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of defects in the region.
  15. 15 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions recorded thereon, the instructions when executed by a computer implementing the method of claim 1 or claim 13 .

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/075986, filed on Sep. 25, 2018, and published as WO 2019/063559 A1, which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/566,132, which was filed on Sep. 29, 2017. The contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for inspecting (e.g., observing, measuring, and imaging) samples such as wafers and masks used in a device manufacturing process such as the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). BACKGROUND A device manufacturing process may include applying a desired pattern onto a substrate. A patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate the desired pattern. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g., including part of, one, or several dies) on the substrate (e.g., a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. A single substrate may contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. A lithographic apparatus may be used for this transfer. One type of lithographic apparatus is called a stepper, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time. Another type of lithography apparatus is called a scanner, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate. In order to monitor one or more steps of the device manufacturing process (e.g., exposure, resist-processing, etching, development, baking, etc.), a sample, such as a substrate patterned by the device manufacturing process or a patterning device used therein, may be inspected, in which one or more parameters of the sample may be measured. The one or more parameters may include, for example, edge place errors (EPEs), which are distances between the edges of the patterns on the substrate or the patterning device and the corresponding edges of the intended design of the patterns. Inspection may also find pattern defects (e.g., failed connection or failed separation) and uninvited particles. Inspection of substrates and patterning devices used in a device manufacturing process can help to improve the yield. The information obtained from the inspection can be used to identify defects, or to adjust the device manufacturing process. SUMMARY Disclosed herein is a method comprising: determining parameters of a recipe of charged particle beam inspection of a region on a sample, based on a second set of characteristics of the sample; inspecting the region using the recipe. According to an embodiment, the second set of characteristics comprises a shape of the sample, a density of the sample, a composition of the sample, or a structure of the sample. According to an embodiment, the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of patterns formed in the region. According to an embodiment, the characteristics of patterns formed in the region comprise design of the patterns. According to an embodiment, the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of a process by which patterns in the region are formed. According to an embodiment, the characteristics of the process comprise parameters of etching, parameters of lithography, or parameters of deposition. According to an embodiment, the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of defects in the region. According to an embodiment, the characteristics of defects comprise existence of defects, density of defects, types of defects, or geometric characteristics of defects. According to an embodiment, the second set of characteristics comprises characteristics of prior inspections on the region. According to an embodiment, the characteristics of prior inspections on the region comprise parameters of recipes used in the prior inspections, results of the prior inspections, metrics representing of effectiveness of the prior inspections. According to an embodiment, the parameters of the recipe are selected from a group consisting of: landing energy of one or more beams of charged particles, current of one or more beams of charged particles, focus of one or more beams of charged particles, scan direction of one or more beams of charged particles, scan speed of one or more beams of charged particles, destigmation of one or more beams of charged particles, type of charged particles of one or more beams of charged particles, averaging of signals recorded using one or more beams of charged particles, spot siz