The system includes a modulatable illumination source configured to illuminate a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage, a detector configured to detect illumination emanating from a surface of the sample, illumination optics configured to direct illumination from the modulatable illumination source to the surface of the sample, collection optics configured to direct illumination from the surface of the sample to the detector, and a modulation control system communicatively coupled to the modulatable illumination source, wherein the modulation control system is configured to modulate a drive current of the modulatable illumination source at a selected modulation frequency suitable for generating illumination having a selected coherence feature length. In addition, the present invention includes the time-sequential interleaving of outputs of multiple light sources to generate periodic pulse trains for use in multi-wavelength time-sequential optical metrology.

A process of selecting a measurement location, the process including: obtaining pattern data describing a pattern to be applied to substrates in a patterning process; obtaining a process characteristic measured during or following processing of a substrate, the process characteristic characterizing the processing of the substrate; determining a simulated result of the patterning process based on the pattern data and the process characteristic; and selecting a measurement location for the substrate based on the simulated result.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a substrate measuring device in a lithography projection apparatus that provides multiple light sources having different wavelengths. In some embodiments, a lithography projection apparatus includes a substrate measuring system disposed proximate to a substrate stage, the substrate measuring system further including an emitter including multiple light sources configured to provide multiple beams of light, each of at least some of the multiple beams of light having a different wavelength, at least one optical fiber, wherein each of respective portions of the at least one optical fiber is configured to pass a respective one of the multiple beams of light, and a receiver positioned to collected light emitted from the emitter and reflected off of a substrate disposed on the substrate stage.

An inspection-sensitive additive can improve inspection of photoresist on semiconductor wafers. The inspection-sensitive additive can be used to stain the photoresist or can be deposited as a layer on the photoresist. The inspection-sensitive additive can have a k-value that is greater than 20% larger than a photoresist k-value of the photoresist layer for an inspection wavelength between 120 nm and 950 nm.

A metrology target includes a first set of pattern elements compatible with a first metrology mode along one or more directions, and a second set of pattern elements compatible with a second metrology mode along one or more directions, wherein the second set of pattern elements includes a first portion of the first set of pattern elements, and wherein the second set of pattern elements is surrounded by a second portion of the first set of pattern elements not included in the second set of pattern elements.

Grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance response of a calibration grating is used to calibrate the azimuth angle offset between a sample on the stage and the plane of incidence (POI) of the optical system of an optical metrology device. The calibration grating is configured to produce grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance in response to the optical characteristics of the optical metrology device. The calibration grating is coupled to the stage and positioned at a known azimuth angle with respect to the optical channel of the optical metrology device while the grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance response of the calibration grating is measured. The azimuth angle between an orientation of the calibration grating and the POI of the optical system is determined based on the grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance response. The determined azimuth angle may then be used to correct for an azimuth angle offset between the sample and the POI.

A method for determining the existence of a defect in a printed pattern may include obtaining a) a captured image of a printed pattern from an image capture device, and b) a simulated image of the printed pattern generated by a process model. The method may include generating a combined image as a weighted combination of portions of the captured image and the simulated image. The method may include determining whether a defect exists in the printed pattern based on the combined image.

A reflectometer or ellipsometer integrated with a processing tool includes a source module configured to generate a input beam, and a first mirror arranged to receive the input beam. The first mirror is configured to collimate the input beam and direct the input beam toward an aperture plate. The aperture plate has at least two apertures. One of the at least two apertures is arranged to define a measurement beam from a portion of the input beam, and one of the at least two apertures is arranged to define a reference beam from a portion of the input beam. An optical element is arranged within an optical path of the reference beam and outside an optical path of the measurement beam. The optical element is configured to direct the reference beam toward a third mirror. A second mirror is arranged to receive the measurement beam and focus the measurement beam through a window and onto a surface of a sample. The window forms part of a chamber of the processing tool and the sample is disposed within the chamber. At least a portion of the measurement beam is reflected from the surface of the sample as a reflected beam. The second mirror is arranged to receive the reflected beam and direct the reflected beam toward the optical element. The optical element is configured to direct the reflected beam toward the third mirror. The third mirror is arranged to receive the reference beam and the reflected beam and focus the reference beam and the reflected beam onto a collection plane.

A method includes identifying first parameters of a first processing chamber of a semiconductor fabrication facility. The first parameters include first input parameters and first output parameters. The method further includes identifying second parameters of a second processing chamber of the semiconductor fabrication facility. The second parameters include second input parameters and second output parameters. The method further includes generating, by a processing device based on the first parameters and the second parameters, composite parameters comprising composite input parameters and composite output parameters. Semiconductor fabrication is based on the composite parameters.

A method including illuminating a product test substrate with radiation from a component, wherein the product test substrate does not have a device pattern etched therein and yields a non-zero sensitivity when illuminated, the non-zero sensitivity representing a change in an optical response characteristic of the product test substrate with respect to a change in a characteristic of the radiation; measuring at least a part of the radiation redirected by the product test substrate to determine a parameter value; and taking an action with respect to the component based on the parameter value.