Semiconductor measurement apparatus and method of manufacturing semiconductor device using semiconductor measurement apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025052691-A1
Application number	US-202318394784-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2023
Priority date	Aug 11, 2023
Publication date	Feb 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor measurement apparatus includes extracting an interference pattern using a microsphere, and measuring a distance between a specimen and the microsphere, based on the interference pattern. A semiconductor measurement apparatus includes a light source configured to output at least one light, a scanner having a microsphere-objective lens, the scanner configured to allow the at least one light to be incident on a specimen, a spectrometer configured to obtain a spectrum of light reflected from the specimen; and a distance measurement apparatus configured to calculate a microsphere-to-specimen distance by analyzing a change in the spectrum.

First claim

1 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor measurement apparatus comprises:
extracting an interference pattern using a microsphere; and measuring a distance between a specimen and the microsphere, based on the interference pattern.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting a measurement position of a microsphere-objective lens.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting the interference pattern includes:
measuring a first spectrum; moving a microsphere-objective lens structure including the microsphere and an objective lens in a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the specimen; measuring a second spectrum; calculating a spectral difference between the first spectrum and the second spectrum; and calculating the interference pattern corresponding to the spectral difference.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the moving the microsphere-objective lens includes moving the microsphere-objective lens with a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuator by 10 nm or less.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the measuring the distance includes:
comparing the calculated interference pattern and a reference pattern to each other; and calculating the distance between the microsphere and the specimen corresponding to a comparison result.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
setting the reference pattern.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the microsphere has a form of at least one of a sphere, a hemisphere, or a rod.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the microsphere is fixed to a lower portion of an objective lens by a fixed distance.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a spot scanning operation while maintaining a height of a microsphere-objective lens that includes the microsphere and an objective lens.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
measuring a position of a scanner and a microsphere-specimen distance in the spot scanning operation; and compensating for an error in the microsphere-specimen distance corresponding to the position of the scanner.

11 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor measurement apparatus, the method comprising:
performing a spot scanning operation on a specimen while moving a scanner having a microsphere-objective lens; measuring a microsphere-to-specimen distance, based on an interference pattern generated in the spot scanning operation; and compensating for an error of the scanner in the microsphere-to-specimen distance.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the performing the spot scanning operation includes moving the scanner using a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuator.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the measuring the microsphere-to-specimen distance includes:
measuring a spectrum of light reflected from a surface of the specimen; extracting an interference pattern from the measured spectrum; comparing a reference pattern and the extracted interference pattern to each other; and calculating the microsphere-to-specimen distance, based on a comparison result.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein real-time distance measurement reduces collision with the specimen due to at least one of a stage vibration or a change in specimen height.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the spot scanning operation has a resolution corresponding to a spot of 100 nm or less.

16 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor measurement apparatus, the method comprising:
extracting an interference pattern for light reflected from a specimen by using a microsphere; and determining at least one of a distance to the specimen, a height of the specimen, or a thickness of the specimen, based on a spectrum through the microsphere-objective lens corresponding to the interference pattern.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining a focal position, based on the spectrum measured on a surface of the specimen.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
comparing the interference pattern and a reference pattern to each other.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
obtaining the reference pattern, based on data measured to reflect properties of at least one of an optical system, a spectrometer, or a stage.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
compensating for an error in an microsphere-to-specimen distance to correspond to a position of a scanner.

21 - 30 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Youngsun
• Kwon Soonyang
• Kim Kwangrak
• Park Jangryul
• Kim Jiwoong
• Lee Youngjun

Classifications

• H10P74/23

  characterised by multiple measurements, corrections, marking or sorting processes · CPC title

• G01B11/06

  for measuring thickness {; e.g. of sheet material (thickness measurement by thermal means G01B21/085)} · CPC title

• G01B11/02 Primary

  for measuring length, width or thickness (G01B11/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01J3/45

  Interferometric spectrometry · CPC title

• G01N2021/95615

  with stored comparision signal · CPC title