US5530550A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical wafer positioning system
Assignee: Tencor Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1994-12-21
•
Granted: 1996-06-25
•
Expires: 2014-12-21
Abstract
Abstract The position detector has a sensitivity characteristic graded along a direction transverse to the surface, so that the output of the position detector is used to determine a height of the surface. A surface height detection and positioning device for use in a surface inspection system. An incident beam of light impinges obliquely upon the surface, and a position detector is disposed to receive specularly reflected light, producing a plurality of electrical signals, with a mechanical window, defining an aperture, placed in front of the detector. The aperture's width, along the scan direction, is of sufficient size so as to create a train of signals from each of the plurality of electrical signals, having a frequency equal to the scan frequency. These electrical signals carry information responsive to both the position of reflected beam impinging on the detector and the beam's intensity and are, in turn, related to a height of the surface. To abrogate information responsive to intensity variations at the position sensitive detector, an electronic circuit is employed which determines the sum and the difference of the plurality of signals relating to wafer height and beam intensity, producing a summed signal and a difference signal respectively. The difference signal is then divided by the summed signal, thereby producing a normalized signal which represents the height of the wafer surface without regards to these reflected beam intensity variations. These signals are synchronized to the scan frequency which facilitates removing unwanted signals resulting from thermal drifts and ambient light.
Inventors
- 👤 Mehrdad Nikoonahad
- 👤 Philip R. Rigg
- 👤 Keith B. Wells
- 👤 David S. Calhoun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:05
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; G01N21/95; G01N21/9501; G01N21/94; G01N21/956
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A system for detecting a height of a body comprising: a position sensitive detector disposed in a path of a beam reflected from a spot scanned along a scan line over a surface at a scan frequency, the detector being positioned near an image plane of the surface, with the detector having a light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane in which a position of an image of the spot varies, in the first direction, with the height of the surface, producing a plurality of electrical signals representing uncorrected position information of the image of the spot; means, coupled to the position sensitive detector, for synchronizing each of the plurality of electrical signals with a frequency equal to the scan frequency, thereby establishing synchronized scan signals to remove signals not representing height information; and means responsive to the synchronized scan signals for determining a measured height of the surface at the spot.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
156 words
A system for detecting a height of a body comprising: a position sensitive detector disposed in a path of a beam reflected from a spot scanned along a scan line over a surface at a scan frequency, the detector being positioned near an image plane of the surface, with the detector having a light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane in which a position of an image of the spot varies, in the first direction, with the height of the surface, producing a plurality of electrical signals representing uncorrected position information of the image of the spot; means, coupled to the position sensitive detector, for synchronizing each of the plurality of electrical signals with a frequency equal to the scan frequency, thereby establishing synchronized scan signals to remove signals not representing height information; and means responsive to the synchronized scan signals for determining a measured height of the surface at the spot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the synchronizing means includes a mechanical window defining an aperture having a width across which the image of the spot scans, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the width of the aperture is of sufficient size so as to provide the synchronized scan signals with a predetermined duty cycle, and a frequency equal the scan frequency.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the position sensitive detector further includes a second light sensitivity graded along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, in which a position of an image of the spot varies in the second direction with the position of the spot along the scan line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of signals include a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, each of the first and second signals carrying intensity and position information of the image of the spot in the first direction, said determining means including means for correcting said first and Second signals to derive a normalized electrical signal representing the height of the surface based solely on the position of the spot on the sensor in the first direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system as recited in claim 4 further including means, responsive to the normalized electrical signal, for moving the surface in response to variations of the spot position on the detector in the first direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system as recited in claim 4 wherein the correcting means includes means for summing the first and second signals, producing a summed signal and means for obtaining a difference between the first and the second signals, producing a difference signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the correcting means includes means for dividing the summed signal or a signal derived therefrom with the difference signal or a signal derived therefrom, producing the normalized signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the correcting means includes means for filtering the difference signal and means for filtering the summed signal, so that signals having a frequency different from a predetermined frequency bandwidth are attenuated, said scan frequency being in the predetermined bandwidth of frequencies.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the correcting means includes means for multiplying the difference signal or a signal derived therefrom by said scan frequency to provide a first product signal and means for multiplying the summed signal or a signal derived therefrom by said scan frequency to provide a second product signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as recited in claim 9 wherein the correcting means includes low pass filter means for filtering the first and second product signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1, said determining means including means for removing components of the reflected light other than zero order diffraction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 11, said removing means including means for converting the first and second signals or signals derived therefrom to baseband of the scan frequency.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 2, wherein the width of the aperture of said mechanical window is such that the window allows only a central portion of the image of the scan line to pass.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for detecting a height of a body to be optically inspected comprising: an incident beam of light directed obliquely at a surface of the body, the incident beam being at least partly reflected at a spot on the surface as a reflected beam, means for scanning the spot along a scan line, at a scan frequency, an imaging means for focusing the reflected beam, a position sensitive detector disposed in a path of the reflected beam near an image plane of the surface formed by the imaging means, the detector having a first light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane and a second light sensitivity graded along a second direction, in which a position of an image of the spot varies in the first direction with a height of the surface and varies in the second direction in accordance with the spot position along the scan line, whereby comparing the height variation with the spot position along the scan line will determine the tilt of the surface.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for detecting a height of a body to be optically inspected comprising: an incident beam of light directed obliquely at a surface of the body, the incident beam being at least partly reflected at a spot on the surface as a reflected beam, means for scanning the spot along a scan line, at a scan frequency, an imaging means for focusing the reflected beam, a position sensitive detector disposed in a path of the reflected beam near an image plane of the surface formed by the imaging means, the detector having a first light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane and a second light sensitivity graded along a second direction, in which a position of an image of the spot varies in the first direction with a height of the surface and varies in the second direction in accordance with the spot position along the scan line, whereby comparing the height variation with the spot position along the scan line will determine the tilt of the surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
139 words
The system as recited in claim 14 wherein the position sensitive detector produces a plurality of electrical signals representing uncorrected position information of the image of the spot, including a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, with the uncorrected position information responsive to image position and an image intensity, and further including means coupled to the position sensitive detector for synchronizing each of the plurality of electrical signals with a frequency equal to the scan frequency, thereby establishing synchronized scan signals, and means responsive to the synchronized scan signals for correcting the uncorrected position information, producing corrected position information, the corrected position information carrying information responsive to the image position only, defining a corrected electrical signal representing the height of the surface based only on the position of the spot on the sensor in the first direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
95 words
The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the synchronizing means includes a mechanical window optically coupled to the detector, and placed in the path of the reflected beam between the detector and the surface, with the mechanical window defining an aperture having a width across which the image at the spot scans in the second direction, wherein the width of the aperture is of sufficient size so as to provide the synchronized scan signals with a predetermined duty cycle and a frequency equal to the scan frequency to remove signals not representing height information.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the correcting means includes means for summing the first and second signals, producing a summed signal and means for obtaining a difference between the first and the second signals, producing a difference signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system as recited in claim 14 wherein the correcting means includes means, in electrical communication with both the summing means and the obtaining means, for dividing the summed signal or a signal derived therefrom with the difference signal or a signal derived therefrom, producing the corrected signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the correcting means includes first means for filtering the difference signal and second means for filtering the summed signal, so that signals having a frequency different from a predetermined frequency bandwidth are attenuated, said scan frequency being in the predetermined frequency bandwidth.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system as recited in claim 19 wherein the correcting means includes first means for multiplying the difference signal to provide a first product signal and second means for multiplying the summed signal to provide a second product signal, so that the difference and summed signals are multiplied by a predetermined frequency.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as recited in claim 20 wherein the correcting means includes low pass filter means for filtering the first and second product signals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system as recited in claim 15 further including means for moving the surface in response to said corrected electrical signal representing variations of the spot position on the detector in the first direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 14, further comprising means for rotating the surface to compensate for the tilt.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for detecting a height of a body comprising the steps of: disposing a position sensitive detector in a path of a beam reflected from a spot scanned along a scan line over a surface at a scan frequency, so that the detector is positioned near an image plane of the surface, the detector having a light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane in which a position of an image of the spot varies, in the first direction, with the height of the surface, producing a plurality of electrical signals representing uncorrected position information of the image of the spot; synchronizing each of the plurality of electrical signals with a frequency equal to the scan frequency, thereby establishing synchronized scan signals to remove signals not representing height information; and determining from the synchronized scan signals for a measured height of the surface at the spot.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for detecting a height of a body comprising the steps of: disposing a position sensitive detector in a path of a beam reflected from a spot scanned along a scan line over a surface at a scan frequency, so that the detector is positioned near an image plane of the surface, the detector having a light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane in which a position of an image of the spot varies, in the first direction, with the height of the surface, producing a plurality of electrical signals representing uncorrected position information of the image of the spot; synchronizing each of the plurality of electrical signals with a frequency equal to the scan frequency, thereby establishing synchronized scan signals to remove signals not representing height information; and determining from the synchronized scan signals for a measured height of the surface at the spot.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the synchronizing step includes disposing a mechanical window between the surface and the detector, said window defining an aperture having a width across which the image of the spot scans, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the width of the aperture is of sufficient size so as to provide the synchronized scan signals with a predetermined duty cycle, and a frequency equal the scan frequency.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 25, wherein said disposing step disposes the window so that the width of the aperture of said mechanical window is such that the window allows only a central portion of the image of the scan line to pass.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the position sensitive detector further includes a second light sensitivity graded along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, in which a position of an image of the spot varies in the second direction with the position of the spot along the scan line.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the plurality of signals include a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, each of the first and second signals carrying intensity and position information of the image of the spot in the first direction, said determining step including step for correcting said first and second signals to derive a normalized electrical signal representing the height of the surface based solely on the position of the spot on the sensor in the first direction.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in claim 28 further including moving the surface in response to the normalized electrical signal representing variations of the spot position on the detector in the first direction.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as recited in claim 28 wherein the correcting step includes summing the first and second signals, producing a summed signal and obtaining a difference between the first and the second signals, producing a difference signal.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as recited in claim 30 wherein the correcting step includes dividing the summed signal or a signal derived therefrom with the difference signal or a signal derived therefrom, producing the normalized signal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the correcting step includes filtering the difference signal and filtering the summed signal, so that signals having a frequency different from a predetermined frequency bandwidth are attenuated, said scan frequency being in the predetermined bandwidth of frequencies.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the correcting step includes multiplying the difference signal or a signal derived therefrom by said scan frequency to provide a first product signal and multiplying the summed signal or a signal derived therefrom by said scan frequency to provide a second product signal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as recited in claim 33 wherein the correcting step includes low pass filtering the first and second product signals.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 24, said determining step including removing components of the reflected light other than zero order diffraction.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 35, said removing means including converting the first and second signals or signals derived therefrom to baseband of the scan frequency.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for detecting a height of a body to be optically inspected comprising the steps of: directing an incident beam of light obliquely at a surface of the body, the incident beam being at least partly reflected at a spot on the surface as a reflected beam, scanning the spot along a scan line, at a scan frequency, focusing the reflected beam onto an image plane, disposing a position sensitive detector in a path of the reflected beam near the image plane of the surface, the detector having a first light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane and a second light sensitivity graded along a second direction, in which a position of an image of the spot varies in the first direction with a height of the surface and varies in the second direction in accordance with the spot position along the scan line, so that a comparison of the height variation with the spot position along the scan line will determine the tilt of the surface.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for detecting a height of a body to be optically inspected comprising the steps of: directing an incident beam of light obliquely at a surface of the body, the incident beam being at least partly reflected at a spot on the surface as a reflected beam, scanning the spot along a scan line, at a scan frequency, focusing the reflected beam onto an image plane, disposing a position sensitive detector in a path of the reflected beam near the image plane of the surface, the detector having a first light sensitivity graded along a first direction of the image plane and a second light sensitivity graded along a second direction, in which a position of an image of the spot varies in the first direction with a height of the surface and varies in the second direction in accordance with the spot position along the scan line, so that a comparison of the height variation with the spot position along the scan line will determine the tilt of the surface.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
125 words
The method as recited in claim 37 wherein the position sensitive detector produces a plurality of electrical signals representing uncorrected position information of the image of the spot, including a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, with the uncorrected position information responsive to image position and an image intensity, said method further including synchronizing each of the first and second electrical signals with a frequency equal to the scan frequency, thereby establishing synchronized scan signals, and correcting the uncorrected position information, producing corrected position information, the corrected position information carrying information responsive to the image position only, defining a corrected electrical signal representing the height of the surface based only on the position of the spot on the sensor in the first direction.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 37, further comprising rotating the surface to compensate for the tilt.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4589773A
Cited
US4936676A
Cited
US5162642A
Cited
US4748333A
Cited
US4786815A
Cited
US4864123A
Cited
US4864147A
Cited
US5004929A
Cited
US5272517A
Cited
US5166516A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-25 | 1999-12-25 | 2000-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-25 | 2003-12-25 | 2004-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-25 | 2007-12-25 | 2008-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |