NOAH BAREKET
Pilots at Saraglen Dr, Saratoga, CA

6462818, Oct 8, 2002

Jun 22, 2000

09/603120

Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA

KLA-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

G01B 1127

356401, 356400, 430 22

A mark comprising at least one set of calibration periodic structures and at least two sets of test periodic structures, both types of which are positioned along an axis. The mark is used to measure the relative position between two layers of a device. Each set of test periodic structures has its periodic structures formed within first and second sections. The periodic structures of the first and second sections are each formed on one of the two layers of the device, respectively. The first and second sections of each test set is positioned proximate to the second and first sections of the next test set, respectively. This mark allows two beams which scan the mark to travel over both a test section formed on one layer of the device and a test section formed on the other of the two layers. Scanning multiple test sets provides multiple registration error values which are then averaged to obtain an average registration error value. Another aspect of the present invention is directed towards a method for measuring the relative position between two layers of a device.

6079256, Jun 27, 2000

Dec 7, 1998

9/207158

Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA

KLA Instruments Corporation - San Jose CA

G01B 528, G01B 734

73105

The present invention is a method and apparatus that uses a microscopic height variation positioned relative to a semiconductor device to scan a target on the device to produce an electrical signal representative of height variations of first and second periodic structures of the target in a selected path across the device, and a computing and control system to provide translation between the microscopic height variation detector and the target on the device in a selected path, and to calculate any offset between the first periodic structure and the second periodic structure of the target from the electrical signals from the microscopic height variation detector. The first periodic structure of the target is on a first layer of the device, and the second periodic structure, that complements the first periodic structure, is on a second layer of the device at a location that is adjacent the first periodic structure.

7280230, Oct 9, 2007

Dec 19, 2002

10/327466

Andrei V. Shchegrov - Campbell CA, US
Anatoly Fabrikant - Fremont CA, US
Mehrdad Nikoonahad - Menlo Park CA, US
Ady Levy - Sunnyvale CA, US
Daniel C. Wack - Los Altos CA, US
Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA, US
Walter Mieher - Los Gatos CA, US
Ted Dziura - San Jose CA, US

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01B 11/28

356630, 356625

A gallery of seed profiles is constructed and the initial parameter values associated with the profiles are selected using manufacturing process knowledge of semiconductor devices. Manufacturing process knowledge may also be used to select the best seed profile and the best set of initial parameter values as the starting point of an optimization process whereby data associated with parameter values of the profile predicted by a model is compared to measured data in order to arrive at values of the parameters. Film layers over or under the periodic structure may also be taken into account. Different radiation parameters such as the reflectivities R, Rand ellipsometric parameters may be used in measuring the diffracting structures and the associated films. Some of the radiation parameters may be more sensitive to a change in the parameter value of the profile or of the films then other radiation parameters. One or more radiation parameters that are more sensitive to such changes may be selected in the above-described optimization process to arrive at a more accurate measurement.

7826071, Nov 2, 2010

Oct 8, 2007

11/868740

Andrei V. Shchegrov - Campbell CA, US
Anatoly Fabrikant - Fremont CA, US
Mehrdad Nikoonahad - Menlo Park CA, US
Ady Levy - Sunnyvale CA, US
Daniel C. Wack - Los Altos CA, US
Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA, US
Walter Mieher - Los Gatos CA, US
Ted Dziura - San Jose CA, US

KLA-Tencor Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01B 11/14

356625

A gallery of seed profiles is constructed and the initial parameter values associated with the profiles are selected using manufacturing process knowledge of semiconductor devices. Manufacturing process knowledge may also be used to select the best seed profile and the best set of initial parameter values as the starting point of an optimization process whereby data associated with parameter values of the profile predicted by a model is compared to measured data in order to arrive at values of the parameters. Film layers over or under the periodic structure may also be taken into account. Different radiation parameters such as the reflectivities R, Rand ellipsometric parameters may be used in measuring the diffracting structures and the associated films. Some of the radiation parameters may be more sensitive to a change in the parameter value of the profile or of the films then other radiation parameters. One or more radiation parameters that are more sensitive to such changes may be selected in the above-described optimization process to arrive at a more accurate measurement.

4687332, Aug 18, 1987

Oct 15, 1985

6/787198

Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA

Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

G01B 902

356353

A scan-shear interferometer comprises a beamsplitter (11) for dividing an optical beam into a transmitted component I and a reflected component II, which are propagated in opposite directions along a triangular portion of an optical path defined by mirrors (12) and (13) back to the beamsplitter (11), from which the beam component I is transmitted and the beam component II is reflected to a mirror (14), which reflects the beam components I and II coincidentally to form pupils on an interference plane at a photodetector device (15). A rotating prism (16) is positioned so that each of the beam components I and II makes a double pass through the prism (16) before reaching the interference plane. Rotation of the prism (16) causes the pupil formed by the beam component II to remain stationary, and causes the pupil formed by the beam component I to move across the stationary pupil along a scan axis on the interference plane. The photodetector device (15) comprises a linear array of photodetector elements positioned along an axis perpendicular to the scan axis.

7826072, Nov 2, 2010

Dec 6, 2007

11/999814

Daniel C. Wack - Los Altos CA, US
Andrei Veldman - Issaquah WA, US
Edward R. Ratner - Los Altos CA, US
John Hench - Los Gatos CA, US
Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA, US

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01B 11/14, G06F 19/00

356625, 356445, 700121, 702 81, 702 85, 702159, 702172

The present application discloses a method of model-based measurement of semiconductor device features using a scatterometer system. The method includes at least the following steps. A cost function is defined depending upon a plurality of variable parameters of the scatterometer system and upon a plurality of variable parameters for computer-implemented modeling to determine measurement results. Constraints are established for the plurality of variable parameters of the scatterometer system and for the plurality of variable parameters for the computer-implemented modeling. A computer-implemented optimization procedure is performed to determine an optimized global set of parameters, including both the variable parameters of the scatterometer system and the variable parameters for the computer-implemented modeling, which result in a minimal value of the cost function. Finally, the optimized global set of parameters is applied to configure the scatterometer system and the computer-implemented modeling. Other embodiments, features and aspects are also disclosed herein.

7716003, May 11, 2010

Jul 16, 2007

11/879227

Daniel C. Wack - Los Altos CA, US
Andrei Veldman - Issaquah WA, US
Edward R. Ratner - Los Altos CA, US
John Hench - Los Gatos CA, US
Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA, US

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01R 27/28

702117, 702159, 702172, 356625

The present application discloses a new technique which reduces the dimensionality of a feature model by re-use of data that has been obtained by a prior measurement. The data re-used from the prior measurement may range from parameters, such as geometrical dimensions, to more complex data that describe the electromagnetic scattering function of an underlying layer (for example, a local solution of the electric field properties).

7298481, Nov 20, 2007

Feb 23, 2004

10/785395

Walter D. Mieher - Los Gatos CA, US
Ady Levy - Sunnyvale CA, US
Boris Golovanevsky - Haifa, IL
Michael Friedmann - Mountain View CA, US
Ian Smith - Los Gatos CA, US
Michael E. Adel - Zichron Ya'akov, IL
Anatoly Fabrikant - Fremont CA, US
Mark Ghinovker - Migdal Ha'Emek, IL
John Fielden - Los Altos CA, US
Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA, US

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01B 11/00

356401

Disclosed is a method of determining an overlay error between two layers of a multiple layer sample. For each of a plurality of periodic targets target that each have a first structure formed from a first layer and a second structure formed from a second layer of the sample, a plurality of optical signals are measured at a plurality of incident angles, wherein there are predefined offsets between the first and second structures. An overlay error is then determined between the first and second structures by analyzing the measured optical signals at the plurality of incident angles from the periodic targets using a scatterometry overlay technique based on the predefined offsets without using a calibration operation.

7301634, Nov 27, 2007

Feb 23, 2004

10/785821

Walter D. Mieher - Los Gatos CA, US
Ady Levy - Sunnyvale CA, US
Boris Golovanesky - Haifa, IL
Michael Friedmann - Mountain View CA, US
Ian Smith - Los Gatos CA, US
Michael E. Adel - Zichron Ya'akov, IL
Christopher F. Bevis - Los Gatos CA, US
John Fielden - Los Altos CA, US
Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA, US
Anatoly Fabrikant - Fremont CA, US
Mark Ghinovker - Migdal Ha'Emek, IL
Piotr Zalicki - Sunnyvale CA, US
Dan Wack - Los Altos CA, US

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01B 11/00

356401

Disclosed is a method of determining an overlay error between two layers of a multiple layer sample. For a plurality of periodic targets that each have a first structure formed from a first layer and a second structure formed from a second layer of the sample, an interferometer is employed to modulate substantially a plurality of wavelengths of a broadband source and then acquiring one or more images of the periodic targets. There are predefined offsets between the first and second structures. An overlay error between the first and second structures is then determined by analyzing the one or more acquired images from the periodic targets using a scatterometry overlay technique based on the predefined offsets.

7897942, Mar 1, 2011

Dec 16, 2008

12/335736

Noah Bareket - Saratoga CA, US
Marek Zywno - San Jose CA, US

KLA-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

G03B 27/62

2504922, 25049222, 250398

A substrate processing apparatus and method for dynamic tracking of wafer motion and distortion during lithography are disclosed. An energetic beam may be applied to a portion of a substrate according to a predetermined pattern. The relative positions of one or more targets on the substrate may be determined while applying the energetic beam to the portion of the substrate. A dynamic distortion of the substrate may be determined from the relative positions while applying the energetic beam to the portion of the substrate. Application of the energetic beam may be deviated from the predetermined pattern in a manner calculated to compensate for the dynamic distortion of the substrate.