Identifier

etd-04012006-004043

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

A low cost, high accuracy method is described in detail for measuring image placement in integrated circuit manufacture. The method measures both the overlay between levels and the absolute placement of features in a single level. The overlay is measured by a technique which views multiple levels separately. The absolute distances between features on a test wafer are measured by comparing the features to precision gratings. Optical imaging techniques are described for viewing and analyzing the grating images, as well as for measuring distortions in the observing microscope and a video camera. These techniques permit image placement measurements to be made to an accuracy limited by that of available gratings, at present about 2 nm. In addition they were applied to a prototype encoder system, demonstrating the potential improvement in commercial encoders by a factor of more than 100.

Date

2006

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Martin Feldman

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.2394

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