Product Description

The MPX Focus/Exposure Line Monitor provides an innovative methodology to monitor photo excursions of focus and exposure on production wafers. An option on the Archer series advanced overlay metrology systems, MPX improves overlay tool cost of ownership (CoO) as a single solution that monitors all stepper controls while providing high throughput with rapid optical measurements. MPX capitalizes on a unique capability to separate exposure from focus for more accurate process monitoring while providing real-time focus and exposure metrology.

Optical/SEM CD Process Window Metrology Control
The MPX Focus/Exposure Line Monitor combines with KLA-Tencor's Process Window Monitor™ (PWM) series of CD metrology systems to provide comprehensive process window control. SpectraCD-PWM is used to monitor the photocell using test wafers at regular intervals (tool monitoring), while MPX provides on-product detection of focus and exposure excursions for every lot. This two-pronged strategy ensures both optimum litho tool performance and detection of product-specific patterning excursions such as edge-die leveling issues.

• Enables 'on product' monitoring of focus/exposure to meet sub-130-nm roadmap requirements for tighter process windows
• Features innovative technology to decouple dose from focus for more accurate process control
• Improves stepper OEE by eliminating the need to increase focus-monitoring periodic maintenance to maintain tight process tolerances
• Reduces time to reaction of process excursions 25 percent by providing real-time feedback of focus-exposure parameters at the overlay step
• Improves overlay metrology tool CoO as a single solution for monitoring all stepper controls including overlay, focus, and dose
• Provides high throughput and rapid optical measurements, and reduces cycle time
• Provides a standard methodology for monitoring exposure tool focus across all vendors

Application

Mean Focus and Exposure Excursion Monitoring Utilizing high-speed optical metrology, MPX provides the real-time, on-product ability to track focus as well as exposure on a lot-by-lot basis to detect any unexpected excursions. For a given lot MPX provides overlay, focus, and exposure metrology from a single recipe. This kind of early warning detection system will minimize product at risk for focus and exposure excursions.

Edge Die Excursion Monitoring While maximizing chip performance across the wafer is a way to improve production efficiency, focus and exposure excursions can occur on the wafer edge as the exposure tool moves on and off the wafer. MPX can monitor chips along the wafer edge in real time, to quickly highlight any undesirable excursion.

Focus Tilt Monitoring As the scanner patterns the wafer, it is constantly leveling the stage; MPX provides the real-time, on-product capability to monitor the stability of this activity through multiple targets placed within the field.

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