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Search Publications by: Richard M. Silver (Fed)

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Displaying 51 - 75 of 154

3-D Optical Metrology of Finite sub-20 nm Dense Arrays using Fourier Domain Normalization

March 25, 2013
Author(s)
Jing Qin, Hui Zhou, Bryan M. Barnes, Ronald G. Dixson, Richard M. Silver
Reduced target dimensions requiring improved resolution and sensitivity have driven the need to use and analyze the phase and scattered frequency information available when using image-based scatterometry systems. One such system is scatterfield microscopy

Topography Measurements and Performance Comparisons between NIST SRM 2460 Standard Bullet Masters and BKA Bullet Replicas

July 31, 2012
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger, Robert M. Thompson, Susan M. Ballou, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Thomas Brian Renegar, Richard M. Silver
Two Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2460 Bullets produced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) were used as masters for the fabrication of replica bullets at the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA). The surface topography of the SRM masters

On CD-AFM bias related to probe bending

April 9, 2012
Author(s)
Vladimir A. Ukraintsev, Ndubuisi George Orji, Theodore V. Vorburger, Ronald G. Dixson, Joseph Fu, Richard M. Silver
Critical Dimension AFM (CD-AFM) is a widely used reference metrology. To characterize modern semiconductor devices, very small and flexible probes, often 15 nm to 20 nm in diameter, are now frequently used. Several recent publications have reported on

Scatterfield Microscopy of 22 nm Node Patterned Defects using Visible and DUV Light

April 4, 2012
Author(s)
Bryan M. Barnes, Martin Y. Sohn, Francois R. Goasmat, Hui Zhou, Richard M. Silver, Abraham Arceo
Smaller patterning dimensions and novel architectures are fostering research into improved methods of defect detection in semiconductor device manufacturing. This initial experimental study, augmented with simulation, evaluates scatterfield microscopy to

Development of Ballistics Identification - From Image Comparison to Topography Measurement in Surface Metrology-

March 22, 2012
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger, Robert M. Thompson, Thomas Brian Renegar, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, James H. Yen, Richard M. Silver, Wei Chu
Fired bullets and ejected cartridge cases have unique ballistics signatures left by the firearm. By analyzing the ballistics signatures, forensic examiners can trace these bullets and cartridge cases to the firearm used in a crime scene. Current automated

The National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC) Project

March 10, 2012
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger, Susan M. Ballou, Robert M. Thompson, James H. Yen, Thomas Brian Renegar, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Richard M. Silver, Martin Ols
In response to the guidelines issued by the ASCLD/LAB-International (American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board) to establish traceability and quality assurance in U.S. crime laboratories, a NIST/ATF joint project

Nanometrology Using Through-Focus Scanning Optical Microscopy Method

December 21, 2011
Author(s)
Ravikiran Attota, Richard M. Silver
We present an initial review of a novel through-focus scanning optical microscopy (TSOM) imaging method that produces nanometer dimensional measurement sensitivity using a conventional bright-field optical microscope. In the TSOM method a target is scanned

Fundamental Limits of Optical Patterned Defect Metrology

November 14, 2011
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Bryan Barnes, Martin Sohn, Hui Zhou, Jing Qin
The semiconductor manufacturing industry is now facing serious challenges in achieving defect detection rates with acceptable throughput and accuracy. With conventional bright-field and dark-field inspection methods now at their limits, it has become

Controlling Formation of Atomic Step Morphology on Micro-patterned Si (100)

August 9, 2011
Author(s)
Kai Li, Pradeep Namboodiri, Sumanth B. Chikkamaranahalli, Gheorghe Stan, Ravikiran Attota, Joseph Fu, Richard M. Silver
Micro scale features are fabricated on Si (100) surfaces using lithographic techniques and then thermally processed in an ultra high vacuum (UHV) environment. Samples are flash heated at 1200 °C and further annealed at 1050 °C for 18 hours. The surface

A Bayesian Statistical Model for Hybrid Metrology to Improve Measurement Accuracy

July 31, 2011
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Nien F. Zhang, Bryan M. Barnes, Jing Qin, Hui Zhou, Ronald G. Dixson
We present a method to combine measurements from different techniques that reduces uncertainties and can improve measurement throughput. The approach directly integrates the measurement analysis of multiple techniques that can include different

Optical illumination optimization for patterned defect inspection

April 20, 2011
Author(s)
Bryan M. Barnes, Richard Quintanilha, Martin Y. Sohn, Hui Zhou, Richard M. Silver
Rapidly decreasing critical dimensions (CD) for semiconductor devices drive the study of improved methods for the detection of defects within patterned areas. As reduced CDs are being achieved through directional patterning, additional constraints and

Nested Uncertainties and Hybrid Metrology to Improve Measurement Accuracy

April 18, 2011
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Nien F. Zhang, Bryan M. Barnes, Hui Zhou, Jing Qin, Ronald G. Dixson
In this paper we present a method to combine measurement techniques that reduce uncertainties and improve measurement throughput. The approach has immediate utility when performing model-based optical critical dimension measurements. When modeling optical

Light Scattering Methods

April 9, 2011
Author(s)
Theodore V. Vorburger, Richard M. Silver, Rainer Brodmann, Boris Brodmann, Jorg Seewig
Light scattering belongs to a class of techniques known as area-integrating methods for measuring surface texture. Rather than being based on coordinate measurement, these methods probe an area of the surface altogether and yield parameters that are

Characterizing a Scatterfield Optical Platform for Semiconductor Metrology

December 21, 2010
Author(s)
Bryan M. Barnes, Ravikiran Attota, Richard Quintanilha, Martin Y. Sohn, Richard M. Silver
Scatterfield microscopy is the union of a high-magnification imaging platform and the angular and/or wavelength control of scatterometry at the sample surface. Scatterfield microscopy uses Köhler illumination, where each point on the source translates to a

Topography measurements for correlations of standard cartridge cases

July 1, 2010
Author(s)
Theodore V. Vorburger, Jun-Feng Song, Wei Chu, Thomas Brian Renegar, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, James H. Yen, Robert M. Thompson, Richard M. Silver, Benjamin Bachrach, Martin Ols
NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRM) 2460 Standard Bullets and 2461 Standard Cartridge Cases are intended for use as check standards for crime laboratories to help verify that their computerized optical imaging equipment for ballistics image

Nanoparticle size and shape evaluation using the TSOM optical microscopy method

June 6, 2010
Author(s)
Ravikiran Attota, Richard J. Kasica, Lei Chen, Premsagar P. Kavuri, Richard M. Silver, Andras Vladar
We present a novel optical TSOM (through-focus scanning optical microscopy - pronounced as 'tee-som') method that produces nanoscale dimensional measurement sensitivity using a conventional optical microscope. The TSOM method uses optical information from

Sub-50 nm measurements using a 193 nm angle-resolved scatterfield microscope

April 1, 2010
Author(s)
Richard Quintanilha, Martin Y. Sohn, Bryan M. Barnes, Richard M. Silver
Resist-on-silicon sub-50 nm targets have been investigated using a 193 nm angle-resolved scatter field microscope(ARSM). The illumination path of this microscope allows customization of the Conjugate Back Focal Plane (CBFP) while separate collection paths

The Limits and Extensibility of Optical Patterned Defect Inspection

April 1, 2010
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Bryan M. Barnes, Martin Y. Sohn, Richard Quintanilha, Hui Zhou, Chris Deeb, Mark Johnson, Milton Goodwin, Dilip Patel
New techniques recently developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology using bright field optical tools are applied to signal-based defect analysis of features with dimensions well below the measurement wavelength. A key to this approach