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Search Publications by: Richard M. Silver (Fed)

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Displaying 101 - 125 of 154

The Limits of Image-Based Optical Metrology

March 1, 2006
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Bryan M. Barnes, Ravikiran Attota, Jay S. Jun, James J. Filliben, Juan Soto, Michael T. Stocker, P Lipscomb, Egon Marx, Heather J. Patrick, Ronald G. Dixson, Robert D. Larrabee
An overview of the challenges encountered in imaging device-sized features using optical techniques recently developed in our laboratories is presented in this paper. We have developed a set of techniques we refer to as scatterfield microscopy which allows

The Study of Silicon Stepped Surfaces as Atomic Force Microscope Calib Standards With a Calibrated AFM at NIST

September 29, 2005
Author(s)
V W. Tsai, Theodore V. Vorburger, Ronald G. Dixson, Joseph Fu, R Koning, Richard M. Silver, Edwin R. Williams
Due to the limitations of modern manufacturing technology, there is no commercial height artifact at the sub-nanometer scale currently available. The single-atom steps on a cleaned silicon (111) surface with a height of 0.314 nm, derived from the lattice

Dynamic Modeling and Vibration Analysis of a UHV Scanning Tunneling

August 17, 2005
Author(s)
Sumanth B. Chikkamaranahalli, R. R. Vallance, Bradley N. Damazo, Richard M. Silver, James D. Gilsinn
Techniques based on scanning probe microscopy (SPM) are used to fabricate surface structures with dimensions ranging from 10 - 100mm. These structures have been fabricated and imaged using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), and the STM requires the tip

High-resolution Optical Metrology

May 1, 2005
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Ravikiran Attota, Michael T. Stocker, M R. Bishop, Lowell P. Howard, Thomas A. Germer, Egon Marx, M P. Davidson, Robert D. Larrabee
Recent advances in optical imaging techniques have unveiled new possibilities for optical metrology and optical-based process control measurements of features in the 65 nm node and beyond. In this paper we discuss methods and applications that combine

Photomask Metrology, Photomask Fabrication Technology

January 1, 2005
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Andras Vladar
In this paper we will focus on the different metrology techniques used to measure features on photomasks. In view of the above discussion, we will focus on the importance of accurately measuring features and developing traceability. The metrology

The Influence of Defects on the Morphology of Si (111) Etched in NHF

January 1, 2005
Author(s)
Hui Zhou, Joseph Fu, Richard M. Silver
We have implemented a kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) simulation to study the morphologies of Si (111) surfaces etched in NHF. Although our initial simulations reproduced the previous results from Hines, it failed to produce the morphologies observed in our

Evaluation of New In-Chip and Arrayed Line Overlay Target Designs

May 24, 2004
Author(s)
M P. Davidson, M R. Bishop, Robert D. Larrabee, Michael T. Stocker, Jay S. Jun, Egon Marx, Richard M. Silver, Ravikiran Attota
Two types of overlay targets have been designed and evaluated for the study of optical overlay metrology. They are in-chip and arrayed overlay targets. In-chip targets are three-bar two-level targets designed to be placed in or near the active device area

Evaluation of New In-Chip and Arrayed Line Overlay

May 1, 2004
Author(s)
Ravikiran Attota, Richard M. Silver, M R. Bishop, Egon Marx, Jay S. Jun, Michael T. Stocker, M P. Davidson, Robert D. Larrabee
Two types of overlay targets have been designed and evaluated for the study of optical overlay metrology. They are in-chip and arrayed overlay targets. In-chip targets are three-bar two-level targets designed to be placed in or near the active device area

High-Resolution Optical Overlay Metrology

May 1, 2004
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Ravikiran Attota, M R. Bishop, Jay S. Jun, Egon Marx, M P. Davidson, Robert D. Larrabee
Optical methods are often thought to lose their effectiveness as a metrology tool beyond the Rayleigh criterion. However, using advanced modeling methods, the conventional resolution limitations encountered in well-defined edge-to-edge measurements using

Improving the Uncertainty of Photomask Linewidth Measurements

May 1, 2004
Author(s)
J Pedulla, James E. Potzick, Richard M. Silver
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is currently developing a photomask linewidth standard (SRM 2059) with a lower expected uncertainty of calibration than the previous NIST standards (SRMs 473, 475, 476). In calibrating these

Nano-Lithography in Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) for Real World Applications

March 11, 2004
Author(s)
James D. Gilsinn, Hui Zhou, Bradley N. Damazo, Joseph Fu, Richard M. Silver
As nano-lithography technology improves, more companies and research groups have the capability to create nano-scale structures. Scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) are commonly used to create these structures and evaluate them afterward. One difficulty

Nano-Lithography in Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) for Real World Applications

March 1, 2004
Author(s)
James D. Gilsinn, Hui Zhou, Bradley N. Damazo, Joseph Fu, Richard M. Silver
As nano-lithography technology improves, more companies and research groups have the capability to create nano-scale structures. Scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) are commonly used to create these structures and evaluate them afterward. One difficulty

Atomic-Resolution Measurements With a New Tunable Diode Laser-Based Interferometer

January 1, 2004
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, H Zou, S Gonda, Bradley N. Damazo, Jay S. Jun, Carsten P. Jensen, Lowell P. Howard
We have developed a new implementation of a Michelson interferometer which has demonstrated better than 20 picometer resolution measurement capability. This new method uses a tunable diode laser as the light source with the laser wavelength continuously

Calibration Strategies for Overlay and Registration Metrology

May 1, 2003
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Michael T. Stocker, Ravikiran Attota, M R. Bishop, Jay S. Jun, Egon Marx, M P. Davidson, Robert D. Larrabee
Critical dimensions in current and next generation devices are driving the need for tighter overlay registration tolerances and improved overlay metrology tool accuracy and repeatability. Tool matching, performance evaluation, model-based metrology, and a

Dependence of Morphology on Miscut Angle for Si(111) Etched in NH(4)F

May 1, 2003
Author(s)
S Gonda, Joseph Fu, John A. Kramar, Richard M. Silver, Hui Zhou
Using scanning probe microscopy, we have examined the surfaces produced by etching several different vicinal Si(111) samples in NH(4)F aqueous solution. In agreement with others, we found that deoxygenation of the etchant generally reduces the number of

Dependency of Morphology on Miscut Angle for Si(111) Etched in NH 4 F

May 1, 2003
Author(s)
Joseph Fu, Hui Zhou, John A. Kramar, Richard M. Silver, S Gonda
Using scanning probe microscopy, we have examined the surfaces produced by etching several different vicinal Si(111) samples in NH 4F aqueous solution. In agreement with others, we found that deoxygenation of the etchant generally reduces the number of

New Method to Enhance Overlay Tool Performance

May 1, 2003
Author(s)
Ravikiran Attota, Richard M. Silver, Michael T. Stocker, Egon Marx, Jay S. Jun, M P. Davidson, Robert D. Larrabee
New methods to enhance and improve algorithm performance and data analysis are being developed at NIST for overlay measurement applications. Both experimental data and improved theoretical optical scattering models have been used for the study. We have

Overlay Metrology Simulations: Analytical and Experimental Validations

May 1, 2003
Author(s)
Joel L. Seligson, B Golovanevsky, J M. Poplawski, M E. Adel, Richard M. Silver
We have previously reported on an overlay metrology simulation platform, used for modeling both the effects of overlay metrology tool behavior and the impact of target design on the ultimate metrology performance. Since our last report, the simulations by

Comparison of Measured Optical Image Profiles of Silicon Lines with Two Different Theoretical Models

July 1, 2002
Author(s)
Richard M. Silver, Ravikiran Attota, Michael T. Stocker, Jay S. Jun, Egon Marx, Robert D. Larrabee, B Russo, M P. Davidson
In this paper we describe a new method for the separation of too-induced measurement errors and sample-induced measurement errors. We apply the method to standard overlay target configurations. This method is used to separate the effects of the tool and