Abstract:
A method of determining an uncertainty in the position of a domain within a self-assembly block copolymer (BCP) feature. The method includes simulating a BCP feature, calculating a minimum energy position of a first domain within the simulated BCP feature, simulating the application of a potential that causes the position of the first domain to be displaced from the minimum energy position, simulating release of the potential back toward the minimum energy, recording a plurality of energies of the BCP feature during the release and recording at each of the plurality of energies a displacement of the first domain from the minimum energy position, calculating, from the recorded energies and recorded displacements, a probability distribution indicating a probability of the first domain being displaced from the minimum energy position, and, from the probability distribution, calculating an uncertainty in the position of the first domain within the BCP feature.
Abstract:
An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that includes a support structure configured to hold an imprint template. The apparatus further includes an actuator located between the support structure and a side of the imprint template, when the imprint template is held by the support structure, configured to apply a force to the imprint template and a force sensor between the support structure and a side of the imprint template, when the imprint template is held by the support structure.
Abstract:
An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that has a first array of template holders, a second array of template holders, and a substrate table arranged to support a substrate to be imprinted, wherein the first array of template holders is arranged to hold an array of imprint templates that can be used to imprint a first array of patterns onto the substrate, and the second array of template holders is arranged hold an array of imprint templates that can be used to imprint a second array of patterns onto the substrate, the patterns imprinted by the second array being interspersed between the patterns imprinted by the first array.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed to form a row of mutually spaced elongate lithography features along an axis on a substrate, for instance for use as contact electrodes for a NAND device. The method involves directing alignment of self-assemblable block copolymer (BCP) composition in a trench in a resist layer on the substrate, having the substrate as base, with an epitaxy feature in the trench to cause the ordered BCP layer to have elongate domains stretching across the trench width, substantially parallel to each other and to the substrate. The ordered BCP layer is then used as a resist to pattern the substrate. A BCP composition adapted to assemble with spaced discontinuous elongate elliptical domains is disclosed. The method may allow for sub-resolution contact arrays to be formed using UV lithography.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed to form a patterned template on a substrate, to direct orientation of a self-assemblable block copolymer. The method involves providing a resist layer of a positive tone resist on the substrate and overexposing the resist with actinic (e.g. UV) radiation by photolithography to expose a continuous region of the resist layer with a sub-resolution unexposed resist portion at the interface between the resist and the substrate. The resist portion remaining at the interface, after removal of the exposed region, provides a basis for a chemical epitaxy template. The method may allow for simple, direct photolithography to form a patterned chemical epitaxy template and optionally include an accurately co-aligned graphoepitaxy feature and/or a substrate alignment feature.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed to form a patterned template on a substrate, to direct orientation of a self-assemblable block copolymer. The method involves providing a resist layer of a positive tone resist on the substrate and overexposing the resist with actinic (e.g. UV) radiation by photolithography to expose a continuous region of the resist layer with a sub-resolution unexposed resist portion at the interface between the resist and the substrate. The resist portion remaining at the interface, after removal of the exposed region, provides a basis for a chemical epitaxy template. The method may allow for simple, direct photolithography to form a patterned chemical epitaxy template and optionally include an accurately co-aligned graphoepitaxy feature and/or a substrate alignment feature.
Abstract:
A method involving obtaining a resist deformation model for simulating a deformation process of a pattern in resist, the resist deformation model being a fluid dynamics model configured to simulate an intrafluid force acting on the resist, performing, using the resist deformation model, a computer simulation of the deformation process to obtain a deformation of the developed resist pattern for an input pattern to the resist deformation model, and producing electronic data representing the deformation of the developed resist pattern for the input pattern.
Abstract:
A method of predicting the dominant failure mode and/or the failure rate of a plurality of features formed on a substrate, and an associated inspection apparatus. The method may include determining a placement metric for each feature, the placement metric including a measure of whether the feature is in an expected position, and comparing a distribution of the placement metric to a reference (e.g., Gaussian) distribution. The placement metric may include a boundary metric for a plurality of boundary points on a boundary defining each feature, the boundary metric including a measure of whether a boundary point is in an expected position. The dominant failure mode and/or the failure rate of the plurality of features is predicted from the comparison.
Abstract:
An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.
Abstract:
A method of designing an epitaxy template to direct self-assembly of a block copolymer on a substrate into an ordered target pattern involves providing a primary epitaxy template design and then varying the design to optimize a pattern fidelity statistic, such as placement error, relative to the target pattern by modelling predicted self-assembled block copolymer patterns and optimizing pattern placement as a function of a varied design parameter. In addition to varying a design parameter to optimize the pattern fidelity statistic, a random error in the template design is included prior to modelling predicted patterns in order to compensate for expected template inaccuracy in practice. The inclusion of a realistic random error in the template design, in addition to systematic variation of a design parameter, may improve the template design optimization to render the result less sensitive to error which may be inevitable in practice.