公开(公告)号：US20190079413A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-14

申请号：US16106322

申请日：2018-08-21

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Martin Jacobus Johan JAK ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47

Abstract: An apparatus and method for estimating a parameter of a lithographic process and an apparatus and method for determining a relationship between a measure of quality of an estimate of a parameter of a lithographic process are provided. In the apparatus for estimating the parameter a processor is configured to determine a quality of the estimate of the parameter relating to the tested substrate based on a measure of feature asymmetry in the at least first features of the tested substrate and further based on a relationship determined for a plurality of corresponding at least first features of at least one further substrate representative of the tested substrate, the relationship being between a measure of quality of an estimate of the parameter relating to the at least one further substrate and a measure of feature asymmetry in the corresponding first features.

公开(公告)号：US20180246423A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-30

申请号：US15754470

申请日：2016-08-22

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Nitesh PANDEY ,  Patricius Aloysius Jacobus TINNEMANS ,  Stefan Michiel WITTE ,  Kjeld Sijbrand Eduard EIKEMA

IPC: G03F9/00 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G01B11/27

CPC classification number: G03F9/7003 ,  G01B11/272 ,  G03F9/7046 ,  G03F9/7088 ,  G03F9/7092 ,  G06T7/73

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises comprise a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and a sensor configured to sense a position of an alignment mark provided onto the substrate held by the substrate table. The sensor comprises a source of radiation configured to illuminate the alignment mark with a radiation beam, a detector configured to detect the radiation beam, having interacted with the alignment mark, as an out of focus optical pattern, and a data processing system. The data processing system is configured to receive image data representing the out of focus optical pattern, and process the image data for determining alignment information, comprising applying a lensless imaging algorithm to the out of focus optical pattern.

公开(公告)号：US20170315456A1

公开(公告)日：2017-11-02

申请号：US15487558

申请日：2017-04-14

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nan LIN ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Sander Bas ROOBOL ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Niels GEYPEN

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/16 ,  H01S3/00 ,  G01B11/24 ,  G02F1/37 ,  G02F1/355 ,  H01S3/13

CPC classification number: G03F7/70616 ,  G01B11/24 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G02F1/3551 ,  G02F1/37 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  H01S3/0092 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/1625 ,  H01S3/1636

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of performing a measurement in an inspection apparatus, and an associated inspection apparatus and HHG source. The method comprises configuring one or more controllable characteristics of at least one driving laser pulse of a high harmonic generation radiation source to control the output emission spectrum of illumination radiation provided by the high harmonic generation radiation source; and illuminating a target structure with said illuminating radiation. The method may comprise configuring the driving laser pulse so that the output emission spectrum comprises a plurality of discrete harmonic peaks. Alternatively the method may comprise using a plurality of driving laser pulses of different wavelengths such that the output emission spectrum is substantially monochromatic.

公开(公告)号：US20170184511A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-29

申请号：US15388463

申请日：2016-12-22

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Nan LIN ,  Sander Bas ROOBOL

IPC: G01N21/88 ,  G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G01N21/8806 ,  G01N2021/8822 ,  G01N2201/061 ,  G03F7/70191 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/7065 ,  G03F9/7049 ,  G03F9/7065

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). The lithographic apparatus has an inspection apparatus with an illumination system that utilizes illuminating radiation with a wavelength of 2-40 nm. The illumination system includes an optical element that splits the illuminating radiation into a first and a second illuminating radiation and induces a time delay to the first or the second illuminating radiation. A detector detects the radiation that has been scattered by a target structure. The inspection apparatus has a processing unit operable to control a time delay between the first scattered radiation and the second scattered radiation so as to optimize a property of the combined first and second scattered radiation.

公开(公告)号：US20240036484A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-01

申请号：US18265606

申请日：2021-12-02

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Timothy Dugan DAVIS ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA ,  Sebastianus Adrianus GOORDEN ,  Armand Eugene Albert KOOLEN ,  Sera JEON ,  Shuo-Chun LIN

IPC: G03F9/00 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F9/7019 ,  G03F9/7092 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70641

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of metrology. The method comprises measuring at least one surrounding observable parameter relating to a surrounding signal contribution to a metrology signal which comprises a contribution to said metrology signal which is not attributable to at least one target being measured and determining a correction from said surrounding signal observable parameter. The correction is used to correct first measurement data relating to measurement of one or more targets using measurement radiation forming a measurement spot on one or more of said one or more targets which is larger than one of said targets.

公开(公告)号：US20240036480A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-01

申请号：US18258521

申请日：2021-12-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Armand Eugene Albert KOOLEN ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Hui Quan LIM ,  Amanda Elizabeth ANDERSON

IPC: G03F7/00 ,  G03F9/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70683 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F9/7088 ,  G03F9/7076

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring a target on a substrate comprising: illuminating a target with measurement radiation comprising at least a first wavelength, collecting the resultant scattered radiation within a collection numerical aperture; and determining a parameter of interest from said scattered radiation. The target comprises a mediator periodic structure and at least a first target periodic structure each in a respective different layer on the substrate, wherein a pitch of at least the mediator periodic structure is below a single diffraction limit defined by the collection numerical aperture and a wavelength of said measurement radiation, such that said scattered radiation comprises double diffracted radiation, said double diffracted radiation comprising radiation having undergone two sequential same-order diffractions of opposite sign.

公开(公告)号：US20240012339A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18255310

申请日：2021-12-08

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF

IPC: G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70683

Abstract: Disclosed is method of determining at least one homogeneity metric describing homogeneity of an etched trench on a substrate formed by a lithographic manufacturing process. The method comprises obtaining one or more images of the etched trench, wherein each of said one or more images comprises a spatial representation of one or more parameters of scattered radiation as detected by a detector or camera following scattering and/or diffraction from the etched trench; and measuring homogeneity along the length of the etched trench on said one or more images to determine said at least one homogeneity metric.

公开(公告)号：US20230017491A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-19

申请号：US17784566

申请日：2020-12-03

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. ,  ASML HOLDING N.V.

Inventor： Patricius Aloysius Jacobus TINNEMANS ,  Igor Matheus Petronalla AARTS ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA ,  Ralph BRINKHOF ,  Leendert Jan KARSSEMEIJER ,  Stefan Carolus Jacobus A KEIJ ,  Haico Victor KOK ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Henricus Johannes Lambertu MEGENS ,  Samee Ur REHMAN

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G03F9/00

Abstract: A metrology method relating to measurement of a structure on a substrate, the structure being subject to one or more asymmetric deviation. The method includes obtaining at least one intensity asymmetry value relating to the one or more asymmetric deviations, wherein the at least one intensity asymmetry value includes a metric related to a difference or imbalance between the respective intensities or amplitudes of at least two diffraction orders of radiation diffracted by the structure; determining at least one phase offset value corresponding to the one or more asymmetric deviations based on the at least one intensity asymmetry value; and determining one or more measurement corrections for the one or more asymmetric deviations from the at least one phase offset value.

公开(公告)号：US20220276569A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-01

申请号：US17629053

申请日：2020-07-17

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA ,  Keng-Fu CHANG ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining information about a target structure are disclosed. In one arrangement, a value of an asymmetry indicator for the target structure is obtained. The value of the asymmetry indicator represents an amount of an overlay independent asymmetry in the target structure. An error in an initial overlay measurement performed on the target structure at a previous time is estimated. The estimation is performed using the obtained value of the asymmetry indicator and a relationship between values of the asymmetry indicator and overlay measurement errors caused at least partially by overlay independent asymmetries. An overlay in the target structure is determined using the initial overlay measurement and the estimated error.

公开(公告)号：US20190227446A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-25

申请号：US16315100

申请日：2017-08-14

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. ,  ASML HOLDING N.V.

Inventor： Franciscus Godefridus Casper BIJNEN ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Vassili DEMERGIS ,  Edo Maria HULSEBOS

IPC: G03F9/00

Abstract: A method of determining the position of an alignment mark on a substrate, the alignment mark having first and second segment, the method including illuminating the alignment mark with radiation, detecting radiation diffracted by the alignment mark and generating a resulting alignment signal. The alignment signal has a first component received during illumination of the first segment only, a second component received during illumination of the second segment only, and a third component received during simultaneous illumination of both segments. The positions of the segments are determined using the first component, the second component and the third component of the alignment signal.