公开(公告)号：US11262661B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-01

申请号：US16431833

申请日：2019-06-05

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh Pandey ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Duygu Akbulut ,  Marinus Johannes Maria Van Dam ,  Hans Butler ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch ,  Ferry Zijp ,  Jeroen Arnoldus Leonardus Johannes Raaymakers ,  Marinus Petrus Reijnders

IPC: G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: A metrology tool for determining a parameter of interest of a structure fabricated on a substrate, the metrology tool comprising: an illumination optical system for illuminating the structure with illumination radiation under a non-zero angle of incidence; a detection optical system comprising a detection optical sensor and at least one lens for capturing a portion of illumination radiation scattered by the structure and transmitting the captured radiation towards the detection optical sensor, wherein the illumination optical system and the detection optical system do not share an optical element.

公开(公告)号：US11080459B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-03

申请号：US16804048

申请日：2020-02-28

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Christophe David Fouquet ,  Bernardo Kastrup ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens ,  James Benedict Kavanagh ,  James Patrick Koonmen ,  Neal Patrick Callan

IPC: G06F30/398 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F30/20 ,  G06N7/00

Abstract: A defect prediction method for a device manufacturing process involving processing a portion of a design layout onto a substrate, the method including: identifying a hot spot from the portion of the design layout; determining a range of values of a processing parameter of the device manufacturing process for the hot spot, wherein when the processing parameter has a value outside the range, a defect is produced from the hot spot with the device manufacturing process; determining an actual value of the processing parameter; determining or predicting, using the actual value, existence, probability of existence, a characteristic, or a combination thereof, of a defect produced from the hot spot with the device manufacturing process.

公开(公告)号：US10809628B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-20

申请号：US16028953

申请日：2018-07-06

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Kaustuve Bhattacharyya

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  H01L23/544 ,  G03F9/00

Abstract: Metrology targets are formed by a lithographic process, each target comprising a bottom grating and a top grating. Overlay performance of the lithographic process can be measured by illuminating each target with radiation and observing asymmetry in diffracted radiation. Parameters of metrology recipe and target design are selected so as to maximize accuracy of measurement of overlay, rather than reproducibility. The method includes calculating at least one of a relative amplitude and a relative phase between (i) a first radiation component representing radiation diffracted by the top grating and (ii) a second radiation component representing radiation diffracted by the bottom grating after traveling through the top grating and intervening layers. The top grating design may be modified to bring the relative amplitude close to unity. The wavelength of illuminating radiation in the metrology recipe can be adjusted to bring the relative phase close to π/2 or 3π/2.

公开(公告)号：US10712678B2

公开(公告)日：2020-07-14

申请号：US15046284

申请日：2016-02-17

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Yvonne Wendela Kruijt-Stegeman ,  Andre Bernardus Jeunink ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Vadim Yevgenyevich Banine ,  Michael Jozef Mathijs Renkens ,  Gerard Van Schothorst ,  Johan Frederik Dijksman ,  Carolus Johannes Catharina Schoormans ,  Adrianus Hendrik Koevoets ,  Catharinus De Schiffart ,  Sander Frederik Wuister

IPC: B29C43/58 ,  G03F9/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  B29C43/02 ,  B29C59/02 ,  B29C59/16

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that includes an imprint template holder arranged to hold an imprint template, and a plurality of position sensors configured to measure change of the size and/or shape of the imprint template, wherein the position sensors are mechanically isolated from the imprint template. Also disclosed is a lithography method that includes using an imprint template to imprint a pattern onto a substrate, and measuring changes of the size and/or shape of the imprint template while imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US10564552B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-18

申请号：US16007112

申请日：2018-06-13

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Gonzalo Roberto Sanguinetti ,  Murat Bozkurt ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

IPC: G03B27/42 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01B11/27

Abstract: Overlay error of a lithographic process is measured using a plurality of target structures, each target structure having a known overlay bias. A detection system captures a plurality of images (740) representing selected portions of radiation diffracted by the target structures under a plurality of different capture conditions (λ1, λ2). Pixel values of the captured images are combined (748) to obtain one or more synthesized images (750). A plurality of synthesized diffraction signals are extracted (744) from the synthesized image or images, and used to calculate a measurement of overlay. The computational burden is reduced compared with extracting diffraction signals from the captured images individually. The captured images may be dark-field images or pupil images, obtained using a scatterometer.

公开(公告)号：US10474045B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-12

申请号：US15737990

申请日：2016-06-28

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Franciscus Godefridus Casper Bijnen ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren ,  Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans ,  Alexander Ypma ,  Irina Anatolievna Lyulina ,  Edo Maria Hulsebos ,  Hakki Ergün Cekli ,  Xing Lan Liu ,  Loek Johannes Petrus Verhees ,  Victor Emanuel Calado ,  Leon Paul Van Dijk

IPC: G03F9/00 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: A method of characterizing a deformation of a plurality of substrates is described. The method includes: measuring, for a plurality of n different alignment measurement parameters λ and for a plurality of substrates, a position of the alignment marks; determining a positional deviation as the difference between the n alignment mark position measurements and a nominal alignment mark position; grouping the positional deviations into data sets; determining an average data set; subtracting the average data set from the data sets to obtain a plurality of variable data sets; performing a blind source separation method on the variable data sets, thereby decomposing the variable data sets into a set of eigenwafers representing principal components of the variable data sets; and subdividing the set of eigenwafers into a set of mark deformation eigenwafers and a set of substrate deformation eigenwafers.

公开(公告)号：US10474039B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-12

申请号：US15384084

申请日：2016-12-19

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Paul Christiaan Hinnen ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen ,  Maikel Robert Goosen ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

IPC: G03B27/34 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus (LA) prints product features and at least one focus metrology pattern (T) on a substrate. The focus metrology pattern is defined by a reflective reticle and printing is performed using EUV radiation (404) incident at an oblique angle (θ). The focus metrology pattern comprises a periodic array of groups of first features (422). A spacing (S1) between adjacent groups of first features is much greater than a dimension (CD) of the first features within each group. Due to the oblique illumination, the printed first features become distorted and/or displaced as a function of focus error. Second features 424 may be provided as a reference against which displacement of the first features may be seen. Measurement of this distortion and/or displacement may be by measuring asymmetry as a property of the printed pattern. Measurement can be done at longer wavelengths, for example in the range 350-800 nm.

公开(公告)号：US10408754B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-10

申请号：US15654813

申请日：2017-07-20

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Euclid Eberle Moon ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/88 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G03F9/00

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring a target, an associated substrate, a metrology apparatus and a lithographic apparatus. In one arrangement the target comprises a layered structure. The layered structure has a first target structure in a first layer and a second target structure in a second layer. The method comprises illuminating the target with measurement radiation. Scattered radiation formed by interference between plural predetermined diffraction orders is detected. The predetermined diffraction orders are generated by diffraction of the measurement radiation from the first target structure and are subsequently diffracted from the second target structure. A characteristic of the lithographic process is calculated using the detected scattered radiation formed by the interference between the predetermined diffraction orders.

公开(公告)号：US10394143B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-27

申请号：US15764617

申请日：2016-09-06

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh Pandey ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Heine Melle Mulder ,  Willem Richard Pongers ,  Paulus Antonius Andreas Teunissen

IPC: G03F9/00 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: A topography measurement system comprising a radiation source configured to generate a radiation beam, a spatially coded grating configured to pattern the radiation beam and thereby provide a spatially coded radiation beam, optics configured to form an image of the spatially coded grating at a target location on a substrate, detection optics configured to receive radiation reflected from the target location of the substrate and form an image of the grating image at a second grating, and a detector configured to receive radiation transmitted through the second grating and produce an output signal.

公开(公告)号：US10317808B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-11

申请号：US16069678

申请日：2017-01-16

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Simon Reinald Huisman ,  Alessandro Polo ,  Duygu Akbulut ,  Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

IPC: G01B11/00 ,  G03F9/00 ,  G01B9/02 ,  G01D5/26

Abstract: In an alignment sensor of a lithographic apparatus, position sensing radiation is delivered to a target (P1). After reflection or diffraction from the target, position sensing radiation is processed to determine a position of the target. Reference radiation interferes with the position sensing radiation) while a relative phase modulation is applied between the reference radiation and the position sensing radiation. The interfering radiation includes a time-varying component defined by the applied phase modulation. The interfering radiation is delivered to two photodetectors in such a way that each photodetector receives said time-varying component in anti-phase to that received at the other photodetector. A difference signal (i(t)) from said photodetectors contains an amplified, low noise version of said time-varying component. This is used in determining the position of the target. Mode matching enhances interference. Surface scattered radiation is rejected.