Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a multi-beam charged particle column configured to project a multi-beam of charged particles towards a target, the multi-beam charged particle column comprising: at least one aperture array comprising at least two different aperture patterns; and a rotator configured to rotate the aperture array between the different aperture patterns.
Abstract:
A method of assessing a model of a substrate is presented. A scatterometry measurement is taken using radiation at a first wavelength. The wavelength of the radiation is then changed and a further scatterometry measurement taken. If the scatterometry measurements are consistent across a range of wavelengths then the model is sufficiently accurate. However, if the scatterometry measurements change as the wavelength changes then the model of the substrate is not sufficiently accurate.
Abstract:
A method, involving illuminating at least a first periodic structure (1010) of a metrology target (T) with a first radiation beam (940) having a first polarization, illuminating at least a second periodic structure (1000) of the metrology target (T) with a second radiation beam (950) having a second different polarization, combining radiation diffracted from the first periodic structure (1010) with radiation diffracted from the second periodic structure (1000) to cause interference, detecting the combined radiation using a detector (1245), and determining a parameter of interest from the detected combined radiation.
Abstract:
A method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, the method including: illuminating a diffraction measurement target on a substrate with radiation, the measurement target including at least a first sub-target, at least a second sub-target and at least third sub-target, wherein the first, second and third sub-targets each include a periodic structure and wherein the first sub-target, second sub-target and third sub-target each have a different design and wherein at least two of the sub-targets are respectively designed for determination of a different lithographic process parameter; and detecting radiation scattered by the at least two sub-targets to obtain for that target a measurement representing the different parameters of the lithographic process.
Abstract:
A method comprising: evaluating a plurality of polarization characteristics associated with measurement of a metrology target of a substrate processed using a patterning process, against one or more measurement quality parameters; and selecting one or more polarization characteristics from the plurality of polarization characteristics based on one or more of the measurement quality parameters.
Abstract:
A method includes projecting an illumination beam of radiation onto a metrology target on a substrate, detecting radiation reflected from the metrology target on the substrate, and determining a characteristic of a feature on the substrate based on the detected radiation, wherein a polarization state of the detected radiation is controllably selected to optimize a quality of the detected radiation.
Abstract:
A method including performing a simulation to evaluate a plurality of metrology targets and/or a plurality of metrology recipes used to measure a metrology target, identifying one or more metrology targets and/or metrology recipes from the evaluated plurality of metrology targets and/or metrology recipes, receiving measurement data of the one or more identified metrology targets and/or metrology recipes, and using the measurement data to tune a metrology target parameter or metrology recipe parameter.
Abstract:
In an illumination system (12, 13) for a scatterometer, first and second spatial light modulators lie in a common plane and are formed by different portions of a single liquid crystal cell (260). Pre-polarizers (250) apply polarization to first and second radiation prior to the spatial light modulators. A first spatial light modulator (236-S) varies a polarization state of the first radiation in accordance with a first programmable pattern. Second spatial light modulator (236-P) varies a polarization state of the second radiation accordance with a second programmable pattern. A polarizing beam splitter (234) selectively transmits each of the spatially modulated first and second radiation to a common output path, depending on the polarization state of the radiation. In an embodiment, functions of pre-polarizers are performed by the polarizing beam splitter.
Abstract:
A method comprising: evaluating a plurality of polarization characteristics associated with measurement of a metrology target of a substrate processed using a patterning process, against one or more measurement quality parameters; and selecting one or more polarization characteristics from the plurality of polarization characteristics based on one or more of the measurement quality parameters.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a multi-beam charged particle column configured to project a multi-beam of charged particles towards a target, the multi-beam charged particle column comprising: at least one aperture array comprising at least two different aperture patterns; and a rotator configured to rotate the aperture array between the different aperture patterns.