Abstract:
A method including modelling, by a computer system, a high resolution patterning error information of a patterning process involving a patterning device in a patterning system using an error mathematical model, modelling, by the computer system, a correction of the patterning error that can be made by a patterning device modification tool using a correction mathematical model, the correction mathematical model having substantially the same resolution as the error mathematical model, and determining, by the computer system, modification information for modifying the patterning device using the patterning device modification tool by applying the correction mathematical model to the patterning error information modeled by the error mathematical model.
Abstract:
A method including: obtaining information regarding a patterning error in a patterning process involving a patterning device; determining a nonlinearity over a period of time introduced by modifying the patterning error by a modification apparatus according to the patterning error information; and determining, by a computer system, a patterning error offset for use with the modification apparatus based on the determined nonlinearity.
Abstract:
A method for determining a substrate model for describing a first measurement dataset and a second measurement dataset relating to a performance parameter. The method comprises obtaining candidate basis functions for a plurality of substrate models. Steps 1 to 4 are performed iteratively for said first measurement dataset and said second measurement dataset until at least one stopping criterion is met so as to determine said substrate model, said steps comprising: 1. selecting a candidate basis function from said candidate basis functions; 2. updating a substrate model by adding the candidate basis function into this substrate model to obtain an updated substrate model; 3. evaluating the updated substrate model based on at least one of said first measurement dataset and said second measurement dataset; and 4. determining whether to include the basis function within the substrate model based on 10 the evaluation.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method for determining a sampling scheme, which method comprises: - obtaining a first fingerprint model relating to a first spatial distribution of a performance parameter over a first portion of a semiconductor substrate and a second fingerprint model relating to a second spatial distribution of said performance parameter over a second portion of the semiconductor substrate; and - determining a sampling point corresponding to a measuring location on the semiconductor substrate for generating measurement data based on an expected reduction of a first uncertainty metric associated with evaluation of the first fingerprint model over the first portion and an expected reduction of a second uncertainty metric associated with evaluation of the second fingerprint model over the second portion.
Abstract:
A method to change an etch parameter of a substrate etching process, the method comprising: making a first measurement of a first metric associated with a structure on a substrate before being etched; making a second measurement of a second metric associated with a structure on a substrate after being etched; and changing the etch parameter based on a difference between the first measurement and the second measurement.
Abstract:
A method for optimizing a sequence of processes for manufacturing of product units, includes: associating (406) measurement results of performance parameters (fingerprints) with the recorded process characteristics (context); obtaining (408) a characteristic (context) of a previous process (e.g. deposition) in the sequence already performed on a product unit; obtaining (410) a characteristic (context) of a subsequent process (exposure) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit; determining (412) a predicted performance parameter (fingerprint) of the product unit associated with the sequence of previous and subsequent processes by using the obtained characteristics to retrieve measurement results of the performance parameters (fingerprints) corresponding to the recorded characteristics; and determining (414, 416) corrections to be applied (418) to future processes (e.g. exposure, etch) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit, based on the determined predicted performance parameter.
Abstract:
A method including obtaining a measurement and/or simulation result of a pattern after being processed by an etch tool of a patterning system, determining a patterning error due to an etch loading effect based on the measurement and/or simulation result, and creating, by a computer system, modification information for modifying a patterning device and/or for adjusting a modification apparatus upstream in the patterning system from the etch tool based on the patterning error, wherein the patterning error is converted to a correctable error and/or reduced to a certain range, when the patterning device is modified according to the modification information and/or the modification apparatus is adjusted according to the modification information.
Abstract:
A method including evaluating, with respect to a parameter representing remaining uncertainty of a mathematical model fitting measured data, one or more mathematical models for fitting measured data and one or more measurement sampling schemes for measuring data, against measurement data across a substrate, and identifying one or more mathematical models and/or one or more measurement sampling schemes, for which the parameter crosses a threshold.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method of obtaining a fingerprint model for modelling a spatial distribution of a performance parameter over a portion of a substrate, the method comprising: defining an initial fingerprint model related to the spatial distribution of the performance parameter over the portion as a parameterized combination of basis functions; determining parameter values for the parameterized combination of basis functions based on pre-knowledge, and determining the fingerprint model for modelling the spatial distribution of the performance parameter over the portion of the substrate, based on a measurement set representing the performance parameter over the portion of a set of one or more semiconductor substrates and the initial fingerprint model, whereby a ratio of at least two parameter values of the basis functions as determined in the initial fingerprint model is kept constant or at least part of the shape of the initial fingerprint model is maintained in the fingerprint model.