Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an immersion lithographic projection apparatus. SOLUTION: The immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which an immersion liquid is sealed between a final element of a projection system and a substrate. Use of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic layers on various elements of the apparatus is disclosed. The use of the layers helps to prevent formation of bubbles in the immersion liquid and reduce residue on the elements after being immersed in the liquid. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for producing incoherent radiation having uniform illuminance. SOLUTION: The system and method are used to form incoherent beams from a coherent beam. The system includes a source of radiation and a reflective loop system. The source of radiation produces a coherent or partially coherent beam. The reflective loop system receives the partially coherent beam and reflects the partially coherent beam through a loop, or alternatively a plurality of non-overlapping loops, to form an incoherent beam. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To measure characteristics of a projection system before and after a period for heating (exposure) and cooling so as to provide data for correcting a model for lens heating in a method of lithography. SOLUTION: The model for lens heating has a part for modeling an influence of cooling on the characteristics and a part for modeling an influence of heating on the characteristics. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide, for example, a lithographic method which provides an improved throughput or availability compared with known lithographic methods.SOLUTION: Provided is a method of patterning substrates using a lithographic apparatus. The method comprises: providing a beam of radiation using an illumination system; using a patterning device to provide the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section; and using a projection system to project the patterned radiation beam onto target portions of a substrate lot. The method further comprises: performing radiation beam aberration measurement after projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a subset of the substrate lot; adjusting the projection system using results of the radiation beam aberration measurement; and then projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a further subset of the substrate lot.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and a method, for executing maskless lithography more effectively.SOLUTION: The apparatus comprise a projection system, a pattern forming device, a low-pass filter, and a data manipulation device. The projection system projects a beam of radiation onto a substrate as an array of sub-beams of the radiation. The pattern forming device modulates the sub-beams of the radiation to substantially generate a requested dose pattern on the substrate. The low-pass filter executes calculation of pattern data derived from the requested dose pattern, thereby forming a frequency-clipped target dose pattern mainly including only spatial frequency components below a selected threshold frequency. The data manipulation device generates a control signal including spot exposure intensities to be generated by the patterning device, on the basis of a direct algebraic least-squares fit of the spot exposure intensities to the frequency-clipped target dose pattern.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for correcting an exposure parameter of an immersion lithographic apparatus, and to provide a device and/or a computer program product.SOLUTION: In this method, an exposure parameter is measured using measuring beams 22, 24 projected through a liquid between the projection system PL and a substrate table of the immersion lithographic apparatus, and offset is determined based on a change of a physical property influencing measurement made using the measuring beams to at least partly correct the measured exposure parameter. Also, the height of an optical element connected to liquid between the projection system and the substrate table in the immersion lithographic apparatus is measured.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent or reduce generation of residual liquid, for example, on a substrate and/or substrate table after exposure of the substrate, in an immersion lithographic apparatus. SOLUTION: In immersion lithography, after the exposure of the substrate is completed, a detector is used to detect the residual liquid that remains on the substrate and/or substrate table. When the residual liquid is detected, an alarm signal may be generated to instruct an operator to take measures of manual correction. When an automatic drying system is started or a drying process is already executed alternatively, the apparatus is restarted. An error code flag may be added to instruct a track unit on execution of an additional drying step such as spin drying before sintering after exposure or other processes which are likely to be affected by liquid. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and apparatus for determining apodization properties of a projection system in a lithographic apparatus.SOLUTION: The method comprises allowing light from a given point in an illumination field to pass through the projection system along at least three different optical paths, and then determining the difference in the intensity of light received in a projection field from the two different optical paths, and calculating apodization properties of the projection system from the intensity difference. It is not necessary to know the intensity distribution in the illumination field. To provide the different optical paths, a pinhole reticle provided with wedges of different orientations is used.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithographic apparatus and a method of manufacturing a device.SOLUTION: A lithographic projection apparatus for using with immersion liquid placed between a final element of a projection system and a substrate W is disclosed. A plurality of methods for protecting the projection system, a substrate table, and components of a liquid constraint system are disclosed. These methods include: a step of applying a protective coating on the final element 20 of the projection system; and a step of providing sacrificial bodies to an upstream side of the components. A two-component final optical element of CaFis also disclosed.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved method that brings about an optical proximity effect correction features to lithography. SOLUTION: Grayscale optical proximity effect correction device features are added to a mask pattern by convoluting the device features with a two-dimensional correction kernel or two one-dimensional correction kernels to generate grayscale OPC features (S11). The resulting pattern may be used in a projection lithography apparatus having a programmable patterning means that is adapted to generate three or more intensity levels. An iterative process (S15) of simulating an aerial image that would be produced by the pattern (S12), comparing the simulation to the desired pattern (S14), and adjusting the OPC features may be used to generate an optimum pattern for projection. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT