Control method for a scanning exposure apparatus

    公开(公告)号:US11360395B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-06-14

    申请号:US16978445

    申请日:2019-02-12

    Abstract: A method for controlling a scanning exposure apparatus configured for scanning an illumination profile over a substrate to form functional areas thereon. The method includes determining a control profile for dynamic control of the illumination profile during exposure of an exposure field including the functional areas, in a scanning exposure operation; and optimizing a quality of exposure of one or more individual functional areas. The optimizing may include a) extending the control profile beyond the extent of the exposure field in the scanning direction; and/or b) applying a deconvolution scheme to the control profile, wherein the structure of the deconvolution scheme is based on a dimension of the illumination profile in the scanning direction.

    Methods and patterning devices and apparatuses for measuring focus performance of a lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method

    公开(公告)号:US11204557B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-12-21

    申请号:US16688438

    申请日:2019-11-19

    Inventor: Frank Staals

    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring focus performance of a lithographic apparatus. The method comprises using the lithographic apparatus to print at least one focus metrology pattern on a substrate, the printed focus metrology pattern comprising at least a first periodic array of features, and using inspection radiation to measure asymmetry between opposite portions of a diffraction spectrum for the first periodic array in the printed focus metrology pattern. A measurement of focus performance is derived based at least in part on the asymmetry measured. The first periodic array comprises a repeating arrangement of a space region having no features and a pattern region having at least one first feature comprising sub-features projecting from a main body and at least one second feature; and wherein the first feature and second feature are in sufficient proximity to be effectively detected as a single feature during measurement. A patterning device comprising said first periodic array is also disclosed.

    Metrology robustness based on through-wavelength similarity

    公开(公告)号:US10394132B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-08-27

    申请号:US16096360

    申请日:2017-04-24

    Abstract: A method including obtaining a measurement result from a target on a substrate, by using a substrate measurement recipe; determining, by a hardware computer system, a parameter from the measurement result, wherein the parameter characterizes dependence of the measurement result on an optical path length of the target for incident radiation used in the substrate measurement recipe and the determining the parameter includes determining dependence of the measurement result on a relative change of wavelength of the incident radiation; and if the parameter is not within a specified range, adjusting the substrate measurement recipe.

    Method for determining a process window for a lithographic process, associated apparatuses and a computer program

    公开(公告)号:US10133191B2

    公开(公告)日:2018-11-20

    申请号:US15325716

    申请日:2015-07-15

    Abstract: A method of determining a process window for a lithographic process, the process window describing a degree of acceptable variation in at least one processing parameter during the lithographic process. The method includes obtaining a set of output parameter values derived from measurements performed at a plurality of locations on a substrate, following pattern transfer to the substrate using a lithographic process, and obtaining a corresponding set of actual processing parameter values that includes an actual value of a processing parameter of the lithographic process during the pattern transfer at each of the plurality of locations. The process window is determined from the output parameter values and the actual processing parameter values. This process window may be used to improve the selection of the processing parameter at which a subsequent lithographic process is performed.

    Lithographic apparatus with data processing apparatus

    公开(公告)号:US10078273B2

    公开(公告)日:2018-09-18

    申请号:US15121340

    申请日:2014-12-17

    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus applies a pattern onto a substrate using an optical projection system. The apparatus includes an optical level sensor and an associated processor for obtaining a height map of the substrate surface prior to applying the pattern. A controller uses the height map to control focusing with respect to the projection system when applying the pattern. The processor is further arranged to use information relating to processing previously applied to the substrate to define at least first and second regions of the substrate and to vary the manner in which the measurement signals are used to control the focusing, between the first and second regions. For example, an algorithm to calculate height values from optical measurement signals can be varied according to differences in known structure and/or materials. Measurements from certain regions can be selectively excluded from calculation of the height map and/or from use in the focusing.

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