Abstract:
A method including: determining recipe consistencies between one substrate measurement recipe of a plurality of substrate measurement recipes and each other substrate measurement recipe of the plurality of substrate measurement recipes; calculating a function of the recipe consistencies; eliminating the one substrate measurement recipe from the plurality of substrate measurement recipes if the function meets a criterion; and reiterating the determining, calculating and eliminating until a termination condition is met. Also disclosed herein is a substrate measurement apparatus, including a storage configured to store a plurality of substrate measurement recipes, and a processor configured to select one or more substrate measurement recipes from the plurality of substrate measurement recipes based on recipe consistencies among the plurality of substrate measurement recipes.
Abstract:
Disclosed are an inspection method and apparatus and an associated lithographic apparatus. The inspection method comprises illuminating a structure with inspection radiation of a selected wavelength, the structure being of a type comprising a plurality of layers (for example a 3D memory structure). The resultant diffraction signal is detected a physical property of a subset of said layers is determined from said diffraction signal. The subset of layers for which said physical property is determined is dependent upon the selected wavelength of the inspection radiation.
Abstract:
A substrate is provided with device structures and metrology structures (800). The device structures include materials exhibiting inelastic scattering of excitation radiation of one or more wavelengths. The device structures include structures small enough in one or more dimensions that the characteristics of the inelastic scattering are influenced significantly by quantum confinement. The metrology structures (800) include device-like structures (800b) similar in composition and dimensions to the device features, and calibration structures (800a). The calibration structures are similar to the device features in composition but different in at least one dimension. Using an inspection apparatus and method implementing Raman spectroscopy, the dimensions of the device-like structures can be measured by comparing spectral features of radiation scattered inelastically from the device-like structure and the calibration structure.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a device manufacturing method, and accompanying inspection and lithographic apparatuses. The method comprises measuring on the substrate a property such as asymmetry of a first overlay marker and measuring on the substrate a property such as asymmetry of an alignment marker. In both cases the asymmetry is determined. The position of the alignment marker on the substrate is then determined using an alignment system and the asymmetry information of the alignment marker and the substrate aligned using this measured position. A second overlay marker is then printed on the substrate; and a lateral overlay measured on the substrate of the second overlay marker with respect to the first overlay marker using the determined asymmetry information of the first overlay marker.
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.
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.
Abstract:
A metrology apparatus for measuring a parameter of interest of a target on a substrate, the metrology apparatus including: m×n detectors, wherein m≥1 and n≥1; a first frame; and (n−1) second frames; and (m−1)×n intermediate frames, wherein each detector is connected to one of the intermediate or first or second frames via a primary positioning assembly; and each intermediate frame is connected to one of the first or second frames via a secondary positioning assembly.
Abstract:
A scatterometer for measuring a property of a target on a substrate includes a radiation source, a detector, and a processor. The radiation source produces a radiated spot on the target. The scatterometer adjusts a position of the radiated spot along a first direction across the target and along a second direction that is at an angle with respect to the first direction. The detector receives radiation scattered by the target. The received radiation is associated with positions of the radiated spot on the target along at least the first direction. The detector generates measurement signals based on the positions of the radiated spot on the target. The processor outputs, based on the measurement signals, a single value that is representative of the property of the target. The processor also combines the measurement signals to output a combined signal and derives, based on the combined signal, the single value.
Abstract:
A dark field digital holographic microscope is disclosed which is configured to determine a characteristic of interest of a structure. The dark field digital holographic microscope comprises an illumination device configured to provide at least: a first beam pair comprising a first illumination beam of radiation (1010) and a first reference beam of radiation (1030) and a second beam pair comprising a second illumination beam of radiation (1020) and a second reference beam of radiation (1040); and one or more optical elements (1070) operable to capture a first scattered radiation and to capture a second scattered radiation scattered by the structure resultant from the first and second illumination beams respectively. The beams of the first beam pair are mutually coherent and the beams of the second beam pair are mutually coherent. The illumination device is configured to impose incoherence (ADI) between the first beam pair and second beam pair.
Abstract:
A method to measure a parameter of a manufacturing process, the method including illuminating a target with radiation, detecting scattered radiation from the target, and determining the parameter of interest from an asymmetry of the detected radiation.