公开(公告)号：US20210325174A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-21

申请号：US17314469

申请日：2021-05-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Patricius Aloysius Jacobus TINNEMANS ,  Vasco Tomas Tenner ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Patrick Warnaar ,  Grzegorz Grzela ,  Martin Jacobus Johan Jak

IPC: G01B11/25 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G02B27/42 ,  G03H1/00 ,  G03H1/04

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and associated apparatus for measuring a characteristic of interest relating to a structure on a substrate. The method comprises calculating a value for the characteristic of interest directly from the effect of the characteristic of interest on at least the phase of illuminating radiation when scattered by the structure, subsequent to illuminating said structure with said illuminating radiation.

公开(公告)号：US11099489B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-24

申请号：US16712862

申请日：2019-12-12

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Hilko Dirk Bos ,  Erik Johan Koop ,  Armand Eugene Albert Koolen ,  Han-Kwang Nienhuys ,  Alessandro Polo ,  Jin Lian ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/95

Abstract: The disclosure relates to measuring a parameter of a lithographic process and a metrology apparatus. In one arrangement, radiation from a radiation source is modified and used to illuminate a target formed on a substrate using the lithographic process. Radiation scattered from a target is detected and analyzing to determine the parameter. The modification of the radiation comprises modifying a wavelength spectrum of the radiation to have a local minimum between a global maximum and a local maximum, wherein the power spectral density of the radiation at the local minimum is less than 20% of the power spectral density of the radiation at the global maximum and the power spectral density of the radiation at the local maximum is at least 50% of the power spectral density of the radiation at the global maximum.

公开(公告)号：US10983445B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-20

申请号：US16268564

申请日：2019-02-06

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh Pandey ,  Zili Zhou ,  Gerbrand Van Der Zouw ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria Van Kraaij ,  Armand Eugene Albert Koolen ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Paul Christiaan Hinnen ,  Martinus Hubertus Maria Van Weert ,  Anagnostis Tsiatmas ,  Shu-jin Wang ,  Bastiaan Onne Fagginger Auer ,  Alok Verma

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/21 ,  G01N21/88

Abstract: An inspection apparatus, method, and system are described herein. An example inspection apparatus includes an optical system and an imaging system. The optical system may be configured to output an illumination beam incident on a target including one or more features, the illumination beam polarized with a first polarization when incident on the target. The imaging system may be configured to obtain intensity data representing at least a portion of the illumination beam scattered by the one or more features, where the portion of the illumination beam has a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. The inspection apparatus may be further configured to generate image data representing an image of each of the feature(s) based on the intensity data, and determine a measurement of a parameter of interest associated with the feature(s) based on an amount of the portion of the illumination beam having the second polarization.

公开(公告)号：US20190384184A1

公开(公告)日：2019-12-19

申请号：US16431833

申请日：2019-06-05

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh Pandey ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Duygu Akbulut ,  Marinus Johannes Maria Van Dam ,  Hans Butler ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscu Van Der Pasch ,  Ferry Zijp ,  Jeroen Arnoldus Leonardus Raaymakers ,  Marinus Petrus Reijnders

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/956

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.

公开(公告)号：US10481503B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-19

申请号：US15237246

申请日：2016-08-15

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Youping Zhang ,  Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde ,  Anagnostis Tsiatmas ,  Adriaan Johan Van Leest ,  Alok Verma ,  Thomas Theeuwes ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Paul Christiaan Hinnen

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/47

Abstract: A substrate has first and second target structures formed by a lithographic process. Each target structure has a two-dimensional periodic structure formed in a single layer using first and second lithographic steps. The first target structure has features defined in the second lithographic step displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a first bias amount. The second target structure has features defined in the second lithographic step displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a second bias amount. An angle-resolved scatter spectrum of the first target structure and an angle-resolved scatter spectrum of the second target structure is obtained. A measurement of a parameter of a lithographic process is derived from the measurements using asymmetry found in the scatter spectra of the first and second target structures.

公开(公告)号：US10132763B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-20

申请号：US14416484

申请日：2013-06-18

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Robert John Socha ,  Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans ,  Jean-Pierre Agnes Henricus Marie Vaessen

IPC: G03B27/52 ,  G01N23/203 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01J37/26

Abstract: An inspection method determines values of profile parameters of substrate patterns. A baseline substrate with a baseline pattern target (BP) is produced that has a profile described by profile parameters, for example CD (median critical dimension), SWA (side wall angle) and RH (resist height). Scatterometry is used to obtain first and second signals from first and second targets. Values of differential pattern profile parameters are calculated using a Bayesian differential cost function based on a difference between the baseline pupil and the perturbed pupil and dependence of the pupil on pattern profile parameters. For example, the difference is measured between a baseline process and a perturbed process for stability control of a lithographic process. Fed-forward differential stack parameters are also calculated from observations of stack targets on the same substrates as the pattern targets.

公开(公告)号：US09952517B2

公开(公告)日：2018-04-24

申请号：US14753642

申请日：2015-06-29

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Alok Verma ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer

IPC: G03B27/72 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47

CPC classification number: G03F7/70558 ,  G01N21/4738 ,  G01N21/4785 ,  G01N2021/4735 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70683 ,  G03F7/7085

Abstract: A method of determining exposure dose of a lithographic apparatus used in a lithographic process on a substrate, the method comprising the steps: (a) receiving a substrate comprising first and second structures produced using the lithographic process; (b) detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the first structure with radiation to obtain a first scatterometer signal; (c) detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the second structure with radiation to obtain a second scatterometer signal; (d) using the first and second scatterometer signals to determine an exposure dose value used to produce said first and second structures wherein the first structure has a first periodic characteristic with spatial characteristics and yet at least another second periodic characteristic with spatial characteristics designed to be affected by the exposure dose and the second structure has a first periodic characteristic with spatial characteristics and yet at least another second periodic characteristic with spatial characteristics designed to be affected by the exposure dose wherein the exposure dose affects the exposure dose affected spatial characteristics of the first and second structures in a different manner.

公开(公告)号：US20170255737A1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-07

申请号：US15445522

申请日：2017-02-28

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Adriaan Johan VAN LEEST ,  Anagnostis Tsiatmas ,  Paul Christiaan Hinnen ,  Elliott Gerard McNamara ,  Alok Verma ,  Thomas Theeuwes ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: A method of determining a parameter of a patterning process, the method including: obtaining a detected representation of radiation redirected by a structure having geometric symmetry at a nominal physical configuration, wherein the detected representation of the radiation was obtained by illuminating a substrate with a radiation beam such that a beam spot on the substrate was filled with the structure; and determining, by a hardware computer system, a value of the patterning process parameter based on optical characteristic values from an asymmetric optical characteristic distribution portion of the detected radiation representation with higher weight than another portion of the detected radiation representation, the asymmetric optical characteristic distribution arising from a different physical configuration of the structure than the nominal physical configuration.

公开(公告)号：US20170059999A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-02

申请号：US15237246

申请日：2016-08-15

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR ,  Youping Zhang ,  Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde ,  Anagnostis Tsiatmas ,  Adriaan Johan Van Leest ,  Alok Verma ,  Thomas Theeuwes ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Paul Christiaan Hinnen

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/95

Abstract: A substrate has first and second target structures formed thereon by a lithographic process. Each target structure has two-dimensional periodic structure formed in a single material layer on a substrate using first and second lithographic steps, wherein, in the first target structure, features defined in the second lithographic step are displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a first bias amount that is close to one half of a spatial period of the features formed in the first lithographic step, and, in the second target structure, features defined in the second lithographic step are displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a second bias amount close to one half of said spatial period and different to the first bias amount. An angle-resolved scatter spectrum of the first target structure and an angle-resolved scatter spectrum of the second target structure is obtained, and a measurement of a parameter of a lithographic process is derived from the measurements using asymmetry found in the scatter spectra of the first and second target structures.

Abstract translation: 基板通过光刻工艺在其上形成第一和第二目标结构。 每个目标结构具有使用第一和第二光刻步骤在衬底上的单个材料层中形成的二维周期性结构，其中在第一目标结构中，在第二光刻步骤中限定的特征相对于在第一光刻 以接近第一光刻步骤中形成的特征的空间周期的一半的第一偏压量步进，并且在第二目标结构中，在第二光刻步骤中限定的特征相对于第一光刻步骤中限定的特征移位 光刻步骤接近接近所述空间周期的一半的第二偏置量并且不同于第一偏置量。 获得第一目标结构的角度分辨散射光谱和第二目标结构的角度分辨散射光谱，并且从使用在第二目标结构的散射光谱中发现的不对称性的测量值导出光刻处理的参数的测量 第一和第二目标结构。

公开(公告)号：US11728224B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-15

申请号：US17371380

申请日：2021-07-09

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Adriaan Johan Van Leest ,  Anagnostis Tsiatmas ,  Paul Christiaan Hinnen ,  Elliott Gerard McNamara ,  Alok Verma ,  Thomas Theeuwes ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F9/00 ,  G01N21/95

CPC classification number: H01L22/12 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70683 ,  G03F9/7003

Abstract: A method of determining a parameter of a patterning process, the method including: obtaining a detected representation of radiation redirected by a structure having geometric symmetry at a nominal physical configuration, wherein the detected representation of the radiation was obtained by illuminating a substrate with a radiation beam such that a beam spot on the substrate was filled with the structure; and determining, by a hardware computer system, a value of the patterning process parameter based on optical characteristic values from an asymmetric optical characteristic distribution portion of the detected radiation representation with higher weight than another portion of the detected radiation representation, the asymmetric optical characteristic distribution arising from a different physical configuration of the structure than the nominal physical configuration.