公开(公告)号：US09612370B1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-04

申请号：US15284513

申请日：2016-10-03

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson

IPC分类号： A61N5/00 ,  G03B27/32 ,  G03B27/54 ,  G03B27/72 ,  G02B5/18 ,  H05G2/00 ,  G02B19/00 ,  G03F7/20

CPC分类号： G02B5/1838 ,  G02B5/122 ,  G02B19/0095 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  G03F7/7015 ,  G03F7/70158 ,  G03F7/70175 ,  G03F7/70191 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G21K1/062 ,  G21K1/067 ,  G21K2201/064 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： A plasma-generated EUV light source uses an EUV-diffracting collection mirror to channel spectrally pure in-band radiation through an intermediate-focus aperture and through EUV illumination optics. Out-of-band radiation is either undiffracted by the collection mirror or is diffractively scattered away from the aperture. The undiffracted portion, plus plasma-emitted radiation that does not intercept the collection mirror, can be efficiently recycled back to the plasma via retroreflecting mirrors, cat's-eye reflectors, or corner-cube reflectors, to enhance generation of in-band EUV radiation by the plasma.

公开(公告)号：US20160161856A1

公开(公告)日：2016-06-09

申请号：US14906875

申请日：2014-06-20

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson

IPC分类号： G03F7/20

CPC分类号： G03F7/704 ,  G03F7/70291

摘要： A DUV scanned-spot-array lithography system comprises an array of phase-Fresnel microlenses, which focus multiple radiation beams through intermediate foci at the object surface of a projection system. The intermediate foci are imaged by the projection system onto corresponding focused-radiation spots on an image plane, and the spots expose a photosensitive layer proximate the image plane as the layer is scanned in synchronization with modulation of the beams. The modulators may comprise micromechanical shutters proximate the intermediate foci for ON/OFF switching, in series with transmission grating modulators for gray-level control, and the microlenses may also be actuated to provide dynamic beam centering control. A nodal line printing technique may be used to provide ultra-high-resolution and high-throughput maskless printing capability in conjunction with multi-patterning or dual-wavelength recording processes.

摘要翻译： DUV扫描点阵阵列光刻系统包括相位菲涅尔微透镜的阵列，其将多个辐射束聚焦在投影系统的物体表面处的中间焦点。 中间焦点通过投影系统成像到图像平面上的相应的聚焦辐射点上，并且当该层与光束的调制同步地扫描该层时，该光点在图像平面附近曝光感光层。 调制器可以包括靠近用于ON / OFF切换的中间焦点的微机械百叶窗，与用于灰度级控制的透射光栅调制器串联，并且微透镜也可以被致动以提供动态光束定心控制。 可以使用节点线打印技术来提供与多图案化或双波长记录处理相结合的超高分辨率和高吞吐量的无掩模打印能力。

公开(公告)号：US09188874B1

公开(公告)日：2015-11-17

申请号：US13523843

申请日：2012-06-14

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  G01B9/04 ,  G01N21/88 ,  G02B21/00

CPC分类号： G01N21/95623 ,  G01B9/04 ,  G01N21/8803 ,  G01N21/8806 ,  G02B5/1814 ,  G02B5/1871 ,  G02B21/002 ,  G02B21/0024 ,  G02B21/0036 ,  G02B21/0052 ,  G02B27/0031 ,  G02B27/1006 ,  G02B27/141 ,  G02B27/4233 ,  G03F7/70191 ,  G03F7/70275 ,  G03F7/70291 ,  G03F7/70308 ,  G03F7/70391

摘要： In a scanned-spot-array lithography system, a modulated array of radiant-energy source spots is imaged by a projection lens onto a printing surface, which is scanned in synchronization with the spot modulation to print a synthesized, high-resolution raster image. Similarly, in a scanned-spot-array microscopy system, an array of radiant-energy source spots is imaged by a projection lens onto an inspection surface, and radiation reflected from or transmitted through the image spots is collected and detected to acquire a synthesized, high-resolution raster image of the surface. In either case, the spot-generation optics can be configured to counterbalance and neutralize imperfect imaging characteristics of the projection lens, enabling perfectly flat-field, distortion-free, and aberration-free point imaging of the entire spot array. The spot-generation optics can also be further configured to achieve narrow-band achromatization of the optical system, and to optimally control the intensity and polarization characteristics of the image-plane radiation.

摘要翻译： 在扫描点阵阵列光刻系统中，将辐射能源源点的调制阵列通过投影透镜成像到打印表面上，该打印表面与斑点调制同步扫描以打印合成的高分辨率光栅图像。 类似地，在扫描点阵显微镜系统中，将辐射能源源阵列通过投影透镜成像到检查表面上，并且收集并检测从图像点反射或透过图像斑点的辐射，以获得合成的， 表面的高分辨率光栅图像。 在任一种情况下，斑点发生光学器件可以被配置为平衡和中和投影透镜的不完美成像特征，从而实现整个光点阵列的完全平坦场，无失真和无像差点成像。 斑点发生光学器件还可以进一步配置成实现光学系统的窄带消色差，并且最佳地控制图像平面辐射的强度和极化特性。

公开(公告)号：US09097983B2

公开(公告)日：2015-08-04

申请号：US13801919

申请日：2013-03-13

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson

IPC分类号： G03B27/54 ,  G03B27/42 ,  G03F7/20

CPC分类号： G03F7/702 ,  G03F7/70208

摘要： In an EUV scanned-spot-array lithography system, a modulated array of radiation beams diverging from object spots on an object surface and is projected onto a printing surface via a two-mirror projection system similar to a flat-image, Schwarzschild system. Each beam converges to a diffraction-limited image point on the surface, and the surface is scanned in synchronization with the beam modulation to print a synthesized, high-resolution raster image. The spot-generation optics can be configured to compensate for object field curvature, distortion, and geometric point-imaging aberrations in the projection system, enabling diffraction-limited printing without coherent proximity effects over the full image field. The spot-generation optics can use either micromirrors or transmitting microlenses, and can be diffractive (e.g., phase-Fresnel lenses) or non-diffractive. Chromatic dispersion in either refractive or diffractive elements can be substantially eliminated by configuring the micro-optics as Schupmann achromatic doublets.

摘要翻译： 在EUV扫描点阵阵列光刻系统中，辐射束的调制阵列从物体表面上的物体点发散，并通过类似于平面图像Schwarzschild系统的双镜像投影系统投影到打印表面上。 每个光束会聚到表面上的衍射受限图像点，并且与光束调制同步扫描表面以打印合成的高分辨率光栅图像。 斑点发生光学器件可以被配置为补偿投影系统中的物场曲率，失真和几何点成像像差，使得能够在全图像场上没有相干邻近效应的衍射极限打印。 斑点发生光学器件可以使用微镜或透射微透镜，并且可以是衍射的（例如，相位菲涅尔透镜）或非衍射。 折射或衍射元件中的色散可以基本上通过将微光学器件配置为舒普曼消色差双峰来消除。

公开(公告)号：US07158229B2

公开(公告)日：2007-01-02

申请号：US11399133

申请日：2006-04-06

申请人： Adam E. Norton ,  Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

发明人： Adam E. Norton ,  Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

IPC分类号： G01J3/28

CPC分类号： G01J3/02 ,  G01J3/0224 ,  G01J3/0243 ,  G01J3/28 ,  G01N21/21 ,  G01N21/31 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N2021/213 ,  G02B5/3083 ,  G02B27/28 ,  G02B27/286 ,  G02B27/288 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70991

摘要： A small-spot imaging, spectrometry instrument for measuring properties of a sample has a polarization-scrambling element, such as a birefringent plate depolarizer, incorporated between the polarization-introducing components of the system, such as the beamsplitter, and the microscope objective of the system. The plate depolarizer varies polarization with wavelength, and may be a Lyot depolarizer with two plates, or a depolarizer with more than two plates (such as a three-plate depolarizer). Sinusoidal perturbation in the resulting measured spectrum can be removed by data processing techniques or, if the depolarizer is thick or highly birefringent, the perturbation may be narrower than the wavelength resolution of the instrument.

公开(公告)号：US07069182B2

公开(公告)日：2006-06-27

申请号：US11212165

申请日：2005-08-26

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

IPC分类号： G01N21/00

CPC分类号： G02B5/18 ,  G01N21/4788 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/956

摘要： A database interpolation method is used to rapidly calculate a predicted optical response characteristic of a diffractive microstructure as part of a real-time optical measurement process. The interpolated optical response is a continuous and (in a preferred embodiment) smooth function of measurement parameters, and it matches the theoretically-calculated optical response at the database-stored interpolation points.

公开(公告)号：US07049633B2

公开(公告)日：2006-05-23

申请号：US10919718

申请日：2004-08-17

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

IPC分类号： H01L23/58

CPC分类号： H01L21/67 ,  G01B11/0625 ,  G01B11/30 ,  G01N21/211 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  H01L22/12

摘要： A method of measuring at least one parameter associated with a portion of a sample having formed thereon one or more structures with at least two zones each having an associated zone reflectance property. The method includes the steps of illuminating the zones with broadband light, and measuring at least one reflectance property of light reflected from the at least two zones. The measurement includes a substantial portion of non-specularly scattered light, thereby increasing the quality of the measurement. The method further includes the step of fitting a parameterized model to the measured reflectance property. The parameterized model mixes the zone reflectance properties of the zones to account for partially coherent light interactions between the two zones.

公开(公告)号：US07042569B2

公开(公告)日：2006-05-09

申请号：US10917219

申请日：2004-08-12

申请人： Abdurrahman Sezginer ,  Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

发明人： Abdurrahman Sezginer ,  Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

IPC分类号： G01B11/00

CPC分类号： G03F7/70633 ,  H01L22/34 ,  H01L2223/54453

摘要： Alignment accuracy between two or more patterned layers is measured using a metrology target comprising substantially overlapping diffraction gratings formed in a test area of the layers being tested. An optical instrument illuminates all or part of the target area and measures the optical response. The instrument can measure transmission, reflectance, and/or ellipsometric parameters as a function of wavelength, polar angle of incidence, azimuthal angle of incidence, and/or polarization of the illumination and detected light. Overlay error or offset between those layers containing the test gratings is determined by a processor programmed to calculate an optical response for a set of parameters that include overlay error, using a model that accounts for diffraction by the gratings and interaction of the gratings with each others' diffracted field. The model parameters might also take account of manufactured asymmetries. The calculation may involve interpolation of pre-computed entries from a database accessible to the processor. The calculated and measured responses are iteratively compared and the model parameters changed to minimize the difference.

公开(公告)号：US06850333B1

公开(公告)日：2005-02-01

申请号：US09938415

申请日：2001-08-23

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson ,  Fred E. Stanke

IPC分类号： G01B11/30 ,  G01B11/14 ,  G01B11/04 ,  G01B11/08 ,  G01N21/00

CPC分类号： G01B11/30 ,  G03F7/70625

摘要： A metrology instrument for measuring grating-like microstructures on a sample for parameters of interest is characterized by an illumination spot that is elongated. The elongated illumination spot is produced by providing the designing the illumination optics to have a limiting aperture that is also elongated. The limiting aperture and corresponding illumination spot will have respective long directions that are perpendicular to each other. The sample is supported in a measurement relation to the instrument wherein the illumination spot is oriented generally transverse to linear elements of a microstructure. The microstructure can be also be a two-dimensional bigrating, with the illumination spot on a row or column of the bigrating.

摘要翻译： 用于测量样品上用于参数的光栅样微结构的计量仪器的特征在于延长的照明点。 通过提供将照明光学器件设计成具有也被拉长的限制孔径而产生细长的照明点。 限制孔径和对应的照明点将具有彼此垂直的相应的长方向。 样品以与仪器的测量关系被支撑，其中照明点通常横向于微结构的线性元件。 显微组织也可以是二维加粗，亮度在一列或更大的一列。

公开(公告)号：US06489984B1

公开(公告)日：2002-12-03

申请号：US09670507

申请日：2000-09-26

申请人： Kenneth C. Johnson

发明人： Kenneth C. Johnson

IPC分类号： B41J247

CPC分类号： G03F7/70291 ,  B41J2/465

摘要： Digital microprinters such as maskless projection lithography systems can be adversely affected by pixel cross talk resulting from coherent interactions between adjacent pixels. Such effects are significantly mitigated by inducing a &pgr;/2 optical phase shift between adjacent pixels. In one implementation, the printing surface is exposed twice, with the phase shift sign-inverted between exposures so that coherent interaction effects cancel out between the two exposures.

摘要翻译： 诸如无掩模投影光刻系统的数字微打印机可能受到相邻像素之间的相干相互作用产生的像素串扰的不利影响。 通过在相邻像素之间引起π/ 2光学相移来显着减轻这种影响。 在一个实施方案中，打印表面暴露两次，相移在曝光之间符号反转，使得相干相互作用效应在两次曝光之间抵消。