公开(公告)号：US20210208083A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-08

申请号：US17192276

申请日：2021-03-04

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Amo Jan BLEEKER ,  Youri Johannes VAN DOMMELEN ,  Mircea DUSA ,  Antoine Gaston Marie KIERS ,  Paul Frank LUEHRMANN ,  Henricus Petrus Maria PELLEMANS ,  Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR ,  Cédric Désiré GROUWSTRA ,  Markus Geradus Maritinus VAN KRAAIJ

IPC: G01N21/88 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G03F9/00

Abstract: An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference.

公开(公告)号：US20200183290A1

公开(公告)日：2020-06-11

申请号：US16792267

申请日：2020-02-16

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Gonzalo Roberto SANGUINETTI ,  Murat BOZKURT ,  Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01B11/27

Abstract: Overlay error of a lithographic process is measured using a plurality of target structures, each target structure having a known overlay bias. A detection system captures a plurality of images (740) representing selected portions of radiation diffracted by the target structures under a plurality of different capture conditions (λ1, λ2). Pixel values of the captured images are combined (748) to obtain one or more synthesized images (750). A plurality of synthesized diffraction signals are extracted (744) from the synthesized image or images, and used to calculate a measurement of overlay. The computational burden is reduced compared with extracting diffraction signals from the captured images individually. The captured images may be dark-field images or pupil images, obtained using a scatterometer.

公开(公告)号：US20200103762A1

公开(公告)日：2020-04-02

申请号：US16700381

申请日：2019-12-02

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01B11/24 ,  G01B11/27

Abstract: A method including determining a type of structural asymmetry of the target from measured values of the target, and performing a simulation of optical measurement of the target to determine a value of an asymmetry parameter associated with the asymmetry type. A method including performing a simulation of optical measurement of a target to determine a value of an asymmetry parameter associated with a type of structural asymmetry of the target determined from measured values of the target, and analyzing a sensitivity of the asymmetry parameter to change in a target formation parameter associated with the target. A method including determining a structural asymmetry parameter of a target using a measured parameter of radiation diffracted by the target, and determining a property of a measurement beam of the target based on the structural asymmetry parameter that is least sensitive to change in a target formation parameter associated with the target.

公开(公告)号：US20190250094A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-15

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: G01N21/21 ,  G01N21/88 ,  G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G01N21/21 ,  G01N21/8806 ,  G01N2021/8848 ,  G03F7/70191 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633

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：US20180364590A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-20

申请号：US16061236

申请日：2016-11-30

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR ,  Patrick WARNAAR ,  Youping ZHANG ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Feng XIAO ,  Martin EBERT

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G03F9/00 ,  G01N21/88

Abstract: A method includes projecting an illumination beam of radiation onto a metrology target on a substrate, detecting radiation reflected from the metrology target on the substrate, and determining a characteristic of a feature on the substrate based on the detected radiation, wherein a polarization state of the detected radiation is controllably selected to optimize a quality of the detected radiation.

公开(公告)号：US20180329305A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-15

申请号：US16028953

申请日：2018-07-06

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  H01L23/544 ,  G03F9/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/705 ,  G03F7/70158 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70683 ,  G03F9/708 ,  H01L23/544

Abstract: Metrology targets are formed by a lithographic process, each target comprising a bottom grating and a top grating. Overlay performance of the lithographic process can be measured by illuminating each target with radiation and observing asymmetry in diffracted radiation. Parameters of metrology recipe and target design are selected so as to maximize accuracy of measurement of overlay, rather than reproducibility. The method includes calculating at least one of a relative amplitude and a relative phase between (i) a first radiation component representing radiation diffracted by the top grating and (ii) a second radiation component representing radiation diffracted by the bottom grating after traveling through the top grating and intervening layers. The top grating design may be modified to bring the relative amplitude close to unity. The wavelength of illuminating radiation in the metrology recipe can be adjusted to bring the relative phase close to π/2 or 3π/2.

公开(公告)号：US20170350829A1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-07

申请号：US15683280

申请日：2017-08-22

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF

IPC: G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for determining overlay of a pattern on a substrate with a mask pattern defined in a resist layer on top of the pattern on the substrate. A first grating is provided under a second grating, each having substantially identical pitch to the other, together forming a composite grating. A first illumination beam is provided under an angle of incidence along a first horizontal direction. The intensity of a diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. A second illumination beam is provided under the angle of incidence along a second horizontal direction. The second horizontal direction is opposite to the first horizontal direction. The intensity of the diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. The difference between the diffracted beam from the first illumination beam and the diffracted beam from the second illumination beam, linearly scaled, results in the overlay error.

公开(公告)号：US20170307983A1

公开(公告)日：2017-10-26

申请号：US15474803

申请日：2017-03-30

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA

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

CPC classification number: G03F7/70133 ,  G01N21/4788 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633

Abstract: A method including: obtaining a measurement of a metrology target on a substrate processed using a patterning process, the measurement having been obtained using measurement radiation; and deriving a parameter of interest of the patterning process from the measurement, wherein the parameter of interest is corrected by a stack difference parameter, the stack difference parameter representing an un-designed difference in physical configuration between adjacent periodic structures of the target or between the metrology target and another adjacent target on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20160377997A1

公开(公告)日：2016-12-29

申请号：US15258903

申请日：2016-09-07

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Andre Bernardus JEUNINK ,  Sander Frederik WUISTER ,  Yvonne Wendela KRUIJT-STEGEMAN

IPC: G03F9/00 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/0002 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G03F9/7042

Abstract: A method of determining a position of an imprint template in an imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes illuminating an area of the imprint template in which an alignment mark is expected to be found by scanning an alignment radiation beam over that area, detecting an intensity of radiation reflected or transmitted from the area, and identifying the alignment mark via analysis of the detected intensity.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种在压印光刻设备中确定压印模板的位置的方法。 在一个实施例中，该方法包括通过扫描在该区域上的对准辐射束来照射其中期望找到对准标记的压印模板的区域，检测从该区域反射或发射的辐射的强度，以及识别对准 通过分析检测到的强度来标记。

公开(公告)号：US20160061750A1

公开(公告)日：2016-03-03

申请号：US14838268

申请日：2015-08-27

Applicant: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam ,  Universiteit van Amsterdam ,  Stichting voor Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie ,  ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Nitesh PANDEY ,  Stefan Michiel WITTE ,  Kjeld EIKEMA

IPC: G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01B11/00

CPC classification number: G01N21/956 ,  G01B11/00 ,  G01N2201/12 ,  G03F7/70141 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70641 ,  G03H1/0443 ,  G03H2001/0033 ,  G03H2001/0204 ,  G03H2001/0458

Abstract: Metrology targets are formed on a substrate (W) by a lithographic process. A target (T) comprising one or more grating structures is illuminated with spatially coherent radiation under different conditions. Radiation (650) diffracted by from said target area interferes with reference radiation (652) interferes with to form an interference pattern at an image detector (623). One or more images of said interference pattern are captured. From the captured image(s) and from knowledge of the reference radiation a complex field of the collected scattered radiation at the detector. A synthetic radiometric image (814) of radiation diffracted by each grating is calculated from the complex field. From the synthetic radiometric images (814, 814′) of opposite portions of a diffractions spectrum of the grating, a measure of asymmetry in the grating is obtained. Using suitable targets, overlay and other performance parameters of the lithographic process can be calculated from the measured asymmetry.

Abstract translation: 通过光刻工艺在基板（W）上形成计量目标。 包括一个或多个光栅结构的靶（T）在不同条件下被空间相干辐射照射。 从参考辐射（652）干涉的所述目标区域衍射的辐射（650）干扰以在图像检测器（623）处形成干涉图案。 捕获所述干涉图案的一个或多个图像。 从捕获的图像和参考辐射的知识中，在检测器处收集的散射辐射的复杂场。 从复场计算由每个光栅衍射的辐射的合成辐射图像（814）。 从光栅的衍射光谱的相对部分的合成辐射图像（814,814'）获得光栅中的不对称度。 使用合适的目标，可以从测量的不对称性计算光刻过程的覆盖层和其他性能参数。