公开(公告)号：US20230341813A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-26

申请号：US18034356

申请日：2021-10-07

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh PANDEY ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER ,  Vasco Tomas TENNER

IPC: G03H1/26 ,  G03H1/04

CPC classification number: G03H1/0443 ,  G03H1/265 ,  G03H2001/005

Abstract: A dark field digital holographic microscope and associated metrology method is disclosed which is configured to determine a characteristic of interest of a structure. The dark field digital holographic microscope includes an illumination branch for providing illumination radiation to illuminate the structure; a detection arrangement for capturing object radiation resulting from diffraction of the illumination radiation by the structure; and a reference branch for providing reference radiation for interfering with the object radiation to obtain an image of an interference pattern formed by the illumination radiation and reference radiation. The reference branch has an optical element operable to vary a characteristic of the reference radiation so as to reduce and/or minimize variation in a contrast metric of the image within a field of view of the dark field digital holographic microscope at a detector plane.

公开(公告)号：US20220299888A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-22

申请号：US17619961

申请日：2020-05-14

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Alexander Prasetya KONIJNENBERG ,  Willem Marie Julia Marcel COENE ,  Nitesh PANDEY

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01B9/02 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G06V10/42

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining a complex-valued field relating to a sample measured using an imaging system. The method comprises obtaining image data relating to a series of images of the sample, imaged at an image plane of the imaging system, and for which at least two different modulation functions are imposed in a Fourier plane of the imaging system; and determining the complex-valued field from the imaging data based on the imposed modulation functions.

公开(公告)号：US20220276180A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-01

申请号：US17634588

申请日：2020-07-14

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh PANDEY ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus MATHIJSSEN ,  Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  G01J3/36 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G02B27/10

Abstract: An illumination and detection apparatus for a metrology tool, and associated method. The apparatus includes an illumination arrangement operable to produce measurement illumination having a plurality of discrete wavelength bands and having a spectrum having no more than a single peak within each wavelength band. The detection arrangement includes a detection beamsplitter to split scattered radiation into a plurality of channels, each channel corresponding to a different one of the wavelength bands; and at least one detector for separate detection of each channel.

公开(公告)号：US20220121127A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-21

申请号：US17562446

申请日：2021-12-27

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh PANDEY ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Duygu AKBULUT ,  Marimus Johannes Maria VAN DAM ,  Hans BUTLER ,  Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER ,  Engelbertus Antonius Franciscus VAN DER PASCH ,  Ferry ZIJP ,  Jeroen Arnoldus Leonardus Johannes 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：US20210055215A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-25

申请号：US17092397

申请日：2020-11-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Maxim PISARENCO ,  Nitesh PANDEY ,  Alessandro POLO

IPC: G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01N29/06 ,  G01N29/44

Abstract: An acoustic scatterometer has an acoustic source operable to project acoustic radiation onto a periodic structure and formed on a substrate. An acoustic detector is operable to detect the −1st acoustic diffraction order diffracted by the periodic structure and while discriminating from specular reflection (0th order). Another acoustic detector is operable to detect the +1st acoustic diffraction order diffracted by the periodic structure, again while discriminating from the specular reflection (0th order). The acoustic source and acoustic detector may be piezo transducers. The angle of incidence of the projected acoustic radiation and location of the detectors and are arranged with respect to the periodic structure and such that the detection of the −1st and +1st acoustic diffraction orders and discriminates from the 0th order specular reflection.

公开(公告)号：US20190129316A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-02

申请号：US16170786

申请日：2018-10-25

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Zili ZHOU ,  Gerbrand VAN DER ZOUW ,  Nitesh PANDEY ,  Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria VAN KRAAIJ ,  Martinus Hubertus Maria VAN WEERT ,  Anagnostis TSIATMAS ,  Sergey TARABRIN ,  Hilko Dirk BOS

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of determining a value of a parameter of interest of a patterning process, and of cleaning a signal containing information about the parameter of interest. In one arrangement, first and second detected representations of radiation are obtained. The radiation is provided by redirection of polarized incident radiation by a structure. The first and second detected representations are derived respectively from first and second polarization components of the redirected radiation. An asymmetry in the first detected representation comprises a contribution from the parameter of interest and a contribution from one or more other sources of asymmetry. An asymmetry in the second detected representation comprises a larger contribution from said one or more other sources of asymmetry relative to a contribution from the parameter of interest. A combination of the first and second detected representations is used to determine a value of the parameter of interest.

公开(公告)号：US20180246420A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-30

申请号：US15753695

申请日：2016-08-23

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh PANDEY ,  Roland Johannes Wilhelmus STAS ,  Hoite Pieter Theodoor TOLSMA

IPC: G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/70666 ,  G03F7/70525 ,  G03F7/706 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F9/7088

Abstract: A method comprises determining at least one property of a first marker feature corresponding to a marker of a lithographic patterning device installed in a lithographic apparatus, wherein the first marker feature comprises a projected image of the marker obtained by projection of radiation through the lithographic patterning device by the lithographic apparatus, the determining of at least one property of the projected image of the marker comprises using an image sensor to sense radiation of the projected image prior to formation of at least one desired lithographic feature on the substrate, and the method further comprises determining at least one property of a second marker feature arising from the same marker, after formation of said at least one desired lithographic feature on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20170242343A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-24

申请号：US15435593

申请日：2017-02-17

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh PANDEY ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Marinus Johannes Maria VAN DAM

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G02B5/22 ,  G01N21/47

CPC classification number: G03F7/70191 ,  G01N21/4788 ,  G01N2021/4711 ,  G01N2201/063 ,  G02B5/22 ,  G03F7/70133 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/70625

Abstract: A scatterometer performs diffraction based measurements of one or more parameters of a target structure. To make two-color measurements in parallel, the structure is illuminated simultaneously with first radiation (302) having a first wavelength and a first angular distribution and with second radiation (304) having a second wavelength and a second angular distribution. The collection path (CP) includes a segmented wavelength-selective filter (21, 310) arranged to transmit wanted higher order portions of the diffracted first radiation (302X, 302Y) and of the diffracted second radiation (304X, 304Y), while simultaneously blocking zero order portions (302″, 304″) of both the first radiation and second radiation. The illumination path (IP) in one embodiment includes a matching segmented wavelength-selective filter (13, 300), oriented such that a zero order ray passing through the illumination optical system and the collection optical system will be blocked by one of said filters or the other, depending on its wavelength.

公开(公告)号：US20170097575A1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-06

申请号：US15279860

申请日：2016-09-29

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh PANDEY ,  Zili ZHOU ,  Armand Eugene Albert KOOLEN ,  Gerbrand VAN DER ZOUW

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01B11/27 ,  G01N21/47

CPC classification number: G03F7/70625 ,  G01B11/272 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G03F7/7015 ,  G03F7/706 ,  G03F7/70633

Abstract: Disclosed is a metrology apparatus for measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, and associated computer program and method. The metrology apparatus comprises an optical system for measuring a target on a substrate by illuminating the target with measurement radiation and detecting the measurement radiation scattered by the target; and an array of lenses. Each lens of the array is operable to focus the scattered measurement radiation onto a sensor, said array of lenses thereby forming an image on the sensor which comprises a plurality of sub-images, each sub-image being formed by a corresponding lens of the array of lenses. The resulting plenoptic image comprises image plane information from the sub-images, wavefront distortion information (from the relative positions of the sub-images) and pupil information from the relative intensities of the sub-images.

公开(公告)号：US20240404036A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-05

申请号：US18802614

申请日：2024-08-13

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Teunis Willem TUKKER ,  Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF ,  Nitesh PANDEY ,  Marinus Petrus REIJNDERS ,  Ferry ZIJP

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G02B5/30 ,  G02B27/28 ,  G02B27/42 ,  G03F7/00

Abstract: Disclosed is a detection apparatus for simultaneous acquisition of multiple images of an object at a plurality of different focus levels; comprising: a modulator for obtaining multiple beam copies of an incoming beam; and a detector operable to capture said multiple beam copies, such that at two of said multiple beam copies are captured at different focus levels. Also disclosed is an inspection apparatus comprising such a detection system.