公开(公告)号：US10331041B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-25

申请号：US16159884

申请日：2018-10-15

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Scott Anderson Middlebrooks ,  Niels Geypen ,  Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde ,  Alexander Straaijer ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria Van Kraaij

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, and associated inspection apparatus. The method comprises measuring at least two target structures on a substrate using a plurality of different illumination conditions, the target structures having deliberate overlay biases; to obtain for each target structure an asymmetry measurement representing an overall asymmetry that includes contributions due to (i) the deliberate overlay biases, (ii) an overlay error during forming of the target structure and (iii) any feature asymmetry. A regression analysis is performed on the asymmetry measurement data by fitting a linear regression model to a planar representation of asymmetry measurements for one target structure against asymmetry measurements for another target structure, the linear regression model not necessarily being fitted through an origin of the planar representation. The overlay error can then be determined from a gradient described by the linear regression model.

公开(公告)号：US10180628B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-15

申请号：US14892176

申请日：2014-05-23

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Henricus Johannes Lambertus Megens ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Te-Chih Huang

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method of determining a critical-dimension-related property, such as critical dimension (CD) or exposure dose, includes illuminating each of a plurality of periodic targets having different respective critical dimension biases, measuring intensity of radiation scattered by the targets, recognizing and extracting each grating from the image, determining a differential signal, and determining the CD-related property based on the differential signal, the CD biases and knowledge that the differential signal approximates to zero at a 1:1 line-to-space ratio of such periodic targets. Use of the determined CD-related property to control a lithography apparatus in lithographic processing of subsequent substrates. In order to use just two CD biases, a calibration may use measurements on a “golden wafer” (i.e. a reference substrate) to determine the intensity gradient for each of the CD pairs, with known CDs. Alternatively, the calibration can be based upon simulation of the sensitivity of intensity gradient to CD.

公开(公告)号：US20180321599A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-08

申请号：US15967861

申请日：2018-05-01

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Murat BOZKURT ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Patrick Warnaar ,  Martin Jacobus Johan Jak ,  Mohammadreza Hajiahmadi ,  Grzegorz Grzela ,  Lukasz Jerzy Macht

IPC: G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/70633 ,  G01N21/4788 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/7085

Abstract: An overlay metrology target (600, 900, 1000) contains a plurality of overlay gratings (932-935) formed by lithography. First diffraction signals (740(1)) are obtained from the target, and first asymmetry values (As) for the target structures are derived. Second diffraction signals (740(2)) are obtained from the target, and second asymmetry values (As′) are derived. The first and second diffraction signals are obtained using different capture conditions and/or different designs of target structures and/or bias values. The first asymmetry signals and the second asymmetry signals are used to solve equations and obtain a measurement of overlay error. The calculation of overlay error makes no assumption whether asymmetry in a given target structure results from overlay in the first direction, in a second direction or in both directions. With a suitable bias scheme the method allows overlay and other asymmetry-related properties to be measured accurately, even in the presence of two-dimensional overlay structure.

公开(公告)号：US20150145151A1

公开(公告)日：2015-05-28

申请号：US14412771

申请日：2013-06-17

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Kaustuve Bhattacharyya ,  Hendrik-Jan Hidde Smilde

IPC: G01B11/27 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01L23/544 ,  G01B11/30

CPC classification number: G01B11/27 ,  G01B11/30 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  H01L23/544 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: A lithographic process is used to form a plurality of target structures (92, 94) distributed at a plurality of locations across a substrate and having overlaid periodic structures with a number of different overlay bias values distributed across the target structures. At least some of the target structures comprise a number of overlaid periodic structures (e.g., gratings) that is fewer than said number of different overlay bias values. Asymmetry measurements are obtained for the target structures. The detected asymmetries are used to determine parameters of a lithographic process. Overlay model parameters including translation, magnification and rotation, can be calculated while correcting the effect of bottom grating asymmetry, and using a multi-parameter model of overlay error across the substrate.

Abstract translation: 使用光刻工艺来形成分布在跨越衬底的多个位置处的多个目标结构（92,94），并且具有跨过目标结构分布的多个不同覆盖偏压值的重叠周期结构。 目标结构中的至少一些包括少于所述数量的不同叠加偏置值的多个重叠周期性结构（例如光栅）。 获得目标结构的不对称测量值。 检测到的不对称性用于确定光刻工艺的参数。 可以在校正底部光栅不对称的影响的同时使用包括平移，放大和旋转在内的叠加模型参数，并使用跨衬底的重叠误差的多参数模型。

公开(公告)号：US12242203B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-04

申请号：US18001255

申请日：2021-06-08

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Patrick Warnaar ,  Franciscus Godefridus Casper Bijnen ,  Olger Victor Zwier

IPC: G03F7/00

Abstract: Disclosed is target arrangement comprising a first target region having at least a first pitch and at least a second pitch a second target region having at least a third pitch, wherein a portion of the first target region having a second pitch overlaps with a portion of the second target region.

公开(公告)号：US12105432B2

公开(公告)日：2024-10-01

申请号：US17625640

申请日：2020-07-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Narjes Javaheri ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Tieh-Ming Chang ,  Hilko Dirk Bos ,  Patrick Warnaar ,  Samira Bahrami ,  Mohammadreza Hajiahmadi ,  Sergey Tarabrin ,  Mykhailo Semkiv

IPC: G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70633

Abstract: Disclosed is a method comprising measuring radiation reflected from a metrology target and decomposing the measured radiation in components, for example Fourier components or spatial components. Further, there is disclosed a recipe selection method which provides an algorithm to select a parameter of the metrology apparatus based on re-calculated dependencies of 5 the measured radiation based on single components.

公开(公告)号：US20230273255A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-31

申请号：US18143825

申请日：2023-05-05

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Patricius Aloysius Jacobus TINNEMANS ,  Patrick Warnaar ,  Vasco Tomas Tenner ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar

IPC: G01R31/265

CPC classification number: G01R31/2656

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for obtaining a computationally determined interference electric field describing scattering of radiation by a pair of structures comprising a first structure and a second structure on a substrate. The method comprises determining a first electric field relating to first radiation scattered by the first structure; determining a second electric field relating to second radiation scattered by the second structure; and computationally determining the interference of the first electric field and second electric field, to obtain a computationally determined interference electric field.

公开(公告)号：US11709436B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-25

申请号：US17460947

申请日：2021-08-30

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans ,  Patrick Warnaar ,  Vasco Tomas Tenner ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar

IPC: G01R31/265

CPC classification number: G01R31/2656

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for obtaining a computationally determined interference electric field describing scattering of radiation by a pair of structures comprising a first structure and a second structure on a substrate. The method comprises determining a first electric field relating to first radiation scattered by the first structure; determining a second electric field relating to second radiation scattered by the second structure; and computationally determining the interference of the first electric field and second electric field, to obtain a computationally determined interference electric field.

公开(公告)号：US11525786B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-13

申请号：US17192276

申请日：2021-03-04

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Arno Jan Bleeker ,  Youri Johannes Laurentius Maria Van Dommelen ,  Mircea Dusa ,  Antoine Gaston Marie Kiers ,  Paul Frank Luehrmann ,  Henricus Petrus Maria Pellemans ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Cédric Désiré Grouwstra ,  Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria Van Kraaij

IPC: G01N21/00 ,  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：US11385553B2

公开(公告)日：2022-07-12

申请号：US17306670

申请日：2021-05-03

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Zili Zhou ,  Nitesh Pandey ,  Olger Victor Zwier ,  Patrick Warnaar ,  Maurits Van Der Schaar ,  Elliott Gerard McNamara ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Paul Christiaan Hinnen ,  Murat Bozkurt ,  Joost Jeroen Ottens ,  Kaustuve Bhattacharyya ,  Michael Kubis

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G03F9/00

Abstract: A method of measuring overlay uses a plurality of asymmetry measurements from locations (LOI) on a pair of sub-targets (1032, 1034) formed on a substrate (W). For each sub-target, the plurality of asymmetry measurements are fitted to at least one expected relationship (1502, 1504) between asymmetry and overlay, based on a known bias variation deigned into the sub-targets. Continuous bias variation in one example is provided by varying the pitch of top and bottom gratings (P1/P2). Bias variations between the sub-targets of the pair are equal and opposite (P2/P1). Overlay (OV) is calculated based on a relative shift (xs) between the fitted relationships for the two sub-targets. The step of fitting asymmetry measurements to at least one expected relationship includes wholly or partially discounting measurements (1506, 1508, 1510) that deviate from the expected relationship and/or fall outside a particular segment of the fitted relationship.