公开(公告)号：US12259546B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-25

申请号：US17634023

申请日：2020-08-05

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. ,  IMEC v.z.w.

Inventor： Alexandre Halbach ,  Nitesh Pandey ,  Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden ,  Veronique Rochus ,  Luc Roger Simonne Haspeslagh ,  Guilherme Brondani Torri

IPC: G02B26/08 ,  B81B3/00 ,  B81B7/00 ,  G03F7/00

Abstract: A micromirror array includes a substrate, a plurality of mirrors for reflecting incident radiation, and for each mirror of the plurality of mirrors, a respective post connecting the substrate to the respective mirror. The micromirror array further includes, for each mirror of the plurality of mirrors, one or more electrostatic actuators connected to the substrate for applying force to the respective post to displace the respective post relative to the substrate, thereby displacing the respective mirror. Also disclosed is a method of forming such a micromirror array. The micromirror array may be used in a programmable illuminator. The programmable illuminator may be used in a lithographic apparatus and/or in an inspection apparatus.

公开(公告)号：US12276784B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-15

申请号：US17635907

申请日：2020-08-05

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V. ,  IMEC v.z.w.

Inventor： Luc Roger Simonne Haspeslagh ,  Veronique Rochus ,  Guilherme Brondani Torri ,  Nitesh Pandey ,  Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden

IPC: G02B26/08 ,  G02B7/18 ,  G03F7/00

Abstract: A micromirror array comprises a substrate, a plurality of minors for reflecting incident light and, for each mirror (20) of the plurality of minors, at least one piezoelectric actuator (21) for displacing the minor, wherein the at least one piezoelectric actuator is connected to the substrate. The micromirror array further comprises one or more pillars (24) connecting the minor to the at least one piezoelectric actuator. Also disclosed is a method of forming such a micromirror array. The micromirror array may be used in a programmable illuminator. The programmable illuminator may be used in a lithographic apparatus and/or in an inspection apparatus.

公开(公告)号：US12158435B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

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: G01J3/36 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G03F7/00

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：US12086973B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-10

申请号：US17608015

申请日：2020-04-02

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

CPC classification number: G06T7/0004 ,  G01N21/4788 ,  G02B5/3083 ,  G02B27/283 ,  G02B27/4205 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/706851 ,  G06T2207/10148 ,  G06T2207/30148

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.

公开(公告)号：US11940739B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-26

申请号：US17562446

申请日：2021-12-27

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 Fransiscus Van Der Pasch ,  Ferry Zijp ,  Jeroen Arnoldus Leonardus Johannes Raaymakers ,  Marinus Petrus Reijnders

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

CPC classification number: G03F7/70625 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G03F7/7015 ,  G03F7/70633

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：US11536654B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-27

申请号：US17092397

申请日：2020-11-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Maxim Pisarenco ,  Nitesh Pandey ,  Alessandro Polo

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  G01N29/06 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/47 ,  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：US10996570B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-04

申请号：US16594613

申请日：2019-10-07

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.

公开(公告)号：US10908514B2

公开(公告)日：2021-02-02

申请号：US16562869

申请日：2019-09-06

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Janneke Ravensbergen ,  Duygu Akbulut ,  Nitesh Pandey ,  Jin Lian

IPC: G01B11/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01B9/02

Abstract: A metrology apparatus is disclosed that has an optical system to focus radiation onto a structure and directs redirected radiation from the structure to a detection system. The optical system applies a plurality of different offsets of an optical characteristic to radiation before and/or after redirected by the structure, such that a corresponding plurality of different offsets are provided to redirected radiation derived from a first point of a pupil plane field distribution relative to redirected radiation derived from a second point of the pupil plane field distribution. The detection system detects a corresponding plurality of radiation intensities resulting from interference between the redirected radiation derived from the first point of the pupil plane field distribution and the redirected radiation derived from the second point of the pupil plane field distribution. Each radiation intensity corresponds to a different one of the plurality of different offsets.

公开(公告)号：US10775704B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-15

申请号：US16524323

申请日：2019-07-29

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh Pandey ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Marinus Johannes Maria Van Dam

IPC: G03B27/72 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G02B5/22

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：US10678145B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-09

申请号：US15941324

申请日：2018-03-30

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Alessandro Polo ,  Nitesh Pandey ,  Armand Eugene Albert Koolen

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01B11/14 ,  G01J3/04 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G01J3/02 ,  G01N21/95

Abstract: A radiation receiving system for an inspection apparatus, used to perform measurements on target structures on lithographic substrates as part of a lithographic process, comprises a spectrometer with a number of inputs. The radiation receiving system comprises: a plurality of inputs, each input being arranged to provide radiation from a target structure; a first optical element operable to receive radiation from each of the plurality of inputs; a second optical element operable to receive radiation from the first optical element and to scatter the radiation; and a third optical element operable to direct the scattered radiation onto a detector. The second optical element may for example be a reflective diffraction grating that diffracts incoming radiation into an output radiation spectrum.