Svg Lithography Systems, Inc.

Asml Holding N.v.

Other

Andrew W McCullough

Gregg M Gallatin

Harry Sewell

Daniel Nicholas Galburt

Pradeep Kumar Govil

Christopher John Mason

David Callan

Joost Jeroen Ottens

Arno Jan Bleeker

Stephen Roux

Santiago E Del Puerto

Karel Diederick Van Der Mast

Louis John Markoya

Jason Douglas Hintersteiner

Wenceslao A Cebuhar

Louis Markoya

Sean Olson

Solomon S Wasserman

Luis Markoya

A maskless lithography system that writes patterns on an object. The system can include an illumination system, the object, spatial light modulators (SLMs), and a controller. The SLMs can pattern light from the illumination system before the object receives the light. The SLMs can include a leading set and a trailing set of the SLMs. The SLMs in the leading and trailing sets change based on a scanning direction of the object. The controller can transmit control signals to the SLMs based on at least one of light pulse period information, physical layout information about the SLMs, and scanning speed of the object. The system can also correct for dose non-uniformity using various methods.

Maskless lithography systems and methods utilizing spatial light modulator arrays

Systems and methods eliminate vibrations produced by coolant fluid flowing through a short stroke stage and prevent change in thermally-induced distortion of the short stroke stage by maintaining the temperature and temperature distribution within the short stroke stage constant regardless of actinic heat load incident on a reticle. This is done by: (1) conducting heat through the reticle and short stroke stage components, (2) radiatively transferring heat from the short stroke stage to a long stroke stage, and (3) using convection and a cooling system to dissipate heat from the long stroke stage. The short stroke stage can be magnetically levitated from the long stroke stage. This way there is no physical contact, but the long stroke stage's movements can still control the short stroke stage's movements. By not physically contacting the long stroke stage, the short stroke stage is not affected by vibrations in the long stroke stage caused by the flowing coolant.

Method and apparatus for cooling a reticle during lithographic exposure

An illumination system having an array optical element with different illumination regions corresponding or matched to different line width variations printed on a photosensitive material. The array optical element may be a filter, diffractive optical element, or micro lens array having illumination regions producing different types of illumination properties or characteristics. Each of the illumination regions are matched or correspond to a respective region on a patterning device to provide optimized exposure of a photosensitive material. The optical element may be used to tailor a conventional illumination system to the unique characteristics of the projection optics used in a system, thereby compensating for vertical and horizontal bias or variations in line width for features oriented in the vertical and horizontal direction.

Illumination system with spatially controllable partial coherence compensating for line width variances

A reticle or mask for use in projecting a circuit pattern, having a transparent substrate with a reflective or dielectric layer thereon. An opaque or blocking layer is placed over the reflective layer. The opaque layer then has a predetermined circuit pattern etched therein. In one embodiment, the opaque layer and the reflective layer are the same size. In another embodiment, the opaque layer has a size larger than the reflective layer. This permits the opaque layer to be adjacent the substrate, which is advantageous when projection optics having a high numerical aperture are used. The reticle of the present invention has particular advantage when using source wavelengths of between 157 nanometers and 365 nanometers. The reflective layer or land has a reflectance greater than chrome, and preferably greater than sixty percent. Therefore, the reflective layer greatly reduces reticle warm-up and thermal distortion.

Non absorbing reticle and method of making same

A reticle stage having a range of motion sufficient to scan at least two distinct reticles. In a photolithographic process, a reticle stage having an extended range of motion and containing at least two reticles, preferably a phase shift reticle and a trim reticle, is used. The reticle stage scans the two reticles across an illumination field. The image of each reticle is projected by projection optics onto a photosensitive substrate on a wafer stage. The field on the photosensitive substrate is exposed with the image of the first reticle and subsequently exposed with the image of the second reticle. The projection of an image of a first and second reticle onto the same field in a scanning operation greatly facilitates throughput of the photolithographic tool or device. Reticle changes are eliminated when at least two reticles are needed to expose a single field. The use of multiple reticles to expose a single field is necessary when a phase shift mask and related trim mask are used. In another embodiment, the reticle stage has a range of motion permitting scanning of an additional calibration reticle. This permits rapid real time system calibration.

Use of multiple reticles in lithographic printing tools

An illumination system used in photolithography for the manufacture of semiconductors having an array optical element with different illumination regions corresponding or matched to different line width variations printed on a photosensitive substrate. The array optical element may be a filter, diffractive optical element, or micro lens array having illumination regions producing different types of illumination properties or characteristics. Each of the illumination regions are matched or correspond to a respective region on the reticle to provide optimized exposure of a photosensitive resist covered wafer. The optical element of the present invention may be used to tailor a conventional illumination system to the unique characteristics of the projection optics used in the photolithographic system, thereby compensating for vertical and horizontal bias or variations in line width for features oriented in the vertical and horizontal direction. This facilitates the manufacture of semiconductor devices with small feature sizes while improving qualify and increasing yield.

Illumination system with spatially controllable partial coherence compensation for line width variances in a photolithographic system

A reticle or mask for use in projecting a circuit pattern on a photosensitive resist covered wafer having a transparent substrate with a reflective or dielectric layer thereon. An opaque or blocking layer, for example chrome or chromium, is placed over the reflective layer. The opaque layer then has a predetermined circuit pattern etched therein. In one embodiment, the opaque layer and the reflective layer are the same size. In another embodiment, the opaque layer has a size larger than the reflective layer. This permits the opaque layer to be adjacent the substrate which is advantageous when projection optics having a high numerical aperture are used. The reticle of the present invention has particular advantage when high throughput photolithographic tools are used having an illumination source of high energy flux with a wavelength of between 157 nanometers and 365 nanometers. Illumination in this wavelength range has considerable absorption in chrome, a common opaque material used in reticles. The reflective layer or land has a reflectance greater than chrome, and preferably greater than sixty percent. Therefore, the reflective layer greatly reduces reticle warm-up and thermal distortion. This technique is applicable not just to binary mask or reticles, but also to phase masks that may, in some embodiments, have opaque blocking areas thereon.

An illumination system used in photolithography for the manufacture of semiconductors having an array optical element with different illumination regions corresponding or matched to different line width variations printed on a photosensitive substrate. The array optical element may be a filter, diffractive optical element, or micro lens array having illumination.regions producing different types of illumination properties or characteristics. Each of the illumination regions are matched or correspond to a respective region on the reticle to provide optimized exposure of a photosensitive resist covered wafer. The optical element of the present invention may be used to tailor a conventional illumination system to the unique characteristics of the projection optics used in the photolithographic system, thereby compensating for vertical and horizontal bias or variations in line width for features oriented in the vertical and horizontal direction. This facilitates the manufacture of semiconductor devices with small feature sizes while improving qualify and increasing yield.

Illumination system with spatially controllable partial coherence compensating for line width variances in a photolithographic system

A thermal management device for use with a photolithographic apparatus or tool substantially reducing thermal distortion in a reticle. Planar cooling elements are placed adjacent a reticle being illuminated with extreme ultraviolet, EUV, electromagnetic radiation. A heating element provides heat prior to exposure of the reticle by the EUV electromagnetic radiation and the system is in thermal equilibrium. Upon exposure of the EUV electromagnetic radiation, absorption by the reticle causes heat. The heating element is controlled to reduce the heat provided so the extra heat load generated in the reticle during exposure due to absorption of the EUW electromagnetic radiation is compensated for. The reticle therefore experiences no net heat or thermal energy change, and therefore eliminates or substantially reduces both expansion and thermal gradients in the reticle. The reduction of thermal gradients in the reticle substantially reduces distortion resulting in better imaging of the reticle onto a photosensitive substrate. The present invention is particularly applicable to a scanning photolithographic system used in the manufacture of semiconductors or electronic devices.

EUV reticle thermal management

In a scanning photolithographic device used in the manufacture of semiconductors, a method and apparatus for varying the exposure dose as a function of distance in the scan direction compensating for the signature of the photolithographic device for reducing linewidth variation in the scan direction. The linewidth in the scan direction may vary for a particular device or tool for a variety of reasons. This variation or signature is used in combination with a photosensitive resist response function to vary the exposure dose as a function of distance in a scan direction, substantially reducing the linewidth variation. A dose control varies the exposure dose as a function of distance in a scan direction to correct linewidth variations caused by characteristics of the photolithographic system. Linewidth variations as a function of distance in the direction of scan are substantially reduced, resulting in more consistent and improved feature or element sizes.

Dose correction for along scan linewidth variation

An illumination system used in photolithography for the manufacture of semiconductors having an array optical element with different illumination regions matched to different geometric pattern regions on a reticle. The array optical element may be a filter, diffractive optical element, or microlens array having illumination regions producing different types of illumination properties or characteristics such as quadrupole, annular, or top hat among others. Each of the illumination regions are matched or correspond to a respective pattern region on the reticle to provide optimized exposure of a photosensitive resist covered wafer. The optical element of the present invention may be used to tailor a conventional illumination system to the unique characteristics of a particular reticle. Additionally, imperfections in the optics of a photolithographic system can be compensated for by the optical element. This facilitates the manufacture of semiconductor devices having decreasing feature sizes while improving qualify and increasing yield.

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Newtown, CT, United States of America

Andrew W McCullough