Asml Netherlands B.v.

Carsten Andreas Köhler

Frank Staals

Laurentius Cornelius De Winter

Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans

Hans Van Der Laan

Herman Philip Godfried

Peter David Engblom

Bart Smeets

Paulus Hubertus Petrus Koller

Anita Bouma

A method for tuning a target apparatus of a patterning process. The method includes obtaining a reference performance, and measurement data of a substrate subjected to the patterning process at the target apparatus, the measurement data indicative of a performance of the target apparatus; determining a cause of a performance mismatch based on a difference between the reference performance and the performance of the target apparatus, wherein the cause includes an optical characteristic; and responsive to the cause, adjusting an optical parameter associated with an adjustable optical characteristic to reduce the performance mismatch in the optical characteristic.

Tuning patterning apparatus based on optical characteristic

A method of projecting a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a projection system, the method including using an optical phase adjustment apparatus in the projection system to apply a phase modification to radiation which has been diffracted from an assist feature of the pattern, the phase modification acting to reduce the size of an assist feature image exposed in resist on the substrate or prevent printing of the assist feature image in the resist on the substrate, while maintaining a contribution of the assist feature image to an image enhancement of a functional feature of the pattern.

Lithographic method and apparatus

Embodiments of the invention related to lithographic apparatus and methods. A lithographic method comprises calculating a laser metric based on a spectrum of laser radiation emitted from a laser to a lithographic apparatus together with a representation of an aerial image of a pattern to be projected onto the substrate by the lithographic apparatus, and using the laser metric to modify operation of the laser or adjust the lithographic apparatus, and projecting the pattern onto the substrate.

Calculating a laser metric within a lithographic apparatus and method thereof

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Veldhoven, Netherlands

Carsten Andreas Köhler