Asml Netherlands B.v.

Duygu Akbulut

Nitesh Pandey

Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden

Ferry Zijp

Alessandro Polo

Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

Simon Reinald Huisman

Jin Lian

Koos Van Berkel

Peter Danny Van Voorst

Jeroen Johan Maarten Van De Wijdeven

Hans Butler

Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch

Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer

Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen

Marinus Johannes Maria Van Dam

Teunis Willem Tukker

Jim Vincent Overkamp

Sietse Thijmen Van Der Post

Marinus Petrus Reijnders

Jeroen Arnoldus Leonardus Johannes Raaymakers

Janneke Ravensbergen

Sarathi Roy

Zili Zhou

Johannes Antonius Gerardus Akkermans

Nitish Kumar

Sergey Tarabrin

Johannes Matheus Marie De Wit

Adrianus Johannes Hendrikus Schellekens

Willem Maria Julia Marcel Coene

Guilherme Brondani Torri

Fanhe Kong

Simon Reinaid Huisman

Halil Gökay Yegen Yegen

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.

Metrology apparatus

A sensor is disclosed, wherein a transducer generates acoustic waves, which are received by a lens assembly. The lens assembly transmits and directs at least a part of the acoustic waves to a target. The lens assembly then receives at least a part of acoustic waves, after interaction with the target. The sensor further comprises an optical detector that comprises at least one optically reflective member located at a surface of the lens assembly, which surface is arranged opposite to a surface of the lens assembly which faces a focal plane of the lens assembly, wherein the at least one optically reflective member is mechanically displaced in response to the acoustic waves, which are received and transmitted by the lens assembly.

Apparatus and methods for determining the position of a target structure on a substrate

The invention provides a position sensor () which comprises an optical system () configured to provide measurement radiation () to a substrate (). The optical system is arranged to receive at least a portion of radiation () diffracted by a mark () provided on the substrate. A processor () is applied to derive at least one position-sensitive signal () from the received radiation. The measurement radiation comprises at least a first and a second selected radiation wavelength. The selection of the at least first and second radiation wavelengths is based on a position error swing-curve model.

Position sensor

An optical system delivers illuminating radiation and collects radiation after interaction with a target structure on a substrate. A measurement intensity profile is used to calculate a measurement of the property of the structure. The optical system may include a solid immersion lens. In a method, the optical system is controlled to obtain a first intensity profile using a first illumination profile and a second intensity profile using a second illumination profile. The profiles are used to derive a correction for mitigating the effect of, e.g., ghost reflections. Using, e.g., half-moon illumination profiles in different orientations, the method can measure ghost reflections even where a solid immersion lens would cause total internal reflection. The optical system may include a contaminant detection system to control a movement based on received scattered detection radiation. The optical system may include an optical component having a dielectric coating to enhance evanescent wave interaction.

Method and apparatus for deriving corrections, method and apparatus for determining a property of a structure, device manufacturing method

Disclosed is a metrology sensor system, such as a position sensor. The system comprises an optical collection system configured to collect diffracted or scattered radiation from a metrology mark on a substrate, said collected radiation comprising at least one parameter-sensitive signal and noise signal which is not parameter-sensitive, a processing system operable to process the collected radiation; and a module housing. An optical guide is provided for guiding the at least one parameter-sensitive signal, separated from the noise signal, from the processing system to a detection system outside of the housing. A detector detects the separated at least one parameter-sensitive signal. An obscuration for blocking zeroth order radiation and/or a demagnifying optical system may be provided between the optical guide and the detector.

Metrology sensor, lithographic apparatus and method for manufacturing devices

The disclosure relates to measuring a target. In one arrangement, a measurement apparatus is provided that has an optical system configured to illuminate a target with radiation and direct reflected radiation from the target to a sensor. A programmable spatial light modulator in a pupil plane of the optical system is programmed to redirect light in each of a plurality of pupil plane zones in such a way as to form a corresponding plurality of images at different locations on the sensor. Each image is formed by radiation passing through a different respective one of the pupil plane zones.

Measurement apparatus and method of measuring a target

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.

Metrology apparatus, lithographic system, and method of measuring a structure

Disclosed is a metrology sensor apparatus and associated method. The metrology sensor apparatus comprises an illumination system operable to illuminate a metrology mark on a substrate with illumination radiation having a first polarization state and an optical collection system configured to collect scattered radiation, following scattering of the illumination radiation by the metrology mark. The metrology mark comprises a main structure and changes, relative to the first polarization state, at least one of a polarization state of a first portion of the scattered radiation predominately resultant from scattering by the main structure and a polarization state of a second portion of radiation predominately resultant from scattering by one or more features other than the main structure, such that the polarization state of the first portion of the scattered radiation is different to the polarization state of the second portion of the scattered radiation. The metrology sensor apparatus further comprises an optical filtering system which filters out the second portion of the scattered radiation based on its polarization state.

An alignment sensor for a lithographic apparatus has an optical system configured to deliver, collect and process radiation selectively in a first waveband (e.g. 500-900 nm) and/or in a second waveband (e.g. 1500-2500 nm). The radiation of the first and second wavebands share a common optical path in at least some portion of the optical system, while the radiation of the first waveband is processed by a first processing sub-system and the radiation of the second waveband is processed by a second processing sub-system. The processing subsystems in one example include self-referencing interferometers. The radiation of the second waveband allows marks to be measured through an opaque layer. Optical coatings and other components of each processing sub-system can be tailored to the respective waveband, without completely duplicating the optical system.

Position sensor, lithographic apparatus and method for manufacturing devices

In an alignment sensor of a lithographic apparatus, position sensing radiation is delivered to a target (P). After reflection or diffraction from the target, position sensing radiation is processed to determine a position of the target. Reference radiation interferes with the position sensing radiation) while a relative phase modulation is applied between the reference radiation and the position sensing radiation. The interfering radiation includes a time-varying component defined by the applied phase modulation. The interfering radiation is delivered to two photodetectors in such a way that each photodetector receives said time-varying component in anti-phase to that received at the other photodetector. A difference signal (i(t)) from said photodetectors contains an amplified, low noise version of said time-varying component. This is used in determining the position of the target. Mode matching enhances interference. Surface scattered radiation is rejected.

Position sensing arrangement and lithographic apparatus including such an arrangement, position sensing method and device manufacturing method

Devices and methods for processing a radiation beam with coherence are disclosed. In one arrangement, an optical system receives a radiation beam with coherence. The radiation beam comprises components distributed over one or more radiation beam spatial modes. A waveguide supports a plurality of waveguide spatial modes. The optical system directs a plurality of the components of the radiation beam belonging to a common radiation beam spatial mode and having different frequencies onto the waveguide in such a way that each of the plurality of components couples to a different set of the waveguide spatial modes, each set comprising one or more of the waveguide spatial modes.

Device and method for processing a radiation beam with coherence

A method involving providing incident radiation of a first polarization state by an optical component into an interface of an object with an external environment, wherein a surface is provided adjacent the interface and separated by a gap from the interface, detecting, from incident radiation reflected from the interface and from the surface, radiation of a second different polarization state arising from the reflection of incident radiation of the first polarization at the interface as distinct from the radiation of the first polarization state in the reflected radiation, and producing a position signal representative of a relative position between the focus of the optical component and the object.

Method and apparatus for inspection and metrology

A method including obtaining a plurality of radiation distributions of measurement radiation redirected by the target, each of the plurality of radiation distributions obtained at a different gap distance between the target and an optical element of a measurement apparatus, the optical element being the nearest optical element to the target used to provide the measurement radiation to the target, and determining a parameter related to the target using data of the plurality of radiation distributions in conjunction with a mathematical model describing the measurement target.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Duygu Akbulut