Asml Netherlands B.v.

Asm Lithography B.v.

Hans Van Der Laan

Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

Antoine Gaston Marie Kiers

Jan Evert Van Der Werf

Wim Tjibbo Tel

Frank Staals

Marcel Mathijs Theodore Marie Dierichs

Antonius Johannes Josephus Van Dijsseldonk

Hendrikus Robertus Marie Van Greevenbroek

Erik Roelof Loopstra

Vadim Yevgenyevich Banine

Johannes Hubertus Josephina Moors

Stefan Hunsche

Mircea Dusa

Mark Kroon

Wilhelmus Cornelis Keur

Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans

Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders

Maurits Van Der Schaar

Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer

Kaustuve Bhattacharyya

Jan Bernard Plechelmus Van Schoot

Markus Franciscus Antonius Eurlings

Marinus Jochemsen

Laurentius Cornelius De Winter

Uwe Mickan

Grzegorz Grzela

Koen Van Ingen Schenau

Gerardus Carolus Johannus Hofmans

Alberto Da Costa Assafrao

Sven Gunnar Krister Magnusson

Jay Jianhui Chen

Chien-Hung Tseng

Rene Hubert Jacobus Carpaij

Adam Jan Urbanczyk

George Arie Jan Fockert

Marco H Moers

Hans Butler

Marcus Adrianus Van De Kerkhof

Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren

Everhardus Cornelis Mos

Pieter Willem Herman De Jager

Justin Lloyd Kreuzer

Martin Jacobus Johan Jak

Christian Wagner

Henricus Petrus Maria Pellemans

Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden

Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel

Armand Eugene Albert Koolen

Herman Philip Godfried

Johannes Anna Quaedackers

Wilhelmus Petrus De Boeij

Peter Hanzen Wardenier

Paul Frank Luehrmann

Jin Lian

Diederik Jan Maas

Paul Jacques Van Wijnen

Olger Victor Zwier

Cassandra May Owen

Theodore Allen Paxton

Todd J Davis

Victor Emanuel Calado

Todd David Hiar

Peter Clement Paul Vanoppen

Wilhelmus Maria Corbeij

Martin Lowisch

Jean-Pierre Agnes Henricus Marie Vaessen

Johannes C Mulkens

Hilko Dirk Bos

Marco Hugo Petrus Moers

Mir Homayoun Shahrjerdy

Frank Bornebroek

Marcel Dierichs

Maurice Henricus Franciscus Janssen

Aiqin Jiang

Carsten Andreas Köhler

Judocus M Stoeldrayer

Hui Quan Lim

Manfred Bernhard Suddendorf

Elaine McCoo

Johannes H J Moors

Robert Wilhelm Willekers

S M Masudur Rahman Al Arif

Bart Visser

Wilhelmus Maria Corbeije

Disclosed is a substrate and associated patterning device. The substrate comprises at least one target arrangement suitable for metrology of a lithographic process, the target arrangement comprising at least one pair of similar target regions which are arranged such that the target arrangement is, or at least the target regions for measurement in a single direction together are, centrosymmetric. A metrology method is also disclosed for measuring the substrate. A metrology method is also disclosed comprising which comprises measuring such a target arrangement and determining a value for a parameter of interest from the scattered radiation, while correcting for distortion of the metrology apparatus used.

Substrate comprising a target arrangement, and associated at least one patterning device, lithographic method and metrology method

A process of selecting a measurement location, the process including: obtaining pattern data describing a pattern to be applied to substrates in a patterning process; obtaining a process characteristic measured during or following processing of a substrate, the process characteristic characterizing the processing of the substrate; determining a simulated result of the patterning process based on the pattern data and the process characteristic; and selecting a measurement location for the substrate based on the simulated result.

Selection of measurement locations for patterning processes

Provided is a process of selecting a measurement location, the process including: obtaining pattern data describing a pattern to be applied to substrates in a patterning process; obtaining a process characteristic measured during or following processing of a substrate, the process characteristic characterizing the processing of the substrate; determining a simulated result of the patterning process based on the pattern data and the process characteristic; and selecting a measurement location for the substrate based on the simulated result.

A method including obtaining a fit of data for overlay of a metrology target for a patterning process as a function of a stack difference parameter of the metrology target; and using, by a hardware computer, a slope of the fit (i) to differentiate a metrology target measurement recipe from another metrology target measurement recipe, or (ii) calculate a corrected value of overlay, or (iii) to indicate that an overlay measurement value obtained using the metrology target should be used, or not be used, to configure or modify an aspect of the patterning process, or (iv) any combination selected from (i)-(iii).

Correction using stack difference

A method including computing, in accordance with one or more parameters of a substrate measurement recipe, measurement with a latent image of a target and measurement with a post-development image corresponding to the latent image, to evaluate a characteristic determined from the computed measurement with the latent image of the target and determined from the computed measurement with the post-development image corresponding to the latent image; and adjusting the one or more parameters of the substrate measurement recipe and re-performing the computing, until a certain termination condition is satisfied with respect to the characteristic.

Substrate measurement recipe design of, or for, a target including a latent image

Disclosed is a process monitoring method, and an associated metrology apparatus. The method comprises: obtaining measured target response sequence data relating to a measurement response of a target formed on a substrate by a lithographic process to measurement radiation comprising multiple measurement profiles, wherein the measured target response sequence data describes a variation of the measurement response of the target in response to variations of the measurement profiles; obtaining reference target response sequence data relating to a measurement response of the target as designed to the measurement radiation, wherein the reference target response sequence data describes an optimal measurement response of the target in response to designed measurement profiles without un-designed variation; comparing the measured target response sequence data and the reference target response sequence data; and determining values for variations in stack parameters of the target from the measured target response sequence data based on the comparison.

Metrology method and apparatus and associated computer product

Disclosed is a process monitoring method, and an associated metrology apparatus. The method comprises: comparing measured target response spectral sequence data relating to the measurement response of actual targets to equivalent reference target response sequence data relating to a measurement response of the targets as designed; and performing a process monitoring action based on the comparison of said measured target response sequence data and reference target response sequence data. The method may also comprise determining stack parameters from the measured target response spectral sequence data and reference target response spectral sequence data.

Disclosed is a method of determining a correction for measured values of radiation diffracted from a target comprising a plurality of periodic structures, subsequent to measurement of the target using measurement radiation defining a measurement field. The correction acts to correct for measurement field location dependence in the measured values. The method comprises performing a first and second measurements of the periodic structures; and determining a correction from said first measurement and said second measurement. The first measurement is performed with said target being in a normal measurement location with respect to the measurement field. The second measurement is performed with the periodic structure in a shifted location with respect to the measurement field, said shifted location comprising the location of another of said periodic structures when said target is in said normal measurement location with respect to the measurement field.

Method of metrology, inspection apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method

A lithographic apparatus can include the following devices: a patterning system, a projection system, and a radiation beam inspection device. The patterning system can be configured to provide a patterned radiation beam. The projection system can be configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. Further, the radiation beam inspection device can be configured to inspect at least a part of the patterned radiation beam. In a substrate exposure position, the projection system is configured to expose a pattern of radiation on the substrate using the patterned radiation beam and the radiation beam device is configured to move the reflecting device away from a light path of the patterned radiation beam. In a radiation beam inspection position, the radiation beam inspection device is configured to move the reflecting device into the light path of the patterned radiation beam.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method with radiation beam inspection using moveable reflecting device

A method according to an embodiment includes obtaining calibration measurement data, with an optical detection apparatus, from a plurality of marker structure sets provided on a calibration substrate. Each marker structure set includes at least one calibration marker structure created using different known values of the process parameter. The method includes obtaining measurement data, with the optical detection apparatus, from at least one marker structure provided on a substrate and exposed using an unknown value of the process parameter; and determining the unknown value of the process parameter from the obtained measurement data by employing regression coefficients in a model based on the known values of the process parameter and the calibration measurement data.

Method to determine the value of process parameters based on scatterometry data

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

A lithographic projection apparatus including a support structure configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart a beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to expose the patterned beam of radiation on a target portion of the substrate; and a system configured to compensate one or more perturbation factors by providing an additional beam of radiation to be exposed on the target portion of the substrate, the additional beam of radiation being imparted in its cross-section with an additional pattern which is based on the pattern of the patterning device and on lithographic projection apparatus property data, the lithographic projection apparatus property data characterizing a level and nature of one or more systematic perturbation factors of different lithographic apparatus.

Lithographic projection apparatus and method of compensating perturbation factors

Movements of a lithographic apparatus include dynamic positioning errors on one or more axes which cause corresponding errors which can be measured in the applied pattern. A test method includes operating the apparatus several times while deliberately imposing a relatively large dynamic positioning error at different specific frequencies and axes. Variations in the error in the applied pattern are measured for different frequencies and amplitudes of the injected error across a frequency band of interest for a given axis or axes. Calculation using said measurements and knowledge of the frequencies injected allows analysis of dynamic positioning error variations in frequency bands correlated with each injected error frequency.

Method of measuring properties of dynamic positioning errors in a lithographic apparatus, data processing apparatus, and computer program product

A lithographic apparatus includes a radiation system having reflective optical elements constructed and arranged to condition a beam of radiation. The reflective optical elements include a first faceted mirror constructed and arranged to generate a plurality of source images on a second mirror. The lithographic apparatus also includes a facet mask constructed and arranged to selectively mask one or more of the facets of the first faceted mirror. The facet mask includes a masking blade selectively interposable into the beam.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

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Veldhoven, Netherlands

Hans Van Der Laan