Asml Netherlands B.v.

Hermanus Adrianus Dillen

Wim Tjibbo Tel

Thomas Jarik Huisman

Willem Louis Van Mierlo

Marc Jurian Kea

Ruben Cornelis Maas

Vadim Yourievich Timoshkov

Koen Thuijs

Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens

Sander Frederik Wuister

Stefan Hunsche

Antoine Gaston Marie Kiers

Roy Werkman

Jochem Sebastiaan Wildenberg

Thomas Ingolf Wallow

Daan Maurits Slotboom

Weitian Kou

Mark John Maslow

Te-Sheng Wang

Abraham Slachter

Peter David Engblom

Yichen Zhang

Koenraad Van Ingen Schenau

Marleen Kooiman

Fuming Wang

Marie-Claire Van Lare

Ralph Timotheus Huijgen

Tzu-Chao Chen

Adam Lyons

Sudharshanan Raghunathan

Aiqin Jiang

Dorothea Maria Christina Oorschot

Mir Farrokh Shayegan Salek

Ronald Van Ittersum

Fan Feng

Luis Alberto Colina Santamaría Colina

Peng-cheng Yang

Methods related to improving a simulation processes and solutions (e.g., retargeted patterns) associated with manufacturing of a chip. A method includes obtaining a plurality of dose-focus settings, and a reference distribution based on measured values of a characteristic of a printed pattern associated with each setting of the plurality of dose-focus settings. The method further includes, based on an adjustment model and the plurality of dose-focus settings, determining a probability density function (PDF) of the characteristic such that an error between the PDF and the reference distribution is reduced. The PDF can be a function of the adjustment model and variance associated with dose, the adjustment model being configured to change a proportion of non-linear dose sensitivity contribution to the PDF. A process window can be adjusted based on the determined PDF of the characteristic.

Method for calibrating simulation process based on defect-based process window

A method for determining an image-metric of features on a substrate, the method including: obtaining a first image of a plurality of features on a substrate; obtaining one or more further images of a corresponding plurality of features on the substrate, wherein at least one of the one or more further images is of a different layer of the substrate than the first image; generating aligned versions of the first and one or more further images by performing an alignment process on the first and one or more further images; and calculating an image-metric in dependence on a comparison of the features in the aligned version of the first image and the corresponding features in the one or more aligned versions of the one or more further images.

Method in the manufacturing process of a device, a non-transitory computer-readable medium and a system configured to perform the method

A method of determining a position of a product feature on a substrate, the method includes: obtaining a plurality of position measurements of one or more product features on a substrate, wherein the measurements are referenced to either a positioning system used in displacing the substrate in between measurements or a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate; and determining a distortion component of the substrate based on the position measurements.

Method of wafer alignment using at resolution metrology on product features

A method for calibrating a scanning charged particle microscope, such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM), is provided. The method includes dividing a wafer into a plurality of regions; preparing, on each of the plurality of regions, a pattern including a first periodic structure interleaved with a second periodic structure, the first and second periodic structures having an induced offset; determining an actual pitch the first and second periodic structures and thereby determining actual induced offset on each of the plurality of regions; selecting a plurality of regions from among the plurality of regions; measuring, by the SEM, a pitch of first and second periodic structures on each of the plurality of regions; and performing linearity calibration on the SEM based on the determining and the measuring.

Method for calibrating a scanning charged particle microscope

A method of determining a characteristic of one or more processes for manufacturing features on a substrate, the method including: obtaining image data of a plurality of features on a least part of at least one region on a substrate; using the image data to obtain measured data of one or more dimensions of each of at least some of the plurality of features; determining a statistical parameter that is dependent on the variation of the measured data of one or more dimensions of each of at least some of the plurality of features; determining a probability of defective manufacture of features in dependence on a determined number of defective features in the image data; and determining the characteristic of the one or more processes to have the probability of defective manufacture of features and the statistical parameter.

Method for characterizing a manufacturing process of semiconductor devices

A method and associated apparatuses for controlling a process of manufacturing semiconductor devices on a substrate. The method includes obtaining process data relating to the process and determining a correction for the process based on the process data and a first control objective associated with the devices on the substrate. A first probability of the first control objective being achievable is determined and the correction adjusted based on the probability and at least a second control objective having a second probability of being achievable compared to the first control objective.

Method for controlling a manufacturing process and associated apparatuses

Disclosed is a method of, and associated apparatus for, determining an edge position relating to an edge of a feature comprised within an image, such as a scanning electron microscope image, which comprises noise. The method comprises determining a reference signal from said image; and determining said edge position with respect to said reference signal. The reference signal may be determined from the image by applying a 1-dimensional low-pass filter to the image in a direction parallel to an initial contour estimating the edge position.

Method of metrology and associated apparatuses

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for inspecting a semiconductor sample are disclosed. In some embodiments, the sample may comprise a structure having a plurality of openings in a top layer of the structure. In some embodiments, the method may comprise generating an image of the structure using a SEM; inspecting an opening of the plurality of openings by determining a dimension of the opening based on the image and determining an open-state of the opening, based on a contrast of the image; and determining a quality of the opening based on both the determined dimension and the determined open-state of the opening.

Inspection tool and inspection method

Disclosed is a method of, and associated apparatus for, determining an edge position relating to an edge of a feature comprised within an image, such as a scanning electron microscope image, which comprises noise. The method comprises determining a reference signal from said image; and determining said edge position with respect to said reference signal. The reference signal may be determined from the image by applying a-dimensional low-pass filter to the image in a direction parallel to an initial contour estimating the edge position.

A method including providing a plurality of unit cells for a plurality of gauge patterns appearing in one or more images of one or more patterning process substrates, each unit cell representing an instance of a gauge pattern of the plurality of gauge patterns, averaging together image information of each unit cell to arrive at a synthesized representation of the gauge pattern, and determining a geometric dimension of the gauge pattern based on the synthesized representation.

Method and apparatus for pattern correction and verification

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Maarheeze, Netherlands

Hermanus Adrianus Dillen