Asml Holding N.v.

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Asml Holdings N.v.

Igor Matheus Petronella Aarts

Krishanu Shome

Zahrasadat Dastouri

Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch

Justin Lloyd Kreuzer

Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen

Haico Victor Kok

Adel Joobeur

Eric Brian Catey

Johan Hendrik Geerke

Joshua Adams

Tao Chen

Yuxiang Lin

King Pui Leung

Irit Tzemah

Ronan James Havelin

Joseph Carbone

Greger Göte Andersson

Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans

Kaustuve Bhattacharyya

Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden

Emiel Jozef Melanie Eussen

Simon Reinald Huisman

Frederik Eduard De Jong

Gerrit Johannes Nijmeijer

Ralph Brinkhof

Henricus Johannes Lambertus Megens

Christopher John Mason

Dirk-Jan Bijvoet

Stefan Carolus Jacobus Antonius Keij

Kevin J Violette

Tamer Mohamed Tawfik Ahmed Mohamed Elazhary

Leendert Jan Karssemeijer

Samee Ur Rehman

Piotr Jan Meyer

Daan Maurtis Slotboom

Leonardo Gabriel Montilla

Jeffrey John Lombardo

Junqiang Zhou

Vu Quang Tran

Sergey Malyk

Marc Van De Grift

Robert Anthony Augelli

Junwon Lee

Nick Franciscus Wilhelmus Thissen

A method for generating an alignment signal that includes detecting local dimensional distortions of an alignment mark and generating the alignment signal based on the alignment mark. The alignment signal is weighted based on the local dimensional distortions of the alignment mark. Detecting the local dimensional distortions can include irradiating the alignment mark with radiation, the alignment mark including a geometric feature, and detecting one or more phase and/or amplitude shifts in reflected radiation from the geometric feature. The one or more phase and/or amplitude shifts correspond to the local dimensional distortions of the geometric feature. A parameter of the radiation, an alignment inspection location within the geometric feature, an alignment inspection location on a layer of a structure, and/or a radiation beam trajectory across the geometric feature may be determined based on the one or more detected phase and/or amplitude shifts.

Generating an alignment signal based on local alignment mark distortions

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for correcting the detected positions of alignment marks disposed on a substrate and aligning the substrate using the corrected data to ensure accurate exposure of one or more patterns on the substrate. An example method can include receiving measurement data indicative of an interference between light diffracted from a plurality of alignment marks disposed on a substrate or reflected from the substrate. The example method can further include determining substrate deformation data based on the measurement data. The example method can further include determining alignment mark deformation data based on the measurement data. The alignment mark deformation data can include alignment mark deformation spectral pattern data, alignment mark deformation amplitude data, and alignment mark deformation offset data. Subsequently, the example method can include determining a correction to the measurement data based on the substrate deformation data and the alignment mark deformation data.

Asymmetry extended grid model for wafer alignment

A metrology method relating to measurement of a structure on a substrate, the structure being subject to one or more asymmetric deviation. The method includes obtaining at least one intensity asymmetry value relating to the one or more asymmetric deviations, wherein the at least one intensity asymmetry value includes a metric related to a difference or imbalance between the respective intensities or amplitudes of at least two diffraction orders of radiation diffracted by the structure; determining at least one phase offset value corresponding to the one or more asymmetric deviations based on the at least one intensity asymmetry value; and determining one or more measurement corrections for the one or more asymmetric deviations from the at least one phase offset value.

Metrology method and associated metrology and lithographic apparatuses

An alignment method includes directing an illumination beam with a first polarization state to form a diffracted beam with a second polarization state from an alignment target, and passing the diffracted beam through a polarization analyzer. The alignment method further includes measuring a polarization state of the diffracted beam and determining a location of the alignment target from the measured polarization state relative to its initial polarization state. The alignment target includes a plurality of diffraction gratings with a single pitch and two or more duty cycles, wherein the pitch is smaller than a wavelength of the illumination beam, and the location of the alignment target corresponds to the duty cycle of the diffraction grating.

Wafer alignment using form birefringence of targets or product

An apparatus for and method of sensing alignment marks in which a self-referencing interferometer based sensor outputs standing images of the alignment marks and camera device is used to capture the images as output by the sensor and a detector is used to obtain phase information about the alignment marks from the images as output by the sensor.

Apparatus for and method of sensing alignment marks

A measurement apparatus, including: a tapered optical fiber, the tapered optical fiber having an input to receive radiation and having an output to provide spectrally broadened output radiation toward a measurement target, the tapered optical fiber configured to spectrally broaden the radiation received at the input; and a detector system configured to receive a redirected portion of the output radiation from the measurement target.

Broad spectrum radiation by supercontinuum generation using a tapered optical fiber

A method of applying a measurement correction includes determining an orthogonal subspace used to characterize a first principal component of the measurement and a second principal component of the measurement, and rotating the orthogonal subspace by a first angle such that the first principle component rotates to become a first factor vector and the second principle component rotates to become a second factor vector. An asymmetry vector is generated by rotating the second factor vector by a second angle, where the asymmetry vector and the first factor vector define a non-orthogonal subspace. An asymmetry contribution is determined in the measurement based on the projection of the measurement onto the first factor vector in the non-orthogonal subspace. The method also includes subtracting the asymmetry contribution from the measurement.

Adaptive alignment

A method of applying a measurement correction includes determining an orthogonal subspace used to characterize the measurement as a plot of data. A first axis of the orthogonal subspace corresponds to constructive interference output from an interferometer of the metrology system plus a first error variable and a second axis of the orthogonal subspace corresponds to destructive interference output from the interferometer of the metrology system plus a second error variable. The method also includes determining a slope of the plot of data and determining a fitted line to the plot of data in the orthogonal subspace based on the slope.

Noise correction for alignment signal

An alignment sensor apparatus includes an illumination system, a first optical system, a second optical system, a detector system, and a processor. The illumination system is configured to transmit an illumination beam along an illumination path. The first optical system is configured to transmit the illumination beam toward a diffraction target on a substrate. The second optical system includes a first polarizing optic configured to separate and transmit an irradiance distribution. The detector system is configured to measure a center of gravity of the diffraction target based on the irradiance distribution outputted from a first polarization branch and a second polarization branch. The processor is configured to measure a shift in the center of gravity of the diffraction target caused by an asymmetry variation in the diffraction target and determine a sensor response function of the alignment sensor apparatus based on the center of gravity shift.

Alignment sensor apparatus for process sensitivity compensation

An alignment mark for determining a two-dimensional alignment position of a substrate is discussed. The alignment mark includes an array of patterns. The array of patterns includes a first set of patterns and a second set of patterns arranged. The first set of patterns is arranged in a first sequence along a first direction. The second set of patterns is arranged in a second sequence along the first direction. The second sequence is different from the first sequence. Each pattern of the array of patterns is different from other patterns of the array of patterns that are adjacent to the each pattern.

Alignment mark for two-dimensional alignment in an alignment system

A method of applying a measurement correction includes calculating a first correction value based on a first coefficient and the measurement; calculating a second correction value based on a second coefficient, greater than the first coefficient, and the measurement; and calculating a third correction value based on a third coefficient, greater than the second coefficient, and the measurement. The method also includes applying the third correction value to the measurement if a difference between the first correction value and the third correction value is above a first threshold value; applying the second correction value to the measurement if a difference between the first correction value and the second correction value is above a second threshold value; and applying the first correction value to the measurement if the difference between the first correction value and the second correction value is below or equal to the second threshold value.

Adaptive filter for in-line correction

An alignment system obtains the characteristics of the light coming back from a wafer stack. A beam analyzer measures changes in wavelength, polarization, and beam profile. This measured information allows for in-line process variation corrections. The correction provides optical monitoring of individual mark stack variations, and in turn provides information to reduce individual mark process variation-induced accuracy error.

Alignment system wafer stack beam analyzer

A method, including printing an apparatus mark onto a structure while the structure is at least partly within a lithographic apparatus. The structure may be part of, or is located on, a substrate table, but is separate from a substrate to be held by the apparatus. The method further includes measuring the apparatus mark using a sensor system within the apparatus.

Measurement method comprising in-situ printing of apparatus mark and corresponding apparatus

A detection method for detecting a property of an extended pattern formed by at least one line generally extending in a first direction. The extended pattern is formed on a substrate or on a substrate table and may extend, for example, over a length of at least 50&#xd7; the width of the line. The extended pattern is focus sensitive. The detection method includes moving the substrate table in a first direction and measuring along that first direction a property of the extended pattern. The property can be a result of a physical property of the extended pattern in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In a next step a calibration of the substrate table position can be derived from the measured position of the extended pattern.

Position measurement using natural frequency vibration of a pattern

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Port Chester, NY, United States of America

Igor Matheus Petronella Aarts