Asml Netherlands B.v.

Imec Vzw

Asml Holding N.v.

Nitesh Pandey

Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

Armand Eugene Albert Koolen

Zili Zhou

Duygu Akbulut

Patrick Warnaar

Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden

Alessandro Polo

Marinus Johannes Maria Van Dam

Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans

Willem Marie Julia Marcel Coene

Jin Lian

Gerbrand Van Der Zouw

Vasco Tomas Tenner

Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer

Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen

Paul Christiaan Hinnen

Martin Jacobus Johan Jak

Teunis Willem Tukker

Maxim Pisarenco

Ferry Zijp

Marinus Petrus Reijnders

Janneke Ravensbergen

Hans Butler

Joost Jeroen Ottens

Maurits Van Der Schaar

Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch

Kaustuve Bhattacharyya

Robert John Socha

Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria Van Kraaij

Anagnostis Tsiatmas

Michael Kubis

Elliott Gerard McNamara

Veronique Rochus

Murat Bozkurt

Bastiaan Onne Fagginger Auer

Olger Victor Zwier

Stefan Michiel Witte

Jeroen Arnoldus Leonardus Johannes Raaymakers

Martinus Hubertus Maria Van Weert

Guilherme Brondani Torri

Luc Roger Simonne Haspeslagh

Coen Adrianus Verschuren

Heine Melle Mulder

Martin Ebert

Yevgeniy Konstantinovich Shmarev

Alok Verma

Paulus Antonius Andreas Teunissen

Willem Richard Pongers

Sergey Tarabrin

Shu-jin Wang

Johannes Matheus Marie De Wit

Hilko Dirk Bos

Samee Ur Rehman

Kjeld Sijbrand Eduard Eikema

Alexander Prasetya Konijnenberg

Samee Ur-Rehman

Kjeld Eikema

Simon Reinaid Huisman

Alexandre Halbach

Described is a metrology system for determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate, and associated method. The metrology system comprises a processor being configured to computationally determine phase and amplitude information from a detected characteristic of scattered radiation having been reflected or scattered by the at least one structure as a result of illumination of said at least one structure with illumination radiation in a measurement acquisition, and use the determined phase and amplitude to determine the characteristic of interest.

Metrology system and method for determining a characteristic of one or more structures on a substrate

A micromirror array comprises a substrate, a plurality of minors for reflecting incident light and, for each mirror () of the plurality of minors, at least one piezoelectric actuator () for displacing the minor, wherein the at least one piezoelectric actuator is connected to the substrate. The micromirror array further comprises one or more pillars () connecting the minor to the at least one piezoelectric actuator. Also disclosed is a method of forming such a micromirror array. The micromirror array may be used in a programmable illuminator. The programmable illuminator may be used in a lithographic apparatus and/or in an inspection apparatus.

Micromirror arrays

A micromirror array includes a substrate, a plurality of mirrors for reflecting incident radiation, and for each mirror of the plurality of mirrors, a respective post connecting the substrate to the respective mirror. The micromirror array further includes, for each mirror of the plurality of mirrors, one or more electrostatic actuators connected to the substrate for applying force to the respective post to displace the respective post relative to the substrate, thereby displacing the respective mirror. Also disclosed is a method of forming such a micromirror array. The micromirror array may be used in a programmable illuminator. The programmable illuminator may be used in a lithographic apparatus and/or in an inspection apparatus.

Disclosed is a method of determining a complex-valued field relating to a sample measured using an imaging system. The method comprises obtaining image data relating to a series of images of the sample, imaged at an image plane of the imaging system, and for which at least two different modulation functions are imposed in a Fourier plane of the imaging system; and determining the complex-valued field from the imaging data based on the imposed modulation functions.

Metrology method and apparatus for of determining a complex-valued field

Disclosed is a detection apparatus for simultaneous acquisition of multiple images of an object at a plurality of different focus levels; comprising: a modulator for obtaining multiple beam copies of an incoming beam; and a detector operable to capture said multiple beam copies, such that at two of said multiple beam copies are captured at different focus levels. Also disclosed is an inspection apparatus comprising such a detection system.

Detection apparatus for simultaneous acquisition of multiple diverse images of an object

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

Disclosed is a detection apparatus for a metrology device operable to measure a parameter of interest from scattered radiation having been scattered from a sample. The detection device comprises a detector comprising an array of pixels. The array of pixels comprises imaging pixels for detecting an image from which the parameter of interest is determined, and direction detecting pixels for detecting the angle of incidence of said scattered radiation on said detector.

Metrology device and detection apparatus therefor

A metrology apparatus for determining a parameter of interest of a structure formed by a lithographic process on a substrate, the metrology apparatus comprising: an illuminator for illuminating the structure; a lens for collecting at least a portion of radiation diffracted from the structure; and an image sensor for receiving and obtaining a recording of the collected diffracted radiation; wherein the illuminator comprises at least one optical fiber for illuminating the structure directly.

Metrology apparatus and photonic crystal fiber

A metrology apparatus for determining a characteristic of interest of a structure on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a radiation source configured to generate illumination radiation; at least two illumination branches comprising at least one optical fiber and configured to illuminate a structure on a substrate from different angles; and a radiation switch configured to receive the illumination radiation and transfer at least part of the radiation to a selectable one of the at least two illumination branches.

An acoustic scatterometer has an acoustic source operable to project acoustic radiation onto a periodic structure and formed on a substrate. An acoustic detector is operable to detect the &#x2212;1st acoustic diffraction order diffracted by the periodic structure and while discriminating from specular reflection (0th order). Another acoustic detector is operable to detect the +1st acoustic diffraction order diffracted by the periodic structure, again while discriminating from the specular reflection (0th order). The acoustic source and acoustic detector may be piezo transducers. The angle of incidence of the projected acoustic radiation and location of the detectors and are arranged with respect to the periodic structure and such that the detection of the &#x2212;1st and +1st acoustic diffraction orders and discriminates from the 0th order specular reflection.

Scatterometer and method of scatterometry using acoustic radiation

Disclosed is a method and associated inspection apparatus for measuring a characteristic of interest relating to a structure on a substrate. The inspection apparatus uses measurement radiation comprising a plurality of wavelengths. The method comprises performing a plurality of measurement acquisitions of said structure, each measurement acquisition being performed using measurement radiation comprising a different subset of the plurality of wavelengths, to obtain a plurality of multiplexed measurement signals. The plurality of multiplexed measurement signals are subsequently de-multiplexed into signal components according to each of said plurality of wavelengths, to obtain a plurality of de-multiplexed measurement signals which are separated according to wavelength.

Metrology apparatus and method for determining a characteristic of one or more structures on a substrate

A method of measuring overlay uses a plurality of asymmetry measurements from locations (LOI) on a pair of sub-targets () formed on a substrate (W). For each sub-target, the plurality of asymmetry measurements are fitted to at least one expected relationship () between asymmetry and overlay, based on a known bias variation deigned into the sub-targets. Continuous bias variation in one example is provided by varying the pitch of top and bottom gratings (P/P). Bias variations between the sub-targets of the pair are equal and opposite (P/P). Overlay (OV) is calculated based on a relative shift (xs) between the fitted relationships for the two sub-targets. The step of fitting asymmetry measurements to at least one expected relationship includes wholly or partially discounting measurements () that deviate from the expected relationship and/or fall outside a particular segment of the fitted relationship.

Metrology method, patterning device, apparatus and computer program

Growing community of inventors

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Nitesh Pandey