Asml Holding N.v.

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Asml Holdings N.v.

Asml Holding N.v. & Asml Netherlands B.v.

Asml Netherlands B.v. & Asml Holding N.v.

Asml Hoding N.v.

Stephen Roux

Justin Lloyd Kreuzer

Mohamed Swillam

Erik Roelof Loopstra

Daniel Nicholas Galburt

Frederick Michael Carter

Santiago E Del Puerto

Michael L Nelson

Todd Bednarek

Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders

Frits Van Der Meulen

Richard Joseph Bruls

Paul Janssen

Matthew Lipson

Joseph Harry Lyons

Derk Servatius Gertruda Brouns

Robert Gabriël Maria Lansbergen

Matthias Kruizinga

Erik Willem Bogaart

Jeroen Dekkers

Beatrijs Louise Marie-Joseph Katrien Verbrugge

Gerrit Van Den Bosch

Tamer Mohamed Tawfik Ahmed Mohamed Elazhary

Sandra Van Der Graaf

Jérôme François Sylvain Virgile Van Loo

Maarten Mathijs Marinus Jansen

Arjan Johannes Anton Beukman

Jorge Manuel Azeredo Lima

Marc Bruijn

Mohammad Reza Kamali

Ronald Harm Gunther Kramer

Richard Lenox

Sander Van Den Heijkant

Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

Joost Jeroen Ottens

Arno Jan Bleeker

Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden

Dominicus Jacobus Petrus Adrianus Franken

Peter Conrad Kochersperger

Christopher Charles Ward

Yevgeniy Konstantinovich Shmarev

Andrew W McCullough

Daniel Nathan Burbank

Mark Josef Schuster

Jean-Philippe Xavier Van Damme

Victor Antonio Perez-Falcon

Yuxiang Lin

Arindam Sinharoy

Michael Andrew Chieda

Filippo Alpeggiani

Muhsin Eralp

Eric Justin Monkman

Duncan Harris

Ross Ian Mackenzie

Ilse Van Weperen

Sergei Sokolov

Christopher William Reed

Tamer Mohamed Tawfik Ahmed Elazhary

A metrology system includes a radiation source, an adjustable diffractive element, an optical system, an optical element, and a processor. The radiation source generates radiation. The adjustable diffractive element diffracts the radiation to generate first and second beams of radiation. The first and second beams have first and second different non-zero diffraction orders, respectively. The optical system directs the first and second beams toward a target structure such that first and second scattered beams of radiation are generated based on the first and second beams, respectively. The metrology system adjusts a phase difference of the first and second scattered beams. The optical element interferes the first and second scattered beams at an imaging detector that generates a detection signal. The processor receives and analyzes the detection signal to determine a property of the target structure based on the adjusted phase difference.

Systems and methods for measuring intensity in a lithographic alignment apparatus

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for detecting a particle on a substrate surface. An example method can include receiving, by a grating structure, coherent radiation from a radiation source. The method can further include generating, by the grating structure, a focused coherent radiation beam based on the coherent radiation. The method can further include transmitting, by the grating structure, the focused coherent radiation beam toward a region of a surface of a substrate. The method can further include receiving, by the grating structure, photons scattered from the region in response to illuminating the region with the focused coherent radiation beam. The method can further include measuring, by a photodetector, the photons received by the grating structure. The method can further include generating, by the photodetector and based on the measured photons, an electronic signal for detecting a particle located in the region of the surface of the substrate.

Monolithic particle inspection device

A method includes irradiating a target structure with sequential illumination shots, directing scattered beams from the target structure towards an imaging detector, generating a detection signal using the imaging detector, and determining a property of the target structure based on at least the detection signal. An integration time for each illumination shot of the sequential illumination shots is selected so to reduce a low frequency error.

Lithographic apparatus, metrology systems, and methods thereof

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for determining the alignment of a substrate. An example method can include emitting a multi-wavelength radiation beam including a first wavelength and a second wavelength toward a region of a surface of a substrate. The example method can further include measuring a first diffracted radiation beam indicative of first order diffraction at the first wavelength in response to an irradiation of the region by the multi-wavelength radiation beam. The example method can further include measuring a second diffracted radiation beam indicative of first order diffraction at the second wavelength in response to the irradiation of the region by the multi-wavelength radiation beam. Subsequently, the example method can include generating, based on the measured first set of photons and the measured second set of photons, an electronic signal for use in determining an alignment position of the substrate.

Self-referencing integrated alignment sensor

A compact sensor apparatus having an illumination beam, a beam shaping system, a polarization modulation system, a beam projection system, and a signal detection system. The beam shaping system is configured to shape an illumination beam generated from the illumination system and generate a flat top beam spot of the illumination beam over a wavelength range from 400 nm to 2000 nm. The polarization modulation system is configured to provide tenability of linear polarization state of the illumination beam. The beam projection system is configured to project the flat top beam spot toward a target, such as an alignment mark on a substrate. The signal detection system is configured to collect a signal beam comprising diffraction order sub-beams generated from the target, and measure a characteristic (e.g., overlay) of the target based on the signal beam.

Optical designs of miniaturized overlay measurement system

A metrology system comprises a radiation source, an optical element, first and second detectors, an integrated optical device comprising a multimode waveguide, and a processor. The radiation source generates radiation. The optical element directs radiation toward a target to generate scattered radiation from the target. The first detector receives a first portion of the scattered radiation and generates a first detection signal based on the received first portion. The multimode waveguide interferes a second portion of the scattered radiation using modes of the multimode waveguide. The second detector receives the interfered second portion and generates a second detection signal based on the received interfered second portion. The processor receives the first and second detection signals. The processor analyzes the received first portion, the received interfered second portion, and a propagation property of the multimode waveguide. The processor determines the property of the target based on the analysis.

Spectrometric metrology systems based on multimode interference and lithographic apparatus

A sensor apparatus includes a sensor chip, an illumination system, a first optical system, a second optical system, and a detector system. The illumination system is coupled to the sensor chip and transmits an illumination beam along an illumination path. The first optical system is coupled to the sensor chip and includes a first integrated optic to configure and transmit the illumination beam toward a diffraction target on a substrate, disposed adjacent to the sensor chip, and generate a signal beam including diffraction order sub-beams generated from the diffraction target. The second optical system is coupled to the sensor chip and includes a second integrated optic to collect and transmit the signal beam from a first side to a second side of the sensor chip. The detector system is configured to measure a characteristic of the diffraction target based on the signal beam transmitted by the second optical system.

On chip sensor for wafer overlay measurement

A system includes a radiation source, first and second phased arrays, and a detector. The first and second phased arrays include optical elements, a plurality of ports, waveguides, and phase modulators. The optical elements radiate radiation waves. The waveguides guide radiation from a port of the plurality of ports to the optical elements. Phase modulators adjust phases of the radiation waves. One or both of the first and second phased arrays form a first beam and/or a second beam of radiation directed toward a target structure based on the port coupled to the radiation source. The detector receives radiation scattered by the target structure and generates a measurement signal based on the received radiation.

Lithographic apparatus, metrology systems, phased array illumination sources and methods thereof

An apparatus for reticle sub-field thermal control in a lithography system is disclosed. The apparatus includes a clamp configured to fix an object. The clamp includes a plurality of gas distribution features that are spatially arranged in a pattern. The apparatus further includes a gas pressure controller configured to individually control a gas flow rate through each of the plurality of gas distribution features to spatially modulate a gas pressure distribution in a space between the clamp and the object. The gas distribution features include a plurality of trenches or holes arranged in an array form.

Reticle sub-field thermal control

An optical assembly and a method of making an optical assembly in which additive manufacturing techniques are used to form a support structure either directly on an optical element or on a carrier that is subsequently bonded to an optical element.

Assembly for use in semiconductor photolithography and method of manufacturing same

A mask assembly suitable for use in a lithographic process, the mask assembly comprising a patterning device; and a pellicle frame configured to support a pellicle and mounted on the patterning device with a mount; wherein the mount is configured to suspend the pellicle frame relative to the patterning device such that there is a gap between the pellicle frame and the patterning device; and wherein the mount provides a releasably engageable attachment between the patterning device and the pellicle frame.

Mask assembly

A patterning device support (), for example, a patterning device () or substrate support, can be configured to release internal stresses of a patterning device loaded thereon. The patterning device support can include a positive pressuring generating interface () or an acoustic vibration generating interface (), or can be configured to oscillate while at least a portion of patterning device is decoupled from the patterning device support. A method of transferring a patterning device between a patterning device handling apparatus and a patterning device support configured to move the patterning device can include positioning the patterning device onto a surface of the patterning device support, and performing a process that releases internal stress of the patterning device.

Patterning device support and lithographic apparatus

A control system controls a positioning device displaceable in at least one degree of freedom by a reluctance motor. A force sensing element and a controller adjust force applied by the motor responsive to a force sensing element configured to sense force applied by the motor. The controller receives a signal representing force applied by the motor from the force sensing element, obtain an acceleration trajectory plan associated with a velocity trajectory plan for the positioning device, obtain a force trajectory plan associated with the acceleration trajectory plan, compare the force applied with a required amount of force obtained from the force trajectory, and adjust the amount of force applied by the motor based on the comparison. Related methods are also presented.

Method for controlling the position of a movable object, a control system for controlling a positioning device, and a lithographic apparatus

Systems and methods for inspection of lithographic reticles are provided. The method begins with the generation of a topographical map for a reticle surface with the reticle being in a load-free state. The reticle is then loaded onto a reticle chuck in a lithographic apparatus. A topographical map is then generated for the loaded reticle. The topographical maps for the reticle in a load-free and loaded state are then compared to generate differences. Based on these differences a control action is taken, which can include approving use of the reticle, rejecting the reticle use or applying forces to the reticle to compensate for the topography differences. In an embodiment, the method occurs in situ in that at least the generation of the loaded-state topography occurs within a lithographic apparatus during a wafer run (or other type of run). A lithographic reticle inspection system and a reticle inspection analyzer are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for lithographic reticle inspection

Growing community of inventors

New Fairfield, CT, United States of America

Stephen Roux