Nikon Corporation

Nikon Precision Incorporated

Other

Steven Douglas Slonaker

Stephen P Renwick

Michael B Binnard

Daniel Gene Smith

Paul Derek Coon

Jonathan Kyle Wells

Johnathan Marquez

Brett William Herr

Matthew D Rosa

A position encoder for monitoring position of an object includes a target pattern, an illumination system, an image sensor, and a control system. The illumination system generates (i) a first illumination beam that is directed toward and impinges on the target pattern, the first illumination beam having a first beam characteristic; and (ii) a second illumination beam that is directed toward and impinges on the target pattern, the second illumination beam having a second beam characteristic that is different than the first beam characteristic. The image sensor is coupled to the object and is spaced apart from the target pattern. The image sensor senses a first set of information from the first illumination beam impinging on the target pattern and senses a second set of information from the second illumination beam impinging on the target pattern. The control system analyzes the first set of information and the second set of information to monitor the position of the object.

High-resolution position encoder with image sensor and encoded target pattern

Alignment patterns that are selected based on device pattern spatial frequencies are defined on a reticle. The alignment patterns can include periodic arrays of lines, spaces, dots, of other pattern elements. Such patterns can be defined as sets associated with a common spatial frequency or frequency range, or some or all sets can include alignment marks having mark elements associated with different spatial frequencies.

Spatial-frequency matched wafer alignment marks, wafer alignment and overlay measurement and processing using multiple different mark designs on a single layer

An imaging assembly for directing a pattern of energy at a workpiece includes (i) a reticle that defines a reticle array that includes a plurality of spaced apart, transmitting regions; (ii) an illumination source that generates an illumination beam; and (iii) a director assembly that selectively directs the illumination beam at the reticle array, the director assembly includes a plurality of director elements that are individually controlled to selectively control the beam pattern that is directed at the reticle array.

Programmable imaging assembly for manufacturing biotest post arrays

A method for matching a first OPE curve () for a first exposure apparatus (A) used to transfer an image to a wafer () to a second OPE curve () of a second exposure apparatus (B). The method can include the step of adjusting a tilt of a wafer stage () that retains the wafer to adjust the first OPE curve. As provided herein, the first exposure apparatus (A) has the first OPE curve () because of the design of the components used in the first exposure apparatus (A), and the second exposure apparatus (B) has a second OPE curve () because of the design of the components used in the second exposure apparatus (B). Further, the tilt of the wafer stage () can be selectively adjusted until the first OPE curve () approximately matches the second OPE curve (). With this design, the two exposure apparatuses (A) (B) can be used for the same lithographic process. Stated in another fashion, exposure apparatuses (A) (B) from different manufacturers, when using the same reticle (), will transfer similar images to the wafer ().

System and method for an adjusting optical proximity effect for an exposure apparatus

A system and method of calculating estimated image profiles. The system and method includes providing lens characteristic data and performing simulation calculations for various levels of aberration components using the lens characteristic data. A response surface functional relation is built between selected variables of the lens characteristics, in particular the lens aberration components, and the Image Profile using the simulation calculations. Evaluation is then performed on the arbitrary specified aberration values of a lens in relation to the response surface functional relations to provide a calculated estimate of the Image Profile for the specified aberration values. A machine readable medium and exposure apparatus are also provided.

Method and system for reconstructing aberrated image profiles through simulation

A method for diagnosing a lithographic tool. The method includes developing digitalized images of at least one wafer pattern with different exposure doses and assembling the digitized images into a pupilgram. The at least one function is of a known illuminator behavior of the lithographic tool is modeled. The pupilgram is fitted to the modeled function to determine whether a behavior associated with the pupilgram is within predetermined limits of illuminator behavior to diagnosis imperfections in the illuminator behavior. One technique applied to the illuminator analysis consists of evaluating the dose transmitted (by direct calculation) by the lens for a given input pupilgram (or set of pupilgram basis functions), a given pattern size and pitch, and a defined lens NA, is described. This transmitted dose is calculated and displayed as a function of position within the illumination distribution (pupilgram), and is valuable for the highlighting of those parts of the illumination distribution that contribute the largest amount of relative dose to the imaging process, and to compare the dose transmitted by different orientations of the same pattern.

Method to diagnose imperfections in illuminator of a lithographic tool

The layer of photoresist on a substrate to be exposed is deformed to approximate the shape of the region of best focus of the image to be projected thereon. The region of best focus is projected into a central region of the resist throughout the exposure field of the image. The deformation is accomplished by conforming the substrate with vacuum to a smoothly curved or spherically curved, permanent, rigid surface in a substrate chuck holding the substrate. The substrate chuck is mounted for motion on a substrate stage so that multiple exposure fields may be formed in the resist.

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San Mateo, CA, United States of America

Steven Douglas Slonaker