Asml Netherlands B.v.

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Uwe Mickan

Hendricus Johannes Maria Meijer

Marcel Mathijs Theodore Marie Dierichs

Erik Roelof Loopstra

Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens

Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans

Johannes Hubertus Josephina Moors

Matthew Lipson

Antonius Johannes Josephus Van Dijsseldonk

Johannes Christiaan Maria Jasper

Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders

Tammo Uitterdijk

Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

Hans Van Der Laan

Jacobus Burghoorn

Harm-Jan Voorma

Jan Hauschild

Roeland Nicolaas Maria Vanneer

Wolfgang Singer

Hans-Juergen Mann

Jan Bernard Plechelmus Van Schoot

Markus Franciscus Antonius Eurlings

Edwin Johan Buis

Gosse Charles De Vries

Johannes Christiaan Leonardus Franken

Koen Van Ingen Schenau

Marco Le Kluse

Martin Lowisch

Marcel Dierichs

Elaine McCoo

Tammo Utterdijk

Antonius Johannes Josephus Dijsseldonk

JHJ Moors

JCL Franken

Johannes Baselmans

Johannes Mulkenss

Johannes Jasper

Hendricus Meijer

Johannes Christian Maria Jasper

Hendricus Johanne Maria Meijer

A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed for use with an immersion liquid positioned between the projection system and a substrate. Several methods and mechanism are disclosed to protect components of the projection system, substrate table and a liquid confinement system. These include providing a protective coating on a final element of the projection system as well as providing one or more sacrificial bodies upstream of the components. A two component final optical element of CaFis also disclosed.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed for use with an immersion liquid positioned between the projection system and a substrate, Several methods and mechanism are disclosed to protect components of the projection system, substrate table and a liquid confinement system. These include providing a protective coating on a final element of the projection system as well as providing one or more sacrificial bodies upstream of the components. A two component final optical element of CaFis also disclosed.

An actuator system is provided that is configured to move a component relative to a base of the actuator system. The actuator system may include first and second actuating elements, each including two sections of material that are joined to each other and have different coefficients of thermal expansion. The two actuating elements may be configured such that if the temperature of one is increased it applies a force on the component in a direction that is opposite to the force applied by the other actuating element if its temperature is increased. The actuator system may further include at least one power supply configured to provide independently controllable heating to the first and second actuating elements.

Actuator system, lithographic apparatus, method of controlling the position of a component and device manufacturing method

A method of generating a photolithography patterning device for transferring a pattern formed in the patterning device onto a substrate utilizing a lithographic projection apparatus includes defining features within the pattern formed in the device, wherein the features have dimensions and orientations chosen to create a desired image on the substrate during pattern transfer; and adjusting the dimensions of the features to compensate the desired image for displacement and dimension errors introduced by the effective shadow angle of the radiation on the features during pattern transfer or correlated to the position of the features within the exposure slit during pattern transfer. A measurement device for determining the position of a target image on or proximate a substrate in a lithographic projection apparatus, wherein the target image is formed by features on a patterning device, includes a detector configured to measure the position of the target image on or proximate the substrate, wherein the detector compensates the measured position of the target image for displacement and dimension errors introduced by the effective shadow angle of the radiation on the features of the patterning device during pattern transfer or correlated to the position of the features within the exposure slit during pattern transfer. A lithographic apparatus includes a measurement device.

Method of generating a photolithography patterning device, computer program, patterning device, method of determining the position of a target image on or proximate a substrate, measurement device, and lithographic apparatus

A method for performing a tilted focus test includes the steps of providing a target object, providing a projection beam of radiation using a radiation source, providing a reflective device to introduce a projected projection beam of radiation onto the target portion, introducing a first projected projection beam of radiation onto the target object using the reflective device in a first orientation, using a tilting device for tilting the reflective device to a second orientation to provide a second projection beam with a tilt relative to said first projection beam, introducing a second projected projection beam of radiation onto the target object, and determining a lateral shift of the first and second projected projection beams on the target object and determining from said lateral shift a defocus of the target object with respect to the projected projection beam.

Method and exposure apparatus for performing a tilted focus and a device manufactured accordingly

An optical apparatus is disclosed that has a convex mirror and a concave mirror with an aperture, wherein, in use, radiation from a radiation emitter passes through the aperture and is incident upon the convex mirror before being incident upon the concave mirror, the optical apparatus arranged to form the radiation into a radiation beam, wherein the concave mirror is translatable towards and away from the convex mirror or the convex mirror is translatable towards and away from the concave mirror, to adjust divergence of the radiation beam.

Optical apparatus

A mask for a lithographic apparatus is disclosed, the mask having a patterned region bearing a pattern to be transferred onto a substrate and a border surrounding the patterned region, wherein at least part of the border has a plurality of elements, the dimensions of the elements being such that, during use, they would not be resolved at the substrate. Also, a lithographic apparatus is disclosed, the apparatus having a projection system, a substrate table arranged to hold a substrate, and a patterning device having a patterned region which bears a pattern to be transferred using a radiation beam via the projection system onto the substrate, at least part of a border surrounding the patterned region comprising a plurality of elements arranged to direct radiation onto the substrate, the dimensions of the elements such that, during use, they are not resolved at the substrate.

Lithographic apparatus and patterning device

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus that includes an illumination system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a support structure for supporting a device provided with a pattern, the device serving to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section; a table for holding a target object, a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto the target object and a tilting device for providing the projection beam with a tilt. The tilting device is provided substantially in a pupil plane of the projection system.

Exposure apparatus, a tilting device method for performing a tilted focus test, and a device manufactured accordingly

A reticle includes an area provided with a conductive metal-based compound coating for electrically grounding the reticle. The reticle is suitable for use with a lithography apparatus whereby the reticle pattern is imaged using extreme ultra violet radiation. One or more conducting pins, held at zero potential, may be pressed against the conductive coating for electrically grounding the reticle either during patterning the reticle by electron beam writing or during use in the lithographic apparatus. The areas coated with the metal-based compounds are wear resistant which reduces the occurrence of particles due to damage caused by mechanical contact between the conducting pins and the conductive coating.

System for electrically connecting a mask to earth, a mask

A method of fabricating a device using a lithographic process, the method comprising applying a layer of radiation sensitive resist on top of the device, applying a metallic layer on top of the resist layer, and exposing a part of the resist layer to radiation while coupling the metallic layer to a fixed potential so as to apply an electric field across the resist layer, the direction of the electric field being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the resist layer.

Device manufacturing method and apparatus with applied electric field

A lithographic system includes a radiation system configured to provide a beam of radiation; an illumination system configured to condition the beam of radiation; a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and transmission adaptor arranged along an optical pathway. The radiation system includes a source configured to generate a beam of radiation. The transmission adaptor adapts an intensity profile as a function of wavelength of the beam of radiation and/or the patterned beam in such a way that the intensity profile equals a predetermined intensity profile.

Lithographic system, method for adapting transmission characteristics of an optical pathway within a lithographic system, semiconductor device, method of manufacturing a reflective element for use in a lithographic system, and reflective element manufactured thereby

A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a support structure for supporting patterning device, the patterning device serving to transmit or reflect radiation in the projection beam and impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section, a substrate table for holding a substrate, and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. A sensor is provided for measuring the spatial intensity distribution of the projection beam at the substrate. The spatial distribution of transmission or reflectance of the patterning device, together with the distribution of the projection beam incident on the patterning device, may be determined from the measured intensity distribution. By comparing the transmission or reflectance from regions having identical patterns the overall (macroscopic) distribution of the transmission or reflectance of the patterning device can be determined.

A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a support structure for supporting patterning structure for imparting a pattern to the projection beam, a substrate table for holding a wafer and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the wafer. In order to permit control of the radiation dose at the wafer so that the throughput of wafers can be optimised, a variable attenuator is provided to vary the intensity of the projection beam while not changing the position of the beam. The variable attenuator includes two parallel mirrors positioned such that an input beam of radiation is incident on a first of the mirrors by which it is reflected towards a second of the mirrors by which the beam is reflected to produce an output beam of radiation of required intensity for input to the illumination system, and a tilting mechanism for tilting the mirrors such that the mirrors remain parallel to one another and the angles of incidence of the beams on the mirrors are changed so as to vary the intensity of the output beam. This allows the intensity of the projection beam to be varied continuously without changing the position of the beam, whether the input beam is converging, diverging or parallel.

Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and variable attenuator

Growing community of inventors

Veldhoven, Netherlands

Uwe Mickan