The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 2019

Filed:

Aug. 23, 2016
Applicant:

Asml Netherlands B.v., Veldhoven, NL;

Inventors:

Rene Marinus Gerardus Johan Queens, Boise, ID (US);

Arend Johannes Donkerbroek, Aarle-Rixtel, NL;

Pietro Andricciola, Waarle, NL;

Ewoud Frank Van West, Boise, ID (US);

Assignee:

ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 9/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03F 9/7026 (2013.01); G03F 9/7019 (2013.01); G03F 9/7034 (2013.01); G03F 9/7049 (2013.01); G03F 9/7088 (2013.01); G03F 9/7092 (2013.01); G03F 9/7057 (2013.01);
Abstract

A lithographic apparatus uses a height sensor to obtain height sensor data representing a topographical variation across a substrate. The height sensor data is used to control focusing of a device pattern at multiple locations across the substrate. A controller identifies one or more first areas where height sensor data is judged to be reliable and one or more second areas where the height sensor data is judged to be less reliable. Substitute height data is calculated for the second areas using height sensor data for the first areas together with prior knowledge of expected device-specific topography. The focusing of the lithographic apparatus is controlled using a combination of the height data from the sensor and the substitute height data.


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