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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 06, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2008
Sami Musa, Veldhoven, NL;
Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Waalre, NL;
Sanjaysingh Lalbahadoersing, Helmond, NL;
Xiuhong Wei, Eindhoven, NL;
Sami Musa, Veldhoven, NL;
Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Waalre, NL;
Sanjaysingh Lalbahadoersing, Helmond, NL;
Xiuhong Wei, Eindhoven, NL;
ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
The position of a product is measured using an alignment mark on the product. Radiation is transmitted towards the alignment mark and diffracted by a pattern in the alignment mark. Position information is determined from phase relations of the diffracted radiation. The alignment mark comprises a set of mutually parallel conductor tracks from which the diffracted radiation is collected, the pattern being defined by a pattern of variation of the pitch between successive tracks as a function of position along the surface of the product. Thus, for example the pattern comprises alternating first and second areas wherein the pitch has a first and second value, respectively. Because the tracks in the different parts of the pattern, such as the first and second areas, are parallel to each other improved measurements are possible.