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:
Feb. 21, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 22, 2007
Bernd Geh, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
Roger Irwin, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Eric Anthony Janda, Chandler, AZ (US);
David Merritt Phillips, Corrales, NM (US);
Bernd Geh, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
Roger Irwin, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Eric Anthony Janda, Chandler, AZ (US);
David Merritt Phillips, Corrales, NM (US);
ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
A method of optimizing lithographic processing to achieve substrate uniformity, is presented herein. In one embodiment, The method includes deriving hyper-sampled correlation information indicative of photoresist behavior for a plurality of wafer substrates processed at pre-specified target processing conditions. The derivation includes micro-exposing subfields of the substrates with a pattern, processing the substrates at the various target conditions, determining photoresist-related characteristics of the subfields (e.g., Bossung curvatures), and extracting correlation information regarding the subfield characteristics and the different target processing conditions to relate the target conditions as a function of subfield characteristics. The method then detects non-uniformities in a micro-exposed subsequent substrate processed under production-level processing conditions and exploits the correlation information to adjust the production-level conditions and achieve uniformity across the substrate.