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:
Jun. 30, 2015

Filed:

Jul. 05, 2012
Applicants:

Patrick Warnaar, Tilburg, NL;

Mark Van Schijndel, Eindhoven, NL;

Michael Kubis, Düsseldorf, DE;

Inventors:

Patrick Warnaar, Tilburg, NL;

Mark Van Schijndel, Eindhoven, NL;

Michael Kubis, Düsseldorf, DE;

Assignee:

ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06K 9/46 (2006.01); G03F 1/44 (2012.01); G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03B 27/54 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03F 7/70633 (2013.01); G03F 1/44 (2013.01); G03F 7/70683 (2013.01);
Abstract

A target structure including a periodic structure is formed on a substrate. An image of the target structure is detected while illuminating the target structure with a beam of radiation, the image being formed using a first part of non-zero order diffracted radiation while excluding zero order diffracted radiation. Intensity values extracted from a region of interest within the image are used to determine a property of the periodic structure. A processing unit recognizes locations of a plurality of boundary features in the image of the target structure to identify regions of interest. The number of boundary features in each direction is at least twice a number of boundaries of periodic structures within the target structure. The accuracy of locating the region is greater than by recognizing only the boundaries of the periodic structure(s).


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…