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:
Sep. 13, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 11, 2013
Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh, Oberkochen, DE;
Olaf Conradi, Westhausen/Westerhofen, DE;
Michael Totzeck, Schwaebisch Gmuend, DE;
Ulrich Loering, Schwaebisch Gmuend, DE;
Dirk Juergens, Lauchheim, DE;
Ralf Mueller, Aalen, DE;
Christian Wald, Aalen, DE;
Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen, DE;
Abstract
A method of operating a projection exposure tool for microlithography is provided. The projection exposure tool has a projection objective for imaging object structures on a mask into an image plane using electromagnetic radiation, during which imaging the electromagnetic radiation causes a change in optical properties of the projection objective. The method comprises the steps of: providing the layout of the object structures on the mask to be imaged and classifying the object structures according to their type of structure, calculating the change in the optical properties of the projection objective effected during the imaging process on the basis of the classification of the object structures, and using the projection exposure tool for imaging the object structures into the image plane, wherein the imaging behavior of the projection exposure tool is adjusted on the basis of the calculated change of the optical properties in order to at least partly compensate for the change of the optical properties of the projection objective caused by the electromagnetic radiation during the imaging process.