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:
Nov. 29, 2016
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2013
Asml Netherlands B.v., Veldhoven, NL;
Emil Peter Schmitt-Weaver, Eindhoven, NL;
Paul Frank Luehrmann, Eindhoven, NL;
Eduardus Johannes Gerardus Boon, Weert, NL;
Daan Maurits Slotboom, Rhenen, NL;
Jean-Philippe Xavier Van Damme, Wezembeek-Oppem, BE;
Wolfgang Henke, Kempen, DE;
Alexander Ypma, Veldhoven, NL;
Marc Jurian Kea, Den Dungen, NL;
ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
A reticle is loaded into a lithographic apparatus. The apparatus performs measurements on the reticle, so as to calculate alignment parameters for transferring the pattern accurately to substrates. Tests are performed to detect possible contamination of the reticle or its support. Either operation proceeds with a warning, or the patterning of substrates is stopped. The test uses may use parameters of the alignment model itself, or different parameters. The integrity parameters may be compared against reference values reflecting historic measurements, so that sudden changes in a parameter are indicative of contamination. Integrity parameters may be calculated from residuals of the alignment model. In an example, height residuals are used to calculate parameters of residual wedge (Rx') and residual roll (Ryy′). From these, integrity parameters expressed as height deviations are calculated and compared against thresholds.