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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.:

US 9778025 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Oct. 03, 2017

Filed:

Jul. 17, 2013

Method and apparatus for measuring asymmetry of a microstructure, position measuring method, position measuring apparatus, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

Applicant:

Asml Netherlands B.v., Veldhoven, NL;

Inventors:

Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen, Den Bosch, NL;

Erik Willem Bogaart, Eindhoven, NL;

Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans, Hapert, NL;

Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Waalre, NL;

Assignee:

ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven, NL;

Attorney:

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Primary Examiner:

Colin Kreutzer

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 11/00 (2006.01); G03B 27/32 (2006.01); G03B 27/54 (2006.01); G03B 27/74 (2006.01); G01B 11/14 (2006.01); G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 9/00 (2006.01); G01B 9/02 (2006.01); G01B 11/27 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 11/14 (2013.01); G01B 9/02 (2013.01); G01B 11/27 (2013.01); G03F 7/70058 (2013.01); G03F 7/70625 (2013.01); G03F 7/70633 (2013.01); G03F 9/7069 (2013.01); G03F 9/7088 (2013.01);
Abstract

A lithographic apparatus includes an alignment sensor including a self-referencing interferometer for reading the position of an alignment target comprising a periodic structure. An illumination optical system for focusing radiation into a spot on said structure. An asymmetry detection optical system receives a share of positive and negative orders of radiation diffracted by the periodic structure, and forms first and second images of said spot on first and second detectors respectively, wherein said negative order radiation is used to form the first image and said positive order radiation is used to form the second image. A processor for processing together signals from said first and second detectors representing intensities of said positive and negative orders to produce a measurement of asymmetry in the periodic structure. The asymmetry measurement can be used to improve accuracy of the position read by the alignment sensor.

Find Patent Forward Citations

Mathijssen, Simon Gijsbert Josephus. (2017). Method and apparatus for measuring asymmetry of a microstructure, position measuring method, position measuring apparatus, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method (U.S. Patent No. 9778025). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://idiyas.com/patent/badge/9778025

Data source: USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) public patent records. Weekly synchronization. How IDiyas builds this profile

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