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:
Jan. 30, 2018
Filed:
Feb. 02, 2016
Asml Netherlands B.v., Veldhoven, NL;
Xing Lan Liu, Veldhoven, NL;
Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Veldhoven, NL;
Yue-Lin Peng, Taoyuan, TW;
Hakki Ergün Cekli, Eindhoven, NL;
Josselin Pello, Eindhoven, NL;
Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Waalre, NL;
ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, and associated computer program and apparatuses. The method comprises providing a plurality of target structures on a substrate, each target structure comprising a first structure and a second structure on different layers of the substrate. Each target structure is measured with measurement radiation to obtain a measurement of target asymmetry in the target structure, the target asymmetry comprising an overlay contribution due to misalignment of the first and second structures, and a structural contribution due to structural asymmetry in at least the first structure. A structural asymmetry characteristic relating to the structural asymmetry in at least the first structure of each target structure is obtained, the structural asymmetry characteristic being independent of at least one selected characteristic of the measurement radiation. The measurement of target asymmetry and the structural asymmetry characteristic is then used to determine the overlay contribution of the target asymmetry of each target structure.