Lithographic method and apparatus

• US 10,261,423 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Swaenen, Lense Hendrik-Jan Maria, Baselmans, Johannes Jacobus Matheus, Reddy, Bogathi Vishnu Vardhana, Tinnemans, Patricius Aloysius Jacobus, Nativ, Beeri
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung
• Application Number:
  US15/573,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20180107120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 355 52, 355 53, 355 55, 355 67
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/20 Exposure; Apparatus therefor photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70258 Projection system adjustments, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of projection system
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/705 Modelling or simulating from physical phenomena up to complete wafer processes or whole workflow in wafer productions
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7055 Exposure light control in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. pulse length control or light interruption

Abstract

A method of determining a configuration of a projection system for a lithographic apparatus, wherein manipulators of the projection system manipulate optical elements so as to adjust its optical properties, the method comprising: receiving dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on a configuration of the manipulators, receiving a plurality of constraints of the manipulators, formulating a cost function, wherein the cost function represents a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the manipulators and desired optical properties, wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependency of the optical properties on the configuration of the manipulators, scaling the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the plurality of constraints and finding a solution configuration of the manipulators which substantially minimizes the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the plurality of constraints.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving dependencies of optical properties of optical elements of a projection system based on a configuration of manipulators configured to manipulate the optical elements so as to adjust the optical properties of the optical elements;

receiving constraints which correspond to physical constraints of the manipulators;

determining a cost function representing a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the manipulators and desired optical properties of the projection system, wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the manipulators;

scaling the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the constraints; and

configuring the manipulators to substantially minimize the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the constraints.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring comprises calculating iterative adjustments to the configuration of the manipulators and calculating corresponding values of the scaled cost function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring comprises performing a factorization of a matrix which represents the dependencies, of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the manipulators.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the factorization is a singular value decomposition.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the singular value decomposition is a generalized singular value decomposition; and

the generalized singular value decomposition is a generalized singular value decomposition of the matrix which represents the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the manipulators and a matrix which represents the constraints.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the configuring comprises applying a filter function to singular values which result from the factorization, so as to control the contribution of the singular values to the configuring of the manipulators.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the filter function comprises a discontinuous filter function; and

the configuring the manipulators further comprises;

assigning an index to each singular value wherein the index increases with decreasing singular value size; and

determining a truncation index at which to truncate the contribution of the singular values, wherein;

the singular values having an index less than or equal to the truncation index contribute to the configuring of the manipulators; and

the singular values having an index greater than the truncation index do not contribute to the configuring of the manipulators;

wherein determining the truncation index comprises finding a truncation index at which the scaled cost function is substantially minimised subject to satisfying the constraints.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the filter function comprises a continuous filter function; and

the continuous filter function includes a regularization parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the filter function j_i is of form:

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the manipulators comprises using a quadratic penalty method.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a weighting to the cost function such that some desired optical properties of the projection system are assigned a greater weighting than other desired optical properties of the projection system.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if any of the constraints are redundant; and

discarding any redundant constraints from the constraints.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the manipulators comprises:

setting an initial estimate of the configuring the manipulators; and

iteratively updating an estimate of the configuring the manipulators in order to seek a substantial minimum of the scaled cost function whilst satisfying the constraints.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuring the manipulators.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the configuring.

16. A method of performing a lithographic exposure comprising:

determining a configuration of a projection system of a lithographic apparatus, the determining comprising;

receiving dependencies of optical properties of optical elements of the projection system based on a configuration of manipulators configured to manipulate the optical elements so as to adjust the optical properties of the optical elements;

receiving constraints which correspond to physical constraints of the manipulators;

determining a cost function representing a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the manipulators and desired optical properties of the projection system;

wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the manipulators;

scaling the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the constraints; and

configuring the manipulators to substantially minimize the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the constraints;

adjusting the configuring the manipulators using the determined configuration; and

projecting a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate using the projection system.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying a computer program comprising computer readable instructions configured to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving dependencies of optical properties of optical elements of a projection system based on a configuration of manipulators configured to manipulate the optical elements so as to adjust the optical properties of the optical elements;

receiving constraints which correspond to physical constraints of the manipulators;

determining a cost function representing a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the manipulators and desired optical properties of the projection system, wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the manipulators;

scaling the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the constraints; and

configuring the manipulators to substantially minimize the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the constraints.

18. A controller configured to control a projection system for a lithographic apparatus, wherein the projection system comprises a plurality of optical elements and a plurality of manipulators operable to manipulate the optical elements so as to adjust the optical properties of the optical elements, thereby adjusting the optical properties of the projection system, the controller being configured to:

receive dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on a configuration of the plurality of manipulators;

receive a plurality of constraints which correspond to physical constraints of the plurality of manipulators;

formulate a cost function, wherein the cost function represents a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the manipulators and desired optical properties of the projection system, wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the manipulators;

scale the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the plurality of constraints; and

find a solution configuration of the manipulators which substantially minimizes the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the plurality of constraints.

19. A projection system for a lithographic apparatus, the projection system comprising:

a plurality of optical elements;

a plurality of manipulators configured to manipulate the plurality of optical elements so as to adjust optical properties of the plurality of optical elements, thereby adjusting optical properties of the projection system; and

a controller configured to control the projection system for lithographic apparatus, the controller configured to;

receive dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on a configuration of the plurality of manipulators;

receive a plurality of constraints which correspond to physical constraints of the plurality of manipulators;

formulate a cost function, wherein the cost function represents a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the plurality of manipulators and desired optical properties of the projection system, wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the plurality of manipulators;

scale the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the plurality of constraints; and

find a solution configuration of the plurality of manipulators which substantially minimizes the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the plurality of constraints.

20. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;

a support structure constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;

a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and

a projection system comprising;

a plurality of optical elements;

a plurality of manipulators operable to manipulate the plurality of optical elements so as to adjust optical properties of the plurality of optical elements, thereby adjusting optical properties of the projection system; and

a controller configured to control the projection system for the lithographic apparatus, the controller being used to;

receive dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on a configuration of the plurality of manipulators;

receive a plurality of constraints which correspond to physical constraints of the plurality of manipulators;

formulate a cost function, wherein the cost function represents a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the plurality of manipulators and desired optical properties of the projection system, wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on the configuration of the plurality of manipulators;

scale the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the plurality of constraints; and

find a solution configuration of the plurality of manipulators which substantially minimizes the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the plurality of constraints.