Metrology method, target and substrate

• US 10,386,176 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Bhattacharyya, Kaustuve, Van Buel, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria, Fouquet, Christophe David, Smilde, Hendrik Jan Hidde, Van Der Schaar, Maurits, Den Boef, Arie Jeffrey, Van Haren, Richard Johannes Franciscus, Liu, Xing Lan, Beltman, Johannes Marcus Maria, Fuchs, Andreas, Adam, Omer Abubaker Omer, Kubis, Michael, Jak, Martin Jacobus Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa Q
• Application Number:
  US14/835,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20160061589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 356399-401
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70633 Overlay, i.e. relative alignment between patterns printed by separate exposures in different layers, or in the same layer in multiple exposures or stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70683 Mark designs

Abstract

A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

illuminating with a measurement spot of radiation a diffraction measurement target on a substrate to produce diffracted radiation having one or more diffraction orders, the measurement target comprising at least a first sub-target, a second sub-target and a third sub-target, wherein the first, second and third sub-targets are different in design, wherein one or more selected from the first sub-target, second sub-target or third sub-target has a target structure in a first layer at least partially overlapping a target structure in a second layer, wherein each of the first to third sub-targets is designed for a different set of process stack conditions for the substrate or is designed for a different layer-pair among three or more layers for overlay measurement, and wherein the beam spot is sized so as to cover at one time at least part of each of a periodic structure of the first to third sub-targets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the different design comprises one of the first to third sub-targets having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than another of the first to third sub-targets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sub-target at least partly overlays a first periodic structure, the second sub-target at least partly overlays a second periodic structure, and the third sub-target at least partly overlays a third periodic structure, wherein the first periodic structure is at a different layer on the substrate than the second and third periodic structures and the second periodic structure is at a different layer on the substrate than the first and third periodic structures.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of a periodic structure of each of the first to third sub-targets is within a contiguous area of less than or equal to 400 μ

m² on the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first to third sub-targets is designed for a different process stack for the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first to third sub-targets is designed for a different layer-pair for multiple layer overlay measurement.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sub-targets each comprise a first pair of periodic structures having features extending in a first direction and a second pair of periodic structures having features extending in a second different direction.

8. A diffraction metrology target for a substrate, the diffraction metrology target comprising at least a first sub-target, a second sub-target and a third sub-target, wherein the first, second and third sub-targets are different in design, each of the first to third sub-targets is designed for a different set of process stack conditions for the substrate or is designed for a different layer-pair among three or more layers for overlay measurement, the first, second and/or third sub-target is configured to emit diffracted radiation having one or more diffraction orders, one or more selected from the first sub-target, second sub-target or third sub-target when on the substrate has a target structure in a first layer at least partially overlapping a target structure in a second layer, and at least part of a periodic structure of each of the first to third sub-targets when on a substrate is within a contiguous area of less than or equal to 400 μ

m².

9. The target of claim 8, wherein the different design comprises one of the first to third sub-targets having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than another of the first to third sub-targets.

10. The target of claim 8, wherein each of the first to third sub-targets is designed for a different process stack for a substrate.

11. The target of claim 8, wherein each of the first to third sub-targets is designed for a different layer-pair for multiple layer overlay measurement.

12. The target of claim 8, wherein the first and second sub-targets each comprise a first pair of periodic structures having features extending in a first direction and a second pair of periodic structures having features extending in a second different direction.

13. The target of claim 8, wherein the first sub-target at least partly overlays a first periodic structure, the second sub-target at least partly overlays a second periodic structure, and the third sub-target at least partly overlays a third periodic structure, wherein the first periodic structure is at a different layer on the substrate than the second and third periodic structures and the second periodic structure is at a different layer on the substrate than the first and third periodic structures.

14. A method comprising measuring overlay between two layers, the method comprising:

illuminating with a measurement spot of radiation a diffraction measurement target on a substrate having a portion of the target on each of the two layers to produce diffracted radiation having one or more diffraction orders, wherein the two layers are separated by at least one other layer, the measurement target comprises at least a first sub-target, a second sub-target and a third sub-target, wherein the first, second and third sub-targets are different in design, wherein one or more selected from the first sub-target, second sub-target or third sub-target has a target structure in a first layer at least partially overlapping a target structure in a second layer, wherein each of the first to third sub-targets is designed for a different set of process stack conditions for the substrate or is designed for a different layer-pair among three or more layers for overlay measurement, and wherein the beam spot is sized so as to cover at one time at least part of each of a periodic structure of the first to third sub-targets.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a first layer of the two layers comprises at least the first sub-target and the second sub-target, wherein a first periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first sub-target in a second layer of the two layers and there being no periodic structure underneath the second sub-target in the second layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a second periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second sub-target in the at least one other layer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein at least part of a periodic structure of each of the first and second sub-targets is within a contiguous area of less than or equal to 400 μ

m² on the substrate.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second sub-targets is designed for a different process stack for the substrate.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second sub-targets is designed for a different layer-pair for multiple layer overlay measurement.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the different design comprises the first sub-target having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target.