Device manufacturing method, device manufactured thereby and a mask for use in the method

• US 20030003383A1
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Moors, Johannes Hubertus Josephina, Leenders, Martinus Hendrikus Antonius, Loopstra, Erik Roelof, Van Der Werf, Jan Evert, Meiling, Hans
• Granted Patent: US 6,879,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/22
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70233 Optical aspects of catoptric systems, i.e. comprising only reflective elements, e.g. extreme ultraviolet [EUV] projection systems
• 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 7/70283 Mask effects on the imaging process
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/703 Non-planar pattern areas or non-planar masks, e.g. curved masks or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details

Abstract

A device manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the invention includes positioning a reflective patterning structure to reflect at least a portion of a beam of raditaion as a patterned beam of radiation having a pattern in its cross-section. The method also includes using a projection system to project the patterned beam of radiation to form an image on a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material. Positioning includes at least one among shifting and tilting a nominal reflective surface of the reflective patterning structure with respect to a nominal object plane of the projection system according to a distortion value.

Claims

1. A device manufacturing method, said method comprising:

providing a beam of radiation;

positioning a reflective patterning structure to reflect at least a portion of the provided beam as a patterned beam of radiation having a pattern in its cross-section; and

using a projection system to project the patterned beam of radiation to form an image on a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material that at least partially covers a substrate,

wherein said positioning includes at least one among shifting and tilting a nominal reflective surface of the reflective patterning structure with respect to a nominal object plane of the projection system according to a distortion value.

2. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning includes at least one among shifting and tilting a nominal reflective surface of the reflective patterning structure according to a distortion of the reflective patterning structure.

3. The device manufacturing method according to claim 2, said method further comprising determining the distortion of the reflective patterning structure.

4. The device manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein said determining the distortion of the reflective patterning structure includes:

using a first measurement beam to determine a position of a front surface of the reflective patterning structure, and

using a second measurement beam to determine position of a back surface of the reflective patterning structure.

5. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the reflective patterning structure includes a mask having an overall curvature, and

wherein the beam of radiation illuminates an arc-shaped region of the mask, and

wherein said at least one among shifting and tilting includes tilting the mask such that a line of intersection between the mask and the nominal object plane is contained within the arc-shaped region.

6. The device manufacturing method according to claim 5, said method further comprising scanning the mask with the beam of radiation,

wherein said scanning includes moving at least one among the mask and the beam of radiation relative to the other, and

wherein the direction of said scanning is rotated relative to said nominal object plane by the same angle as the mask is tilted.

7. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one among shifting and tilting is performed according to a distortion of the projection system, and

wherein said at least one among shifting and tilting includes applying at least one of the following movements to the nominal reflective surface:

a tilt about an axis substantially parallel to the nominal reflective surface, and

a shift in a direction substantially perpendicular to the nominal reflective surface.

8. The device manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein said method further comprises scanning the target portion, and

wherein said scanning includes moving at least one among the substrate and the patterned beam of radiation relative to the other, and

wherein said at least one among shifting and tilting includes a tilting about an axis substantially parallel to the direction of said scanning.

9. The device manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein said method further comprises varying the relative speeds of said scanning the mask and said scanning the target portion.

10. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, said method further comprising scanning the reflective patterning structure with the beam of radiation,

wherein said scanning includes moving at least one among the reflective patterning structure and the beam of radiation relative to the other.

11. The device manufacturing method according to claim 10, wherein said at least one among shifting and tilting includes tilting a direction of said scanning the reflective patterning structure.

12. The device manufacturing method according to claim 10, said method further comprising scanning the target portion,

wherein said scanning includes moving at least one among the substrate and the patterned beam of radiation relative to the other.

13. The device manufacturing method according to claim 12, wherein a tilt of the patterning structure and a direction of scanning the patterning structure are maintained substantially constant during said scanning the target portion.

14. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the reflective patterning structure comprises a mask held on a mask table.

15. The device manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the mask includes a plurality of markers surrounding a pattern area, and

wherein said method further comprises:

measuring the positions of the markers, and

determining the shape of the mask in the pattern area according to the measured positions of the markers.

16. The device manufacturing method according to claim 14, said method further comprising:

applying interferometry to measure the position in a direction perpendicular to a nominal plane of the mask of a plurality of points on the reflective surface of the mask, and

determining the shape of the mask according to the measured positions of the plurality of points.

17. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein said projection beam is of radiation having a wavelength in the range of from 5 to 20 nm.

18. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein said projection system is non-telecentric on an object side.

19. A device manufactured according to the device manufacturing method according to claim 1.

20. A mask for use in the device manufacturing method according to claim 1, said mask having a plurality of markers surrounding a pattern area.