Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method utilizing multiple die designs on a substrate

• US 20060221320A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Bleeker, Arno Jan, Troost, Kars Zeger, Maas, Adrianus Johannes Henricus
• Granted Patent: US 7,728,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/67
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70275 Multiple projection paths, e.g. array of projection systems, microlens projection systems or tandem projection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70291 Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70508 Data handling in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. handling pattern data for addressable masks or data transfer to or from different components within the exposure apparatus

Abstract

A lithographic system in which multiple variations of a basic device design can be generated without substantially increasing the cost of the data path hardware.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an array of individually controllable elements that modulate a radiation beam;

a projection system that projects the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate;

a control system that provides control signals to the array of individually controllable elements;

a first data buffer that stores pattern data that corresponds to a pattern to be exposed on a plurality of areas on the substrate; and

a second data buffer that stores pattern variation data, corresponding to at least one change to a part of the pattern;

wherein at least one variation of the pattern is exposed on one of the areas on the substrate with the pattern variation data.

2. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second data buffers are independent data buffers.

3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second data buffers are allocated portions of a combined data buffer.

4. The lithographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the allocation of the combined data buffer into first and second data buffers is programmable.

5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pattern variation data comprises pattern data to replace a part of the pattern data stored in the first data buffer for the exposure of the at least one variation of the pattern on the substrate.

6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the pattern variation data comprises modification instructions; and

the control system comprises a pattern modifier that modifies the pattern data stored in the first data buffer according to information defined by the modification instructions for the exposure of the at least one variation of the pattern on the substrate.

7. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pattern data stored in the first data buffer corresponds to the pattern of a functional component of the device being formed on the substrate.

8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the device being formed on the substrate is a flat panel display; and

the functional component is a pixel of the flat panel display.

9. The lithographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the device being formed on the substrate is an integrated circuit device; and

the functional component is a memory cell.

10. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the lithographic apparatus exposes the pattern to form a plurality of devices on the substrate;

the pattern stored in the first data buffer corresponds to a portion of the pattern for each device;

the portion of the pattern for at least one device is exposed with the pattern stored in the first data buffer; and

the portion of the pattern for at least one other device is exposed with the variation of the portion of the pattern according to pattern variation data stored in the second data buffer.

11. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the pattern of each device formed on the substrate is comprised of a plurality of pattern stripes exposed by a series of successive exposures as the substrate is scanned relative to the radiation beam;

the control system consecutively exposes the corresponding pattern stripes for all the devices formed on the substrate; and

the pattern data stored in the first data buffer corresponds to the pattern for one of the pattern stripes.

12. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the pattern variation data comprises a plurality of pattern changes; and

the control system exposes a plurality of different variations of the pattern on a corresponding plurality of different areas on the substrate.

13. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

modulating a beam of radiation using an array of individually controllable elements, wherein a control system is used to provide control signals to the array of individually controllable elements;

storing pattern data in a first buffer, wherein the pattern data corresponds to a pattern to be exposed on a plurality of areas on the substrate;

storing pattern variation data corresponding to at least one change to a part of the pattern in a second data buffer;

providing control signals to the array of individually controllable elements, such that at least one variation of the pattern is exposed on one of the areas on the substrate in accordance with the pattern variation data; and

projecting the beam of radiation onto a substrate.

15. A flat panel display manufactured according to the method of claim 13.

16. An integrated circuit device manufactured according to the method of claim 13.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer program logic recorded thereon for controlling at least one processor, the computer program logic comprising:

computer program code means for modulating a beam of radiation using an array of individually controllable elements, wherein a control system is used to provide control signals to the array of individually controllable elements;

computer program code means for storing pattern data in a first buffer, wherein the pattern data corresponds to a pattern to be exposed on a plurality of areas on the substrate;

computer program code means for storing pattern variation data corresponding to at least one change to a part of the pattern in a second data buffer;

computer program code means for providing control signals to the array of individually controllable elements, such that at least one variation of the pattern is exposed on one of the areas on the substrate in accordance with the pattern variation data; and

computer program code means for causing the beam of radiation to be projected onto a substrate.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of individually controllable elements;

a control system that provides control signals to the array of individually controllable elements;

a first data buffer that stores pattern data that corresponds to a pattern to be exposed on a plurality of areas on the substrate; and

a second data buffer that stores pattern variation data, corresponding to at least one change to a part of the pattern;

wherein the control system is configured such that at least one variation of the pattern is exposed on one of the areas on the substrate with the pattern variation data.

18. A process, comprising:

controlling an array of individually controllable elements;

storing pattern data corresponds to a pattern to be exposed on a plurality of areas on a substrate in a first data buffer;

storing pattern variation data corresponding to at least one change to a part of the pattern in a second data buffer; and

exposing at least one variation of the pattern on one of the areas on the substrate with the pattern variation data.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein at least two different integrated circuits are manufactured on a single substrate.

20. An integrated circuit obtained with the process of claim 18.