Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby for calibrating an imaging system with a sensor

• US 20060279719A1
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Boon, Eduardus Johannes Gerardus, Lof, Joeri, Venema, Willem Jurrianus, Bruinsma, Anastasius Jacobus Anicetus
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/69
• 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 7/70516 Calibration of components of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. light sources, addressable masks or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7085 Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load

Abstract

A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system, an array of individually controllable elements, a projection system, a substrate table, and a sensor system. The illumination system supplies a beam of radiation. The array of individually controllable elements patterns the beam. The projection system projects the patterned beam onto a target plane, the patterned beam comprising an array of radiation spots. The substrate table supports a substrate, such that a target surface of the substrate is substantially coincident with the target plane. The sensor system comprises an array of detector elements arranged to receive at least one of the spots. The sensor system measures an energy of the or each received spot and provides an output signal indicative of the energy of the or each received spot.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system that supplies a beam of radiation;

an array of individually controllable elements that pattern the beam;

a projection system that projects the patterned beam onto a target plane, the patterned beam comprising an array of radiation spots;

a substrate table for supporting a substrate, such that a target surface of the substrate is substantially coincident with the target plane; and

a sensor system comprising an array of detector elements arranged to receive at least one of the spots, the sensor system measuring energy of the at least one spot and providing an output signal indicative of the energy of the or each received spot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the array of detector elements receives a plurality of the spots;

the sensor system measures energy of each of the plurality of received spots; and

the output signal is indicative of the energy of each of the plurality of received spots.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the projection system and the sensor system are arranged such that each of the plurality of spots illuminates a respective one of a plurality of detector elements.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the state of at least one individually controllable element is variable and the energy of a respective one of the at least one spot is dependent upon the state, such that the output signal is indicative of the energy the at least one spot for two or more states of the at least one individually controllable element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projection system and the sensor system are arranged such that each spot illuminates a single respective detector element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the projection system and the sensor system adjusts the area of the array of detector elements illuminated by the at least one spot, such that the at least one spot illuminates a plurality of detector elements and the output signal is indicative of the average energy of the at least one spot.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the projection system and the sensor system adjusts a size of the at least one spot.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the projection system and the sensor system moves, such that the at least one spot is projected onto the array of detector elements to illuminate a plurality of discrete images of the at least one spot.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the projection system and the sensor system moves, such that the at least one spot is projected onto the array of detector elements to form a continuously illuminated stripe.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the direction of relative movement between the projection system and the sensor system is at an angle to an axis of the projected array of spots.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor system adjusts the output signal with a correction factor corresponding to the proportion of the surface area of the array of detector elements capable of detecting incident radiation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor system further comprises a sensor scanning system arranged to move the array of detector elements from a first sampling position to at least a second sampling position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a first plurality of the spots are received by the array of detector elements in the first sampling position and a second different plurality of the spots are received by the array of detector elements in the second sampling position.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least some of a first plurality of the spots received by the array of detector elements in the first sampling position form part of a second plurality of the spots received by the array of detector elements in the second sampling position.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor system further comprises a beam measurement device that provides a signal indicative of the energy of the beam, the sensor system using the signal indicative of the energy of the beam to adjust the output signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lithographic apparatus comprises a plurality of arrays of individually controllable elements.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of detector elements comprises a charge coupled device.

24. A device manufactured using apparatus in accordance with claim 1.

25. A flat panel display manufactured using apparatus in accordance with claim 1.

18. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

using an array of individually controllable elements to pattern a beam of radiation;

projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate, the projected pattern comprising an array of radiation spots;

receiving at least one of the spots using an array of detector elements;

measuring the energy of the at least one spot; and

providing an output signal indicative of the energy of the at least one received spot.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising receiving a plurality of spots substantially simultaneously.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

effecting relative movement between the projected pattern and the array of detector elements, such that the sensor system provides a plurality of indications of the energy of a received spot; and

processing the plurality of indications, such that the output signal is indicative of the average energy of the or each received spot.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising changing the state of at least one individually controllable element while providing the output signal, such that the output signal is indicative of the energy of the or each received spot for two or more states of the or each corresponding individually controllable element.

22. A device manufactured according to the method of claim 18.

23. A flat panel display manufactured according to the method of claim 18.