Substrate distortion measurement

• US 20070026325A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Maria Derksen, Antonius Theodorus, Jose Smeets, Erik, De Jager, Pieter Willem
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/30
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70783 Handling stress or warp of chucks, masks or workpieces, e.g. to compensate for imaging errors or considerations related to warpage of masks or workpieces due to their own weight
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70791 Large workpieces, e.g. glass substrates for flat panel displays or solar panels

Abstract

A distortion measurement apparatus comprising a detector arranged to measure distortion of a substrate, and a processor arranged to receive distortion data indicating the measured distortion of the substrate and to transform the distortion data into a frequency domain representation. The distortion data may alternatively be transformed into an orthogonal polynomial or an orthonormal polynomial representation.

Claims

1. A distortion measurement apparatus comprising:

a detector arranged to measure distortion of a substrate; and

a processor arranged to receive distortion data indicating the measured distortion of the substrate and to transform the distortion data into a frequency domain representation.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a patterning device arranged to pattern a beam of radiation;

a projection system arranged to project the beam of radiation onto the substrate; and

a second processor arranged to receive data representative of a pattern to be provided on the patterning device, and to use the frequency domain distortion data to adjust the pattern to be provided to the patterning device.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor and the second processor are separate entities.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor and the second processor are both part of a same entity.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transform to the frequency domain is a Fourier transform.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transform to the frequency domain is a wavelet transform.

7. A distortion measurement apparatus comprising:

a detector arranged to measure distortion of a substrate; and

a processor arranged to receive distortion data indicating the measured distortion of the substrate and to transform the distortion data into an orthogonal polynomial representation.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a patterning device arranged to pattern a beam of radiation

a projection system arranged to project the beam of radiation onto the substrate; and

a second processor arranged to receive data representative of a pattern to be provided on the patterning device, and to use the orthogonal polynomial distortion data to adjust a pattern to be provided to the patterning device.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor and the second processor are separate entities.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor and the second processor are both part of a same entity.

11. A distortion measurement apparatus comprising:

a detector arranged to measure distortion of a substrate; and

a processor arranged to receive distortion data indicating the measured distortion of the substrate and to transform the distortion data into an orthonormal polynomial representation.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a patterning device arranged to pattern a beam of radiation;

a projection system arranged to project the beam of radiation onto the substrate;

a patterning device arranged to pattern the beam of radiation; and

a second processor arranged to receive data representative of a pattern to be provided on the patterning device, and to use the orthonormal polynomial distortion data to adjust the pattern to be provided to the patterning device, to correct for the measured distortion of the substrate.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processor and the second processor are separate entities.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processor and the second processor are both part of a same entity.

15. A method of measuring lithographic substrate distortion, the method comprising:

measuring the distortion of a substrate, and transforming the measured distortion data into a frequency domain representation.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises receiving data representative of a pattern to be provided on a patterning device, using the frequency domain distortion data to adjust the pattern data to correct for the measured distortion of the substrate, then sending the adjusted pattern data to the patterning device, and using the patterning device to pattern a beam of radiation which is projected onto the substrate.

17. A method of measuring lithographic substrate distortion, the method comprising:

measuring the distortion of a substrate, and transforming the measured distortion data into an orthogonal polynomial representation.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the method further comprises receiving data representative of a pattern to be provided on the patterning device, using the orthogonal polynomial distortion data to adjust the pattern data to correct for the measured distortion of the substrate, then sending the adjusted pattern data to a patterning device, and using the patterning device to pattern a beam of radiation which is projected onto the substrate.

19. A method of measuring lithographic substrate distortion, the method comprising:

measuring the distortion of the substrate, and transforming the measured distortion data into an orthonormal polynomial representation.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the method further comprises receiving data representative of a pattern to be provided on the patterning device, using the orthonormal polynomial distortion data to adjust the pattern data to correct for the measured distortion of the substrate, then sending adjusted pattern data to the patterning device, and using the patterning device to pattern a beam of radiation which is projected onto the substrate.