Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method using multiple exposures and multiple exposure types

• US 20070153249A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Bleeker, Arno, Baselmans, Johannes, Greeneich, James, Troost, Kars
• Application Number:
  US11/311,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20070153249A1
• 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 7/70283 Mask effects on the imaging process
• 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 7/70466 Multiple exposures, e.g. combination of fine and coarse exposures, double patterning or multiple exposures for printing a single feature stitching G03F7/70475
• 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 apparatus and method in which a relatively high resolution exposure, for example of a repeating pattern, is trimmed using a relatively low resolution exposure. According, a compromise between provision of a high resolution pattern and flexibility in the pattern to be formed is provided.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

at least one array of individually controllable elements that expose a pattern on a substrate, which is configured to perform one or more exposures of a first type and one or more exposures of a second type,

wherein, for an exposure of the first type, a beam of radiation is modulated by the at least one array of individually controllable elements and projected onto the substrate, such that a repeating pattern is projected onto the substrate, and

wherein, for an exposure of the second type, a beam of radiation is modulated by the at least one array of individually controllable elements and projected onto the substrate, such that the size of a portion of the exposure on the substrate corresponding to an individually controllable element is larger for an exposure of the second type than for an exposure of the first type.

2. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

first and second projection systems,

wherein a first one of the at least one array of individually controllable elements and the first projection system are used to perform exposures of the first type, and

wherein a second one of the at least one array of individually controllable elements and the second projection system are used to perform exposures of the second type.

3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a projection system;

wherein a first one of the at least one array of individually controllable elements is used to perform exposures of the first type;

wherein a second one of the at least one array of individually controllable elements is used to perform exposures of the second type; and

the projection system is used for exposures of the first and second type to project a beam of radiation modulated by the first or second array of individually controllable elements, respectively, onto the substrate.

4. The lithographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein a size of the individually controllable elements of the first one of the at least one array of individually controllable elements is smaller than a size of the individually controllable elements of the second one of the at least one array of individually controllable elements.

5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the projection system is configured such that its magnification can be changed, wherein the magnification of the projection system is different for an exposure of the first type from an exposure of the second type.

6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a projection system that is used to for exposures of the first and the second type to project the modulated beam radiation onto the substrate, wherein the projection system is configured such that its magnification is changed between an exposure of the first type and an exposure of the second type.

7. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the repeating pattern exposed on the substrate by an exposure of the first type comprises at least one of a plurality of lines, a checkerboard pattern, a plurality of circles, or a repeating unit of a device to be formed on the substrate.

8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one array of individually controllable elements used to perform the exposure of the first type comprises:

a memory that is programmed to set the at least one array of individually controllable elements in order to generate the repeating pattern.

9. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one array of individually controllable elements used to perform the exposure of the first type comprises:

a memory that contains the settings necessary to set the at least one array of individually controllable elements in order to generate any one of a plurality of repeating patterns; and

a controller that selects settings from the memory in order to set the at least one array of individually controllable elements in order to generate a desired repeating pattern.

10. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one array of individually controllable elements used to perform an exposure of the first type is configured to receive settings corresponding to a repeating unit of a pattern to be exposed on the substrate and is configured to use the settings to set a plurality of areas of the at least one array of individually controllable elements, such that the repeating unit of the pattern is exposed on the substrate at a plurality of locations during the exposure.

11. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one array of individually controllable elements used to perform an exposure of the first type is configured to receive a control signal indicating that the repeating pattern is to be provided and, in response, to set the individually controllable elements to states necessary to modulate the beam of radiation according to the repeating pattern; and

the at least one array of individually controllable elements comprises dedicated circuits configured to direct the control signal to a portion of the individually controllable elements in order to set them to requisite states.

12. A device manufacturing method for exposing a pattern on a substrate using a combination of one or more exposures of a first type and one or more exposures of a second type, comprising:

for an exposure of the first type, modulating a beam of radiation using a first array of individually controllable elements and projecting the modulated beam onto the substrate, such that a repeating pattern is exposed on the substrate; and

for an exposure of the second type, modulating a beam of radiation using a second array of individually controllable elements and projecting the modulated beam onto the substrate, such that the size of a portion of the exposure on the substrate corresponding to an individually controllable element is larger for an exposure of the second type than for an exposure of the first type.

40. A flat panel display manufactured according to the method of claim 12.

44. An integrated circuit device manufactured according to the method of claim 12.

13. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a support that supports a patterning device, the patterning device modulating a beam of radiation to form a first modulated beam of radiation;

an array of individually controllable elements that modulate the first modulated beam of radiation to form a second modulated beam of radiation; and

a projection system that projects the second modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate.

14. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

a size of a portion of the beam of radiation projected onto the substrate corresponding to a minimum feature size of the pattern provided by the patterning device supported by the support is smaller than a size of a portion of the beam of radiation projected onto the substrate corresponding to one of the individually controllable elements of the array of individually controllable elements.

15. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the patterning device supported by the support imparts a repeating pattern to a cross-section of the beam of radiation.

16. The lithographic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the repeating pattern exposed on the substrate by the first modulated beam is at least one of a plurality of lines, a checkerboard pattern, a plurality of circles, or a repeating unit corresponding of a device to be formed on the substrate.

17. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the patterning device is an array of individually controllable elements that impart a repeating pattern to a cross-section of the beam of radiation.

18. The lithographic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the array of individually controllable elements comprises:

a memory that contains settings necessary to set the array of individually controllable elements in order to generate the repeating pattern.

19. The lithographic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the array of individually controllable elements comprises:

a memory that contains settings necessary to set the array of individually controllable elements in order to generate any one of a plurality of repeating patterns; and

a controller that selects the settings from the memory in order to set the array of individually controllable elements in order to generate a desired repeating pattern.

20. The lithographic apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the array of individually controllable elements is configured to receive settings corresponding to a repeating unit of a pattern to be imparted to the cross-section of the beam of radiation and to use the settings to set a plurality of areas of the array of individually controllable elements, such that the repeating unit of the pattern is imparted to the beam of radiation at a plurality of locations within the cross-section of the beam of radiation.

21. The lithographic apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the array of individually controllable elements receive a control signal indicating that the repeating pattern is to be provided and, in response, to set the individually controllable elements to states necessary to modulate the beam of radiation according to the desired repeating pattern; and

the array of individually controllable elements comprises dedicated circuits configured to direct the control signal to a portion of the individually controllable elements in order to set them to the requisite states.

22. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the patterning device is a mask comprising a repeating pattern.

23. The lithographic apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the support comprises a rotary actuator that rotates the mask about an axis perpendicular to a surface of the mask.

24. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

using a patterning device to modulate a beam of radiation to form a first modulated beam of radiation;

using an array of individually controllable elements to modulate the first modulated beam of radiation to form a second modulated beam of radiation; and

projecting the second modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate.

41. A flat panel display manufactured according to the method of claim 24.

45. An integrated circuit device manufactured according to the method of claim 24.

25. A patterning device, comprising:

an array of individually controllable elements that modulate a beam of radiation according to a repeating pattern;

wherein the array is configured to receive a control signal indicating that the repeating pattern is to be provided and, in response, to set the individually controllable elements to states necessary to modulate the beam of radiation according to the repeating pattern.

26. The patterning device of claim 25, wherein the array of individually controllable elements comprises:

a memory that contains the settings necessary to set the array of individually controllable elements in order to generate the repeating pattern.

27. The patterning device of claim 25, wherein the array of individually controllable elements comprises:

a memory that contains the settings necessary to set the array of individually controllable elements in order to generate any one of a plurality of repeating patterns; and

a controller that selects, in response to the control signal, the settings from the memory in order to set the array of individually controllable elements in order to generate a desired repeating pattern.

28. The patterning device of claim 25, wherein the array of individually controllable elements is constructed to receive settings corresponding to a repeating unit of a pattern to be exposed on the substrate and to use the settings to set a plurality of areas of the array of individually controllable elements such that the repeating unit of the pattern is exposed on the substrate at a plurality of locations during the exposure.

29. The patterning device of claim 25, wherein the array of individually controllable elements comprises:

dedicated circuits that direct the control signal received by the array of individually controllable elements to a portion of the individually controllable elements in order to set them to the states.

30. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

receiving a control signal at an array of individually controllable elements;

indicating with the control signal that the array of individually controllable elements is to be set to modulate a beam of radiation according to a repeating pattern; and

modulating the beam of radiation using the array of individually controllable elements.

42. A flat panel display manufactured according to the method of claim 30.

46. An integrated circuit device manufactured according to the method of claim 30.

31. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an array of individually controllable elements that modulate a beam of radiation, the individually controllable elements comprising patterning surfaces that impart a pattern to a portion of the modulated beam of radiation corresponding to the individually controllable elements; and

a projection system that projects the modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate.

32. The lithographic apparatus of claim 31, wherein the pattern imparted to the corresponding portion of the beam of radiation by each of the patterning surfaces is substantially the same.

33. The lithographic apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the individually controllable elements are grouped into a plurality of areas; and

the patterning surfaces of the individually controllable elements of each of the areas are configured such that if the individually controllable elements of two or more of the areas are set to the same states, the patterns imparted to the corresponding portions of the beam of radiation by the patterning surfaces are the same.

34. The lithographic apparatus of claim 31, wherein the pattern imparted to a portion of a beam of radiation by the patterning surfaces comprises a plurality of lines, a checkerboard pattern, a plurality of circles, or a combination of two or more of these.

35. The lithographic apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the individually controllable elements each comprise a reflector and an associated actuator constructed to move the reflector between two or more positions; and

the patterning surface comprises regions of relatively higher and regions of relatively lower reflectivity formed on the reflector.

36. The lithographic apparatus of claim 35, wherein at least one of the regions of relatively higher reflectivity and the regions of relatively lower reflectivity are formed on the reflector by at least one of treating a portion of the surface of the reflector in order to alter its surface texture, selective deposition of material on the surface of the reflector, and selective removal of material from the surface of the reflector.

37. The lithographic apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the individually controllable elements each comprise a reflector and an associated actuator constructed to move the reflector between two or more positions; and

the patterning surface comprises a non-planar shape imported to the surface of the reflector.

38. A patterning device, comprising:

array of individually controllable elements that modulate a beam of radiation, the individually controllable elements include patterning surfaces that impart a given pattern to a portion of the modulated beam of radiation corresponding to the individually controllable element.

39. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

modulating a beam of radiation using an array of individually controllable elements;

using patterning surfaces of the individually controllable elements to impart a given pattern to a portion of the modulated beam of radiation corresponding to the individually controllable element; and

projecting the modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate.

43. A flat panel display manufactured according to the method of claim 39.

47. An integrated circuit device manufactured according to the method of claim 39.