Method for determining a map, device manufacturing method, and lithographic apparatus

• US 20080046183A1
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: De Nivelle, Martin, Van Alphen, Erwin, Boonman, Marcus, Brinkhof, Ralph, Stoeten, Jan, Schoonewelle, Hielke
• Granted Patent: US 7,649,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7011 Pre-exposure scan; original with original holder alignment; Prealignment, i.e. workpiece with workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7019 Calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment of the invention includes determining a map of a second part of a substrate belonging to a group of substrates. The method includes measuring a first part of at least one substrate belonging to the group to create an average profile map or average height map and computing a map of the second part of the substrate belonging to the group, based on the average profile map or the average height map. The computed map is stored for use during a later determination of a height or tilt of a substrate from the group.

Claims

1. A data storage medium storing instructions executable by an array of logic elements, the instructions describing a method of determining a map of a surface, said method comprising:

measuring a first part of at least one substrate belonging to a group of substrates; and

based on the result of said measuring, computing a map of a second part of at least one substrate belonging to the group of substrates, the first part at least partially overlapping with the second part.

2. A method of determining a map of a surface of a substrate belonging to a group of substrates, said method comprising:

by using a plurality of target portions, measuring a profile of a part of a surface of a structure arranged to support individual ones of the substrates, said measuring being performed while none of the substrates is present on the surface of the structure;

measuring part of the surface of the substrate;

based on a result of measuring said profile and measuring said part of the surface of the substrate, computing the map of the surface of the substrate supported by the structure; and

storing the map.

3. The method of determining a map of a surface according to claim 2, wherein measuring a profile includes measuring a height profile.

4. A method of determining a map of a surface, said method comprising:

measuring a first part of a surface of a substrate supported by a structure, using a plurality of target portions;

computing a map of at least a part of the surface supported by the structure, based on the result of said measuring; and

storing the map, wherein the map includes an average profile map.

5. The method of determining a map of a surface according to claim 4, said method further comprising determining at least one of a height and a tilt of another substrate based on the map.

6. A method of determining a map of a surface, said method comprising:

measuring a first part of the surface of a substrate supported by a structure, using a plurality of target portions;

storing a result of said measuring;

computing a map of at least a part of the structure, wherein the map includes an average profile map; and

storing the map in a machine-readable memory or making available the map for use.

7. The method of determining a map of a surface according to claim 6, wherein said computing of the map that includes the average profile map is performed during at least one of a height and a tilt of another substrate.