LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20100081072A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: GUI, Cheng-Qun, IOSAD, Nikolay Nikolaevich
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,318 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

Abstract

A lithographic method, among things is disclosed. The method includes using information at least indicative of a desired shape or size of a constituent part of a device to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device, the desired shape or size being related to a measured property of a layer of material in which the constituent part of the device is to be created, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device.

Claims

1. A lithographic method, the method comprising:

using information at least indicative of a desired shape or size of a constituent part of a device to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device, the desired shape or size being related to a measured property of a layer of material in which the constituent part of the device is to be created, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, before determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device, the method further comprises:

using information at least indicative of a measured property of the layer of material to determine a desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device that is to be created using the layer of material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein,

before determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device,

and/or

before using information at least indicative of a measured property of the layer of material to determine a desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device that is to be created using the layer of material,

the method further comprises:

measuring the property of the layer of material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein after determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device, the method further comprises:

controlling the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements to implement the determined configuration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein controlling the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements comprises:

controlling a position of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements, and/or

controlling an orientation of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements, and/or

controlling a shape of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements, and/or

controlling which of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements emit radiation, and/or

controlling an optical property of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device is desired in that the desired shape or size results in an effect in a property or operation of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the effect is:

an improved performance of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole, and/or

an increased efficiency of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole, and/or

an improved or increased functionality of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole.

8. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of individually controllable elements, configured to create a pattern in a radiation beam;

a projection system, configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate; and

a control arrangement, the control arrangement configured to use information at least indicative of a desired shape or size of a constituent part of a device to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device, the desired shape or size being related to a measured property of a layer of material in which the constituent part of the device is to be created, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of individually controllable elements are micromirrors or laser diodes.

10. A lithographic method, the method comprising:

using information at least indicative of a desired change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a first device to implement the change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a subsequently created second device, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements of a lithographic apparatus that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, before determining a configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements of the lithographic apparatus that would be necessary to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device, the method further comprises:

using information at least indicative of a property of the first device to determine the desired change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the first device that is to be implemented in the subsequently created second device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein,

before determining a configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements of the lithographic apparatus that would be necessary to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device,

and/or

before using information at least indicative of the property of the first device to determine the desired change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the first device that is to be implemented in the subsequently created second device,

the method further comprises:

measuring the property of the first device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein after determining the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements of the lithographic apparatus that would be necessary to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device, the method further comprises

controlling the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements to implement the determined configuration.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the desired change in shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device is desired in that the desired change results in an effect in a property or operation of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device, and/or of the second device as a whole.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and subsequently created second devices are different versions of the same general device.

16. A lithographic apparatus, the lithographic apparatus comprising

a plurality of individually controllable elements, configured to create a pattern in a radiation beam;

a projection system, configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate; and

a control arrangement, the control arrangement being configured to use information at least indicative of a desired change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a first device to implement the change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a subsequently created second device, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of individually controllable elements are micromirrors or laser diodes.