Process and apparatus for in-situ qualification of master patterns used in patterning systems
First Claim
1. A process for qualifying a reticle, master pattern, or the like, in-situ as it is used in a system for photolithographically creating an image on a substrate, such system normally including a source of illumination, a reticle or master pattern, and a substrate supporting means, comprising the steps of:
- coating a transparent substrate with a layer of transparent photoresist material;
placing the coated substrate on the substrate supporting means;
using the source of illumination in combination with the reticle, or master pattern, to create an image of the reticle, or master pattern, on the substrate, thereby exposing the photoresist coated on the surface thereof;
removing the substrate from the supporting means;
developing the exposed photoresist to produce a transparent patterned mask on the surface of the substrate, said patterned mask corresponding to the pattern on the reticle, or master pattern, and in combination with the substrate, forming a monitor object;
inspecting the monitor object by passing light through both the transparent masked and transparent unmasked areas of the substrate to detect defects; and
using the detected defects as a measure of the quality of the reticle or master pattern.
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for qualifying a reticle, master pattern, or the like, in-situ as it is used in a system for photolithographically creating an image on a substrate, including the steps of coating a transparent substrate with a layer of transparent photoresist material, placing the coated substrate with a layer of transparent photoresist material, placing the coated substrate on a substrate supporting means, using a source of illumination in combination with a reticle, or master pattern, to create an image of the reticle, or master pattern, on the substrate, thereby exposing the photo resist coated on the surface thereof, removing the substrate from the supporting means, developing the exposed photoresist to produce a transparent patterned mask on the surface of the substrate, said patterned mask corresponding to the pattern on the reticle, or master pattern, and, in combination with the substrate, forming a monitor object, inspecting the monitor object by passing light through both the transparent masked and transparent unmasked areas of the substrate to detect defects, and using the detected defects as a measure of the quality of the reticle or master pattern.
78 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A process for qualifying a reticle, master pattern, or the like, in-situ as it is used in a system for photolithographically creating an image on a substrate, such system normally including a source of illumination, a reticle or master pattern, and a substrate supporting means, comprising the steps of:
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coating a transparent substrate with a layer of transparent photoresist material; placing the coated substrate on the substrate supporting means; using the source of illumination in combination with the reticle, or master pattern, to create an image of the reticle, or master pattern, on the substrate, thereby exposing the photoresist coated on the surface thereof; removing the substrate from the supporting means; developing the exposed photoresist to produce a transparent patterned mask on the surface of the substrate, said patterned mask corresponding to the pattern on the reticle, or master pattern, and in combination with the substrate, forming a monitor object; inspecting the monitor object by passing light through both the transparent masked and transparent unmasked areas of the substrate to detect defects; and using the detected defects as a measure of the quality of the reticle or master pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A monitor object for use in qualifying a particular recticle, master pattern, or the like, in-situ as it is used in a system for photolithographically creating an image on a product object, comprising:
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a substrate which is transparent to predetermined visible wavelenths of light and has physical dimensions generally corresponding to those of said particular product object to be qualified using said monitor object; and a coating of transparent photoresist material covering at least one surface of substrate, said coating being used to produce a transparent patterned mask on the surface of said substrate when photolithographically exposed to illumination passed through the reticle or master pattern, whereby light may be passed through the transparent masked and transparent unmasked areas of the sustrate to create an image which may be compared to a reference to detect defects in said reticle or master pattern. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A process for inspecting an object consisting of a transparent substrate, having formed thereon regions of transparent material, for the purpose of determining that the boundaries of the regions are accurately defined, comprising the steps of:
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passing light through the object to form an image thereof wherein the boundaries of the regions appear as bands; and comparing the bands to a reference to locate variances exceeding predetermined criteria. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A process for inspecting an object consisting of a transparent substrate, having formed thereon regions of transparent material, for the purpose of determining that the boundaries of the regions are accurately defined, comprising the steps of:
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passing light through the object to form an image thereof wherein the boundaries of the regions appear as bands; and comparing the bands to a reference to determine the accuracy of their definition. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A process for inspecting an object consisting of a transparent substrate, having formed thereon regions of transparent material, for the purpose of determining that the boundaries of the regions are accurately defined, comprising the steps of:
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passing light through the object to form an image thereof wherein the boundaries of the regions appear as bands; and inspecting the image to determine whether or not a particular characteristic of the bands is consistent with a predetermined criteria. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification