Scatterometry alignment for imprint lithography
First Claim
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1. A method of aligning a template with a portion of a substrate, comprising:
- placing a patterned template at a spaced relation to a substrate, wherein the patterned template comprises a template alignment mark, and wherein the substrate comprises a substrate alignment mark, and wherein the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark are grating structures;
illuminating the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark with light at an angle that is substantially normal to a plane defined by the substrate;
measuring light at a first wavelength reflected from the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark at a non-zero order with a light detector;
determining a first alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected at the first wavelength of light;
measuring light at a second wavelength reflected from the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark at a non-zero order with the light detector;
determining a second alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected at the second wavelength of light with the light detector;
determining an average alignment error, wherein the average alignment error is a function of the first and second alignment errors; and
altering the position of the patterned template with respect to the substrate to compensate for the alignment error.
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Abstract
Described are methods for patterning a substrate by imprint lithography. Imprint lithography is a process in which a liquid is dispensed onto a substrate. A template is brought into contact with the liquid and the liquid is cured. The cured liquid includes an imprint of any patterns formed in the template. Alignment of the template with a previously formed layer on a substrate, in one embodiment, is accomplished by using scatterometry.
301 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of aligning a template with a portion of a substrate, comprising:
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placing a patterned template at a spaced relation to a substrate, wherein the patterned template comprises a template alignment mark, and wherein the substrate comprises a substrate alignment mark, and wherein the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark are grating structures; illuminating the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark with light at an angle that is substantially normal to a plane defined by the substrate; measuring light at a first wavelength reflected from the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark at a non-zero order with a light detector; determining a first alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected at the first wavelength of light; measuring light at a second wavelength reflected from the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark at a non-zero order with the light detector; determining a second alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected at the second wavelength of light with the light detector; determining an average alignment error, wherein the average alignment error is a function of the first and second alignment errors; and altering the position of the patterned template with respect to the substrate to compensate for the alignment error. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of aligning a template with a portion of a substrate, comprising:
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placing a patterned template at a spaced relation to a substrate, wherein the patterned template comprises a template alignment mark, and wherein the substrate comprises a substrate alignment mark, and wherein the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark are grating structures; illuminating the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark with two incident light beams, wherein both of the incident light beams are directed at an angle that is substantially non-normal to a plane defined by the substrate; measuring zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a first wavelength of light with a light detector; determining a first alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; measuring zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a second wavelength of light with the light detector; determining a second alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; determining an average alignment error, wherein the average alignment error is a function of the first and second alignment errors; and altering the position of the patterned template with respect to the substrate to compensate for the alignment error.
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14. A method of aligning a template with a portion of a substrate, comprising:
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placing a patterned template at a spaced relation to a substrate, wherein the patterned template comprises a template alignment mark, and wherein the substrate comprises a substrate alignment mark, and wherein the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark are grating structures; illuminating the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark with two incident light beams, wherein both of the incident light beams are directed at an angle that is substantially non-normal to a plane defined by the substrate; measuring non-zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a first wavelength of light with a light detector; determining a first alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; measuring non-zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a second wavelength of light with the light detector; determining a second alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; determining an average alignment error, wherein the average alignment error is a function of the first and second alignment errors; and altering the position of the patterned template with respect to the substrate to compensate for the alignment error.
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15. A method of forming a pattern on a substrate comprising:
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applying a predetermined volume of an activating light curable liquid to a first portion of the substrate in a predetermined pattern; placing a patterned template at a spaced relation to the substrate, wherein the patterned template comprises a template alignment mark, and wherein the substrate comprises a substrate alignment mark, and wherein the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark are grating structures, and wherein a portion of the patterned template contacts the activating light curable liquid disposed on the substrate; illuminating the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark with light at an angle that is substantially normal to a plane defined by the substrate; measuring light at a first wavelength reflected from the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark at a non-zero order with a light detector; determining a first alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected at the first wavelength of light; measuring light at a second wavelength reflected from the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark at a non-zero order with the light detector; determining a second alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected at the second wavelength of light; determining an average alignment error, wherein the average alignment error is a function of the first and second alignment errors; altering a position of the patterned template with respect to the substrate to compensate for the alignment error; applying activating light to the activating light curable liquid, wherein the application of the activating light substantially cures the activating light curable liquid, forming a first patterned area; and separating the patterned template from the cured liquid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of forming a pattern on a substrate comprising:
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applying a predetermined volume of an activating light curable liquid to a first portion of the substrate in a predetermined pattern; placing a patterned template at a spaced relation to the substrate, wherein the patterned template comprises a template alignment mark, and wherein the substrate comprises a substrate alignment mark, and wherein the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark are grating structures, and wherein a portion of the patterned template contacts the activating light curable liquid disposed on the substrate; illuminating the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark with two incident light beams, wherein both of the incident light beams are directed at an angle that is substantially non-normal to a plane defined by the substrate; measuring zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a first wavelength of light with a light detector; determining a first alignment error of the patterned template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; measuring zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a second wavelength of light with the light detector; determining a second alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; determining an average alignment error, wherein the average alignment error is a function of the first and second alignment errors; altering a position of the patterned template with respect to the substrate to compensate for the alignment error; applying activating light to the activating light curable liquid, wherein the application of activating light substantially cures the activating light curable liquid, forming a first patterned area; and separating the patterned template from the cured liquid.
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31. A method of forming a pattern on a substrate comprising:
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applying a predetermined volume of an activating light curable liquid to a first portion of the substrate in a predetermined pattern; placing a patterned template at a spaced relation to the substrate, wherein the patterned template comprises a template alignment mark, and wherein the substrate comprises a substrate alignment mark, and wherein the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark are grating structures, and wherein a portion of the template contacts the activating light curable liquid disposed on the substrate; illuminating the template alignment mark and the substrate alignment mark with two incident light beams, wherein both of the incident light beams are directed at an angle that is substantially non-normal to a plane defined by the substrate; measuring non-zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a first wavelength of light with a light detector; determining a first alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; measuring non-zero order light from both of the incident light beams at a second wavelength of light with the light detector; determining a second alignment error of the template alignment mark with respect to the substrate alignment mark based on light measurements collected from both beams of light at the first wavelength of light; determining an average alignment error, wherein the average alignment error is a function of the first and second alignment errors; altering a position of the patterned template with respect to the substrate to compensate for the alignment error; applying activating light to the activating light curable liquid, wherein the application of activating light substantially cures the activating light curable liquid, forming a first patterned area; and separating the patterned template from the cured liquid.
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Specification