Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 7,170,584 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Derksen, Antonius Theodorus Anna Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): RUTLEDGE, DELLA J
• Application Number:
  US10/990,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 355/67
• 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 7/70425 Imaging strategies, e.g. for increasing throughput or resolution, printing product fields larger than the image field or compensating lithography- or non-lithography errors, e.g. proximity correction, mix-and-match, stitching or double patterning

Abstract

In a maskless lithography apparatus light deflected by a patterning array out of a path towards a substrate is directed onto a detector that detects malfunctions of the patterning array. If the patterning array is of a type which selectively diverts radiation in order to pattern the beam, the detector can use the radiation that is diverted out of the beam. Alternatively, a second beam of radiation, additional to the exposure radiation, can be provided.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus for projecting a pattern onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning array of individually controllable elements that pattern a beam by selectively diverting incident radiation between a first optical path leading to a target portion of the substrate and a second optical path not leading to the substrate; and

a detector sensitive to the radiation provided in the second optical path.

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

a control system that compares an output of the detector to a complement of a desired pattern to detect any malfunction of the patterning array of individually controllable elements.

3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pattern is a binary pattern and the complement is a two'"'"'s complement.

4. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is a spatial sensor.

5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is a charged coupled device.

6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is a CMOS image sensor.

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

a partially reflective mirror in the second optical path between the patterning array of individually controllable elements and the detector.

8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patterning array is a digital mirror device.

9. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patterning array is a grating light valve.

10. A lithographic apparatus for projecting a pattern onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning array of individually controllable elements;

a first illumination system that directs a first beam of radiation onto the patterning array of individually controllable elements, the patterning array of individually controllable elements patterning the first beam with a first pattern;

a second illumination system that directs a second beam of radiation onto the patterning array of individually controllable elements from a different direction, the patterning array of individually controllable elements patterning the second beam with a second pattern that is a complement of the first pattern;

a projection system that projects the first beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and

a detector that receives, and is sensitive to, radiation from the second beam deflected by the patterning array.

11. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the detector is positioned to receive both the patterned first beam and the patterned second beam.

12. The lithographic apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a beam splitter between the patterning array of individually controllable elements and the projection system, the beam splitter being arranged to divert a portion of the patterned first beam and of the patterned second beam onto the detector.

13. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a control system that compares an output of detector the to the first pattern to detect any malfunction of the patterning array of individually controllable elements.

14. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the detector is a spatial sensor.

15. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the detector is a charged coupled device.

16. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the detector is a CMOS image sensor.

17. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the radiation of the first beam has a shorter wavelength than radiation of the second beam.

18. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the patterning array of individually controllable elements is a digital mirror device.

19. The lithographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the patterning array of individually controllable elements is a grating light valve.

20. A device manufacturing method comprising:

patterning a beam of radiation with a pattering array of individually controllable elements by selectively diverting incident radiation between a first optical path leading to a target portion of a substrate and a second optical path leading away from the substrate; and

detecting the diverted incident radiation in the second optical path to detect any malfunction of the patterning array.

21. A device manufacturing method comprising:

directing first and second beams of radiation onto a patterning array of individually controllable elements that pattern the beams, the beams being directed onto the patterning array of individually controllable elements from different directions, such that they are patterned with complementary patterns;

projecting the first beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate; and

detecting any malfunction of the patterning array using a detector provided in the path of the second beam.