Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby

• US 7,173,687 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Bleeker, Arno Jan, Benschop, Jozef Petrus Henricus
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/273,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/67, 355/71, 347/225, 347/231, 347/238, 347/239, 347/243, 347/255, 347/261, 430/30, 430/296, 430/311, 430/396, 359/494, 359/495, 359/497
• US Class Current: 355/67
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70041 by pulsed sources, e.g. multiplexing, pulse duration, interval control or intensity control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70358 Scanning exposure, i.e. relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging
• 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

Apparatus and methods for compensating for the movement of a substrate in a lithographic apparatus during a pulse of radiation include providing an optical structure configured to move a patterned projection beam incident on the substrate in synchronism with the substrate.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a programmable patterning structure configured to pattern a pulsed beam of radiation according to a desired pattern;

a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate;

a positioning structure configured to move the substrate relative to the projection system during exposure by the patterned radiation beam;

an optical structure configured to move the patterned radiation beam relative to the projection system during at least one pulse of the radiation beam; and

a control system configured to rotate the optical structure according to a rotation timing that corresponds to a pulse frequency of the radiation beam,

wherein the lithographic projection apparatus is configured to scan the patterned radiation beam in synchronism with movement of the substrate during the at least one pulse.

2. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning structure is configured to move the substrate at a substantially constant velocity relative to the projection system during a plurality of pulses of the radiation beam and during intervals therebetween, and

the lithographic projection apparatus is configured to move the patterned radiation beam in synchronism with movement of the substrate for a duration of at least one pulse of the radiation beam.

3. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, configured to scan the patterned radiation beam in synchronism with movement of the substrate during a plurality of pulses of the radiation beam, such that a pattern of the programmable patterning structure is projected onto substantially a same place on the substrate a plurality of times.

4. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 3, configured to change a configuration of the programmable patterning structure between the plurality of projections that are directed onto substantially the same place on the substrate.

5. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 3, configured to change (i) an intensity of the patterned radiation beam, (ii) an illumination of the programmable patterning structure, (iii) a pupil filtering, or any combination of(i) to (iii), for at least one of the plurality of projections that are directed onto substantially the same place on the substrate.

6. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical structure comprises at least one reflective surface that is mounted such that the reflective surface and the patterned radiation beam incident thereon create an angle that varies during the at least one pulse of the radiation beam.

7. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical structure comprises a rotating prism that includes a plurality of edge faces and wherein the lithographic projection apparatus is configured such that the patterned radiation beam is incident upon at least one edge face surface during the at least one pulse of the radiation beam.

8. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control system is configured to rotate the prism such that, during an interval between pulses of the radiation beam, a different edge face of the prism is positioned to receive a subsequent pulse of the radiation beam.

9. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 8, configured to present the different edge face of the prism at a start of the subsequent pulse of the radiation beam.

10. The lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the prism is positioned in a back focal plane of the lithographic projection apparatus.

11. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing a pulsed beam of radiation;

patterning the pulsed beam according to a desired pattern;

projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material that at least partially covers a substrate;

moving the substrate relative to a projection system that projects the patterned radiation beam onto the substrate during exposure; and

altering a path of the patterned radiation beam relative to the projection system during at least one pulse of the radiation beam, wherein the path is altered in synchronism with the movement of the substrate during the at least one pulse and wherein a cross-section of the patterned radiation beam is projected onto a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the target portion of the substrate.

12. The device manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein moving the substrate includes moving the substrate at a substantially constant velocity relative to the projection system during a plurality of pulses of the radiation beam and during intervals therebetween, and

wherein the path is altered in synchronism with the movement of the substrate for a duration of at least one pulse of the radiation beam.

13. The device manufacturing method according to claim 11, further comprising altering the path of the patterned radiation beam in synchronism with the movement of the substrate during a plurality of pulses of the radiation beam, such that a pattern of the programmable patterning structure is projected onto substantially a same place on the substrate a plurality of times.

14. The device manufacturing method according to claim 13, further comprising changing a configuration of a programmable patterning structure used to pattern the pulsed beam between the plurality of projections that are directed onto substantially the same place on the substrate.

15. The device manufacturing method according to claim 13, further comprising changing (i) an intensity of the patterned radiation beam, (ii) an illumination of a programmable patterning structure used to pattern the pulsed beam, (iii) a pupil filtering, or any combination of(i) to (iii), for at least one of the plurality of projections that are directed onto substantially the same place on the substrate.

16. The device manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein altering the path of the patterned radiation beam is performed by rotating an optical structure having at least one reflective surface that is mounted such that the reflective surface and the patterned radiation beam incident thereon create an angle that varies during the at least one pulse of the radiation beam.

17. The device manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein the optical structure is rotated according to a rotation timing that corresponds to a pulse frequency of the radiation beam.

18. The device manufacturing method according to claim 17, wherein the optical structure comprises a rotating prism that includes a plurality of edge faces and wherein the patterned radiation beam is incident upon at least one edge face surface during the at least one pulse of the radiation beam.

19. The device manufacturing method according to claim 18, further comprising rotating the prism such that, during an interval between pulses of the radiation beam, a different edge face of the prism is positioned to receive a subsequent pulse of the radiation beam.

20. The device manufacturing method according to claim 19, further comprising presenting the different edge face of the prism at a start of the subsequent pulse of the radiation beam.

21. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing a pulsed beam of radiation;

patterning the pulsed beam according to a desired pattern;

projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material that at least partially covers a substrate;

moving the substrate relative to a projection system that projects the patterned radiation beam onto the substrate during exposure;

using an optical structure to move the patterned radiation beam relative to the projection system during at least one pulse of the radiation beam; and

rotating the optical structure according to a rotation timing that corresponds to a pulse frequency of the radiation beam, wherein the patterned radiation beam is scanned in synchronism with the movement of the substrate during the at least one pulse.