Method of optimizing imaging performance
First Claim
1. A method of optimizing an imaging performance of a projection exposure system,the projection exposure system comprising an illumination optical system including a light source for illuminating a patterning structure and a projection optical system for imaging a region of the illuminated patterning structure onto a corresponding field in a substrate-plane,the method comprising:
- setting the field to a first exposure field, the first exposure field having first field dimensions and a first position within a maximum field exposable by the projection exposure system;
determining a first setting of optical parameters of the projection exposure system in dependence of the first field dimensions;
setting optical parameters of the projection exposure system to the first setting such that an imaging performance quantity within the first exposure field at the first setting satisfies a first performance condition;
changing the field to a second exposure field, the second exposure field having at least one of second field dimensions different from the first field dimensions and a second position within the maximum field exposable by the projection exposure system, which second position is different from the first position; and
changing the optical parameters of the projection exposure system to a second setting such that an imaging performance quantity within the second exposure field at the second setting satisfies a second performance condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of optimizing an imaging performance of a projection exposure system is provided, wherein the projection exposure system includes an illumination optical system for illuminating a patterning structure and a projection optical system for imaging a region of the illuminated patterning structure onto a corresponding field. The method involves setting the field to a first exposure field, setting optical parameters of the projection exposure system to a first setting such that the imaging performance within the first exposure field is a first optimum performance, changing the field to a second exposure field, and changing the optical parameters to a second setting such that the imaging performance within the second exposure field is a second optimum performance.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of optimizing an imaging performance of a projection exposure system,
the projection exposure system comprising an illumination optical system including a light source for illuminating a patterning structure and a projection optical system for imaging a region of the illuminated patterning structure onto a corresponding field in a substrate-plane, the method comprising: -
setting the field to a first exposure field, the first exposure field having first field dimensions and a first position within a maximum field exposable by the projection exposure system; determining a first setting of optical parameters of the projection exposure system in dependence of the first field dimensions; setting optical parameters of the projection exposure system to the first setting such that an imaging performance quantity within the first exposure field at the first setting satisfies a first performance condition; changing the field to a second exposure field, the second exposure field having at least one of second field dimensions different from the first field dimensions and a second position within the maximum field exposable by the projection exposure system, which second position is different from the first position; and changing the optical parameters of the projection exposure system to a second setting such that an imaging performance quantity within the second exposure field at the second setting satisfies a second performance condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 26, 28, 29, 30)
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11. A method of optimizing an imaging performance of a projection exposure system,
the projection exposure system comprising an illumination optical system including a light source for illuminating a patterning structure and a projection optical system for imaging a region of the illuminated patterning structure onto a corresponding field in a substrate-plane, the method comprising: -
setting the field to a first exposure field, the first exposure field having first field dimensions and a first position within a maximum field exposable by the projection exposure system; determining a first setting of optical parameters of the projection exposure system in dependence of the first field dimensions; setting optical parameters of the projection exposure system to the first setting such that the imaging performance within the first exposure field is a first substantially optimum performance; changing the field to a second exposure field, the second exposure field having at least one of second field dimensions different from the first field dimensions and a second position within the maximum field exposable by the projection exposure system, which second position is different from the first position; and changing the optical parameters of the projection exposure system to a second setting such that the imaging performance within the second exposure field is a second substantially optimum performance. - View Dependent Claims (22, 31)
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12. A method of optimizing an imaging performance of a projection exposure system, the projection exposure system comprising
an illumination optical system including a light source for illuminating a patterning structure, and a projection optical system for imaging a region of the illuminated patterning structure onto a corresponding field in a substrate-plane, which region comprises a first sub-region, wherein the first sub-region of the patterning structure is imaged onto a corresponding first sub-field within the corresponding field in the substrate-plane, the method comprising: -
setting the field to an exposure field, the exposure field having field dimensions and the first sub-field having first sub-field dimensions and a first sub-field position within the exposure field, wherein the first sub-field dimensions are different from the field dimensions; determining a setting of optical parameters of the projection exposure system in dependence of said first sub-field dimensions; and setting optical parameters of the projection exposure system to said setting wherein an imaging performance quantity within the first sub-field satisfies a first performance condition with regard to a first imaging characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 32)
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27. A method of optimizing an imaging performance of a projection exposure system,
the projection exposure system comprising an illumination optical system including a light source for illuminating a patterning structure, and a projection optical system for imaging a region of the illuminated patterning structure onto a corresponding field in a substrate-plane, which region comprises a first sub-region, wherein the first sub-region of the patterning structure is imaged onto a corresponding first sub-field within the corresponding field in the substrate-plane, the method comprising: -
setting the field to an exposure field, the exposure field having field dimensions and the first sub-field having first sub-field dimensions and a first sub-field position within the exposure field, wherein the first sub-field dimensions are different from the field dimensions; and determining a setting of optical parameters of the projection exposure system in dependence of said first sub-field dimensions; and setting optical parameters of the projection exposure system to said setting wherein the imaging performance within the first sub-field is a substantially optimum performance with regard to a first imaging characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification