Lithographic apparatus and method for optimizing illumination using a photolithographic simulation
First Claim
1. A method of configuring a transfer of an image of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
- determining an intermediate illumination arrangement parameter and an intermediate patterning device parameter by varying an initial illumination arrangement parameter and an initial patterning device parameter using a calibrated model until the calculated image of the pattern printed on the substrate is within predetermined specification;
calculating a metric that represents a variation of a lithographic response of the printed pattern over a process range, where the pattern would be imaged with the intermediate illumination arrangement and patterning device parameters over the process range, anddepending on a result of the metric, iteratively (a) varying the initial patterning device and illumination arrangement parameters and (b) calculating the metric until a substantially maximum or minimum value of the lithographic response is obtained.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of configuring a transfer of an image of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic apparatus. The method includes determining an intermediate illumination arrangement parameter and an intermediate patterning device parameter by varying an initial illumination arrangement parameter and an initial patterning device parameter using a calibrated model until the calculated image of the pattern printed on the substrate is within predetermined specification; calculating a metric that represents a lithographic response of the printed pattern over a process range, where the pattern would be imaged with the intermediate illumination arrangement and patterning device parameters over the process range, and depending on a result of the metric, adjusting the initial patterning device and illumination arrangement parameters.
86 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of configuring a transfer of an image of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
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determining an intermediate illumination arrangement parameter and an intermediate patterning device parameter by varying an initial illumination arrangement parameter and an initial patterning device parameter using a calibrated model until the calculated image of the pattern printed on the substrate is within predetermined specification; calculating a metric that represents a variation of a lithographic response of the printed pattern over a process range, where the pattern would be imaged with the intermediate illumination arrangement and patterning device parameters over the process range, and depending on a result of the metric, iteratively (a) varying the initial patterning device and illumination arrangement parameters and (b) calculating the metric until a substantially maximum or minimum value of the lithographic response is obtained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A lithographic apparatus, comprising
an illumination system configured to condition a beam of radiation; -
a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project a beam of radiation patterned by a patterning device onto a surface of the substrate; and a processor to perform a method of configuring a transfer of an image of a patterning device pattern onto the substrate, the method comprising; determining an intermediate illumination arrangement parameter and an intermediate patterning device parameter by varying an initial illumination arrangement parameter and an initial patterning device parameter using a calibrated model until the calculated image of the pattern on the substrate is within predetermined specification; calculating a metric that represents a variation of a lithographic response of the printed pattern over a process range, where the pattern would be imaged with the intermediate illumination arrangement and patterning device parameters over a process range, and depending on a result of the metric, iteratively (a) varying the initial patterning device and illumination arrangement parameters and (b) calculating the metric until a substantially maximum or minimum value of the lithographic response is obtained. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer product, embodied in a computer-readable medium, having machine executable instructions, the instructions being executable by a machine to perform a method of configuring a transfer of an image of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
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determining an intermediate illumination arrangement parameter and an intermediate patterning device parameter by varying an initial illumination arrangement parameter and an initial patterning device parameter using a calibrated model until the calculated image of the pattern printed on the substrate is within predetermined specification; calculating a metric that represents a variation of a lithographic response of the printed pattern over a process range, where the pattern would be imaged with the intermediate illumination arrangement and patterning device parameters over the process range, and depending on a result of the metric, iteratively (a) varying the initial patterning device and illumination arrangement parameters and (b) calculating the metric until a substantially maximum or minimum value of the lithographic response is obtained. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of configuring a transfer of an image of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
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determining a plurality of intermediate parameters by varying a corresponding plurality of initial intermediate parameters using a calibrated model until the calculated image of the pattern printed on the substrate is within predetermined specification; calculating a metric that represents a variation of a lithographic response of the printed pattern over a process range, where the pattern would be imaged with the plurality of intermediate parameters over the process range, and depending on a result of the metric, iteratively (a) varying the initial plurality parameters and (b) calculating the metric until a substantially maximum or minimum value of the lithographic response is obtained. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification