Optical position assessment apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- an illumination system that produces a beam of radiation;
a pattern generating device that patterns the beam;
a substrate table that supports a substrate, the substrate having alignment marks provided on a surface thereof relative to a plurality of panels having variable or different dimensions, the plurality of panels being supported on the substrate;
a frame moveable relative to the substrate;
a plurality of projection systems coupled to the frame, wherein the plurality of projection systems are capable of projecting respective portions or copies of the patterned beam onto a target portion of respective ones of the plurality of panels having variable or different dimensions on the substrate;
one or more alignment mark detectors coupled to the frame and moveable with respect to the frame, wherein the detectors detect alignment marks by analyzing reflection patterns; and
a position sensor associated with each of the one or more alignment mark detectors, wherein the position sensor determines the position of the one or more alignment mark detectors relative to at least one of the frame and the plurality of projection systems.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lithographic apparatus comprises a substrate table that supports a substrate having alignment marks on a surface thereof. The apparatus further comprises a frame moveable relative to the substrate to provide for a scanning or stepping mode of operation. An array of projection systems is disposed across the frame for projecting respective patterned beams onto a target portion of the substrate. A plurality of alignment mark detectors are attached to the frame and are moveable with respect to the frame using respective linear drive mechanisms. A position sensor is associated with each alignment mark detector for determining the position of the detector relative to the frame. A control system is responsible for both initial positioning of the detectors above alignment mark patterns on the substrate, and for dynamic alignment of the frame and substrate during a lithographic process.
56 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
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an illumination system that produces a beam of radiation; a pattern generating device that patterns the beam; a substrate table that supports a substrate, the substrate having alignment marks provided on a surface thereof relative to a plurality of panels having variable or different dimensions, the plurality of panels being supported on the substrate; a frame moveable relative to the substrate; a plurality of projection systems coupled to the frame, wherein the plurality of projection systems are capable of projecting respective portions or copies of the patterned beam onto a target portion of respective ones of the plurality of panels having variable or different dimensions on the substrate; one or more alignment mark detectors coupled to the frame and moveable with respect to the frame, wherein the detectors detect alignment marks by analyzing reflection patterns; and a position sensor associated with each of the one or more alignment mark detectors, wherein the position sensor determines the position of the one or more alignment mark detectors relative to at least one of the frame and the plurality of projection systems. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16)
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12. A method, comprising:
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during an exposure period determining approximate positions of alignment marks provided proximate to respective ones of a plurality of panels having variable or different dimensions, each of the variable or different dimensioned panels being positioned on a surface of a substrate; and moving one or more alignment mark detectors relative to a frame that is moveable relative to the substrate, wherein the one or more alignment mark detectors are moved to be aligned with respective one or more alignment marks, such that the one or more alignment mark detectors are positioned to correspond to the variable or different dimensioned of panels; determining positions of the one or more alignment mark detectors; and aligning a plurality of projection systems, capable of projecting respective portions or copies of a patterned beam onto a target portion, with respect to respective ones of the plurality of variable or different dimensioned panels on the substrate using the determined positions of the one or more alignment mark detectors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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17. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
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an illumination system that produces a beam of radiation; a pattern generating device that patterns the beam; a substrate table that supports a substrate, the substrate having alignment marks provided on a surface thereof relative to a plurality of panels; a frame moveable relative to the substrate; a plurality of projection systems coupled to the frame, wherein the plurality of projection systems are capable of projecting respective portions or copies of the patterned beam onto a target portion of respective ones of the plurality of panels on the substrate; one or more alignment mark detectors coupled to the frame and moveable with respect to the frame, wherein the detectors detect alignment marks by analyzing reflection patterns; a position sensor associated with each of the one or more alignment mark detectors, wherein the position sensor determines the position of the one or more alignment mark detectors relative to at least one of the frame and the plurality of projection systems; and a controller that controls position of the one or more alignment mark detectors during an exposure period based on at least one of operator inputs and feedback from respective ones of the position sensors, wherein respective position of each of the position sensors moves to correspond in position to the various sizes of the panels while the substrate is moving along a scanning direction during the exposure period.
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Specification