Method and arrangement for correcting thermally-induced field deformations of a lithographically exposed substrate
First Claim
1. A method for correcting thermally-induced field deformations of a lithographically exposed substrate comprising:
- providing a model to predict thermally-induced field deformation information of a plurality of fields of said substrate;
modifying pre-specified exposure information used to configure an exposure of said fields based on said thermally-induced deformation information as predicted by said model;
exposing a pattern onto said fields in accordance with said pre-specified exposure information as modified;
wherein predicting thermally-induced field deformation information by said model includes predicting of deformation effects of selected points on said substrate based on at least;
a time-decaying characteristic as energy is transported across said substrate; and
a distance between said selected points and an edge of said substrate.
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Abstract
The invention provides a method for correcting thermally-induced field deformations of a lithographically exposed substrate. First, a model is provided to predict thermally-induced field deformation information of a plurality of fields of the substrate. The pre-specified exposure information used to configure an exposure of the fields is then modified based on the thermally-induced deformation information as predicted by the model. Finally a pattern is exposed onto the fields in accordance with the pre-specified exposure information as modified. The predicting of thermally-induced field deformation information by the model includes predicting of deformation effects of selected points on the substrate. It is based on a time-decaying characteristic as energy is transported across substrate; and a distance between the selected points and an edge of the substrate.
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11 Claims
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1. A method for correcting thermally-induced field deformations of a lithographically exposed substrate comprising:
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providing a model to predict thermally-induced field deformation information of a plurality of fields of said substrate; modifying pre-specified exposure information used to configure an exposure of said fields based on said thermally-induced deformation information as predicted by said model; exposing a pattern onto said fields in accordance with said pre-specified exposure information as modified; wherein predicting thermally-induced field deformation information by said model includes predicting of deformation effects of selected points on said substrate based on at least; a time-decaying characteristic as energy is transported across said substrate; and a distance between said selected points and an edge of said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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7. The method of claim 1, wherein said pre-specified exposure information includes at least one of exposure energy information, exposure time information, exposure field position information, exposure field sequencing information, and exposure field deformation information.
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8. The method of claim 1, wherein said exposing is performed with an immersion lithographic apparatus provided with an immersion liquid, and wherein said predicting of deformation effects of selected points is further based on the amount of energy that is taken by said immersion liquid.
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9. The method of claim 8, wherein said amount of energy taken by said immersion liquid is taken to be proportional to a logarithm of a period during which the liquid remains on the substrate.
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10. The method of claim 8, wherein said thermally-induced field deformations are caused by cooling of the substrate due to evaporation of the immersion liquid.
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11. The method of claim 8, wherein, in said model, said predicting of deformation effects of selected points based on a time-decaying characteristic is expressed by:
Specification