Method and apparatus for angular-resolved spectroscopic lithography characterization

• US 7,791,732 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Van Kraaij, Markus Gerardus Martinus, Van Dommelen, Youri Johannes Laurentius Maria, Van Der Schaar, Maurits, Den Boef, Arie Jeffrey Maria, Luehrmann, Paul Frank, Kiers, Antoine Gaston Marie, Grouwstra, Cedric Desire, Pellemans, Henricus Petrus Maria, Bleeker, Arno Jan, Dusa, Mircea
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr.; Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Richey; Scott M
• Application Number:
  US11/203,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20060066855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 356/401, 356485-495, 356/490, 356/445, 356/456
• US Class Current: 356/456
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70341 Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70633 Overlay, i.e. relative alignment between patterns printed by separate exposures in different layers, or in the same layer in multiple exposures or stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7065 Defects, e.g. optical inspection of patterned layer for defects
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling

Abstract

An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference.

Claims

1. A scatterometer, comprising:

an illumination source configured to produce a first beam directed to a reflector and a second beam directed to an element;

the reflector configured to reflect the first beam at different first and second angles to reflect corresponding first and second images; and

detecting system having;

a first part configured to combine the first and second images to determine an illumination profile of the first beam, and

a second part configured to measure a spectrum of the second beam reflected from a surface of the element,

wherein a property of the element is determined by measuring a property of the reflected spectrum at a plurality of angles simultaneously, wherein the illumination profile is used to correct determinations of the property of the reflected spectrum at diffraction orders higher than ±

1.

2. The scatterometer according to claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises a concave mirror.

3. The scatterometer according to claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises a convex mirror.

4. The scatterometer according to claim 1, wherein the detector further comprises:

a processor configured to process a differential equation based on at least the first and second images to determine the illumination profile.

5. The scatterometer according to claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises:

a plurality of mirrors at different tilt angles.

6. The scatterometer according to claim 1, wherein a measured reflection angle among the plurality of angles is in a radial direction.

7. The scatterometer according to claim 1, wherein a measured reflection angle among the plurality of angles is in an azimuthal direction.

8. The scatterometer according to claim 4, wherein the reflector comprises a flat mirror and the scatterometer is configured to tilt the mirror through a plurality of angles by moving the reflector to a location under the detector.

9. The scatterometer according to claim 4, wherein the detector is configured to determine an overlay on the substrate, the overlay being equal to an integer number multiplied by a pitch of a substrate grating.

10. The scatterometer of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises:

first and second grating targets, having respective equal and opposite overlay biases relative to the substrate, from which the radiation beam is reflected before being reflected off of the reflecting device, such that the radiation beam has a substantially symmetric intensity pattern at the detector.

11. An inspection method, comprising:

projecting a radiation beam onto a substrate; and

measuring, in a pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, a spectrum of the radiation beam reflected from a pattern printed on the substrate;

combining first and second images to determine an illumination profile of the radiation, wherein the first and second images are reflected off of a reflector at different angles,

wherein a tilting of the reflector is adapted to generate the first and second images, and

wherein a property of the substrate is calculated from the measured spectrum and wherein the illumination profile is used to correct determinations of a property of the reflected spectrum at higher diffraction orders.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising carrying out a coarse overlay measurement in an image plane of the substrate.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising carrying out a coarse overlay measurement comprising determining an overlay on the substrate, the overlay being equal to an integer number multiplied by a pitch of a substrate grating.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

reflecting the radiation beam, after reflecting the radiation beam from the substrate, through first and second grating targets, having respective equal and opposite overlay biases relative to the substrate, and subsequently off of the reflector, such that the radiation beam has a substantially symmetric intensity pattern at a detector.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the tilting comprises moving the reflector to a location under the detector.