Interferometric analysis method for the manufacture of nano-scale devices

• US 7,880,872 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mii Newco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc. (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Babbs, Daniel A., Schumaker, Philip D., Rafferty, Tom H., Aghili, Alireza, Truskett, Van Nguyen, Choi, Byung-Jin, Nimmakayala, Pawan Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ratcliffe; Luke D
• Application Number:
  US12/576,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20100038827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 356 301- 315, 356 401- 41, 356 501- 515, 356 6- 22, 356/28, 356/28.5, 35613901-1391
• US Class Current: 356/139.04
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0002 Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/00 Registration or positioning of originals, masks, frames, photographic sheets or textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. automatically G03F7/22 takes precedence; preparation of photographic masks G03F1/00; within photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7003 Alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7042 Alignment for lithographic apparatus using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping or imprinting non-exposure lithographic processes per se G03F7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7049 Technique, e.g. interferometric

Abstract

The present invention features a method to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The method includes sensing relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

collecting multiple alignment data for a first substrate and a second substrate from phase information using moiré

based alignment marks disposed on the first substrate and the second substrate; and

wherein moiré

images are captured by diffracted light from the marks on the first substrate and the second substrate; and

wherein all imaging microscopes used in the alignment process are positioned outside of a beam path from a UV source and focused through the first substrate to the second substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is positioned at a first distance to the imaging microscope and the second substrate is positioned at a second distance to the imaging microscope, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate with gas or imprinting fluid.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining relative spatial parameters between the first substrate and the second substrate using multiple alignment data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the spatial parameters include alignment, magnification and distortion parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising imprinting a pattern in a fluid deposited on the second substrate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pattern is imprinted using a UV source and a beam path of the UV source is directed through the first substrate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is an imprint lithography template.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second substrate is a wafer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the moiré

based alignment marks are disposed on each of the two substrates and a normal distance between at least one moiré

based alignment mark positioned on the first substrate and at least one moiré

based alignment mark positioned on the second substrate changes from 100 microns to less than 10 nm.

11. A method, comprising:

positioning a first substrate in superimposition with a second substrate;

positioning a UV source in superimposition with the first substrate; and

,

determining, by multiple image capturing units, relative spatial parameters between the first substrate and the second substrate, determining the relative spatial parameters including capturing moiré

images diffracted into oblique vectors normal to axes of measuring data;

wherein the multiple image capturing units are positioned outside of the UV beam.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first substrate is positioned at a first distance to the image capturing units and the second substrate is positioned at a second distance to the image capturing units, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising filling a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate with gas or imprinting fluid.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the relative spatial parameters include alignment, magnification and distortion parameters.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising imprinting a pattern in a fluid deposited on the second substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pattern is imprinted using the UV source.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first substrate is an imprint lithography template.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the second substrate is a wafer.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein each image capturing unit includes a source of illumination and a detector, with the source of illumination directing energy along a path to impinge on the first substrate creating a first order diffraction energy and the detector configured to sense the first order diffraction energy propagating along the path.

20. A method comprising:

positioning a first substrate in superimposition with a second substrate;

positioning a UV source in superimposition with the first substrate; and

,

determining, by multiple image capturing units, relative spatial parameters between the first substrate and the second substrate, determining the relative spatial parameters including capturing moiré

images diffracted into oblique vectors normal to axes of measuring data, each image capturing unit including a source of illumination and a detector, with the source of illumination directing energy along a path to impinge on the first substrate creating a first order diffraction energy and the detector configured to sense the first order diffraction energy propagating along the path;

wherein the moiré

images are captured by diffracted light from a mark on the first substrate and the second substrate; and

,

wherein the multiple image capturing units are positioned outside of the UV beam.