Alignment systems and methods for lithographic systems

• US 7,880,880 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Jeunink, Andre Bernardus, Van Haren, Richard Johannes Franciscus, Tolsma, Hoite Pieter Theodoor, Lee, Brian Young Bok, Van Horssen, Hermanus Gerardus, Dunbar, Allan Reuben, Schets, Sicco Ian, Megens, Henry, Koren, Ramon Navarro Y, Schuurhuis, Johny Rutger, Huijbregtse, Jeroen, Van Bilsen, Franciscus Bernardus Maria, Hinnen, Paul Christiaan, Burghoorn, Jacobus, Simons, Hubertus Johannes Gertrudus
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Tarifur
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stock, Jr.; Gordon J
• Application Number:
  US11/294,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20060086910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 356/399
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7046 Strategy, e.g. mark, sensor or wavelength selection
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7049 Technique, e.g. interferometric
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7076 Mark details, e.g. phase grating mark, temporary mark
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7084 Position of mark on substrate, i.e. position in (x, y, z) of mark, e.g. buried or resist covered mark, mark on rearside, at the substrate edge, in the circuit area, latent image mark, marks in plural levels
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7088 Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7092 Signal processing

Abstract

An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Claims

1. An alignment mark formed on an object for use in manufacture of a microdevice, the alignment mark comprising a plurality of targets that each include a detection grating that is configured to align the object during manufacture of the microdevice and that is separate from the microdevice, wherein at least one of said detection gratings is formed by a plurality of repetitive patterns arranged in a first pitch and wherein at least one of the plurality of repetitive patterns is divided to form a sub-pattern that is configured to change under microdevice processing in correspondence with changes to said microdevice during manufacture,

wherein the plurality of repetitive patterns is a plurality of lines that are repeated in a first direction,

wherein the sub-pattern is formed by a plurality of repetitive lines that are repeated in a second direction and arranged in a second pitch, the first direction being different from the second direction.

2. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the detection gratings of all of said plurality of targets enhance a diffracted beam of the same order.

3. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the detection grating of at least one of said plurality of targets enhances a diffracted beam of a different order from a diffracted beam enhanced by the other of said plurality of targets.

4. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of targets comprises four targets, three of the four targets having a repetitive pattern that is divided to form a sub-pattern that changes under microdevice processing in correspondence with changes to said microdevice during manufacture.

5. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the sub-pattern changes under microdevice processing in correspondence with changes to said microdevice during manufacture subsequent to an alignment procedure.

6. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the sub-pattern changes under microdevice processing in correspondence with changes to said microdevice during manufacture subsequent to a lithographic process.

7. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the sub-pattern is configured to change under microdevice processing in a substantially similar manner as at least part of the microdevice during manufacture.

8. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the first pitch is different from the second pitch.

9. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

10. An alignment mark according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the targets has a detection grating enhancing a diffracted beam of an order greater than first order.

11. An alignment mark according to claim 2, wherein the enhanced diffracted beam is a first order or higher order diffracted beam.

12. An alignment mark for use in the manufacture of a micro-device, comprising:

a first target and a second target, said first target enhancing a diffracted beam of a different order from a diffracted beam enhanced by said second target,

wherein the first target and the second target each comprise a diffraction grating having a pitch and a substructure arranged in the diffraction grating, the pitches of the diffraction grating of the first target and the second target being the same and the substructures of the diffraction grating of the first target and second target being different,

wherein each substructure arranged in the diffraction grating of the first and second targets includes one or more patterns arranged between two consecutive structures that form a pitch unit of the diffraction grating of the respective first and second targets, and wherein each of the one or more patterns of the substructure has a different size than each of the two consecutive structures.

13. An alignment mark according to claim 12, wherein the first target and second target each comprise a pair of targets.

14. An alignment mark according to claim 12, wherein each substructure includes more than one patterns that are arranged in a same pitch.

15. An alignment ark according to claim 12, wherein the two consecutive structures are lines.