Adjustment method, substrate processing method, substrate processing apparatus, exposure apparatus, inspection apparatus, measurement and/or inspection system, processing apparatus, computer system, program and information recording medium

• US 8,134,681 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Okita, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Persaud, Deoram
• Application Number:
  US11/706,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20070219736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 355/27, 355/30, 355/53, 396/611, 430/311, 702/81, 700/109, 700/110, 700/121, 356/237.4, 356/237.5
• US Class Current: 355/27
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure

Abstract

When a host issues an analysis order that specifically instructs the analytical contents to an analytical apparatus (step 401), the analytical apparatus collects two types of measurement and/or inspection results from a measurement and/or inspection instrument (steps 403 to 409), and in step 411, the analytical apparatus analyzes the measurement and/or inspection results and optimizes processing conditions of a series of processes related to wafer W. In step 411, data related to a processing state of a processing apparatus is acquired from the processing apparatus as needed. In step 413, the measurement and/or inspection results and the optimization results are accumulated in a database, and the optimization results are transmitted to various processing apparatuses (including the measurement and/or inspection instrument). After that, the analytical apparatus sends a processing end notice to the host (step 417).

Claims

1. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results, the optimization process determining the substrate processing to be optimized based on information as to whether a correlation exists between the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing.

2. The adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate and an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by exposing the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a measurement result of a thickness of the film formed on the substrate by the film formation processing and second information on a measurement result of an alignment mark formed on a base of the substrate before the exposure processing,

the processing condition to be optimized includes at least one of a processing condition related to an alignment condition of the substrate in the exposure processing and a film formation condition of the film on the substrate, and

in the optimization process, in the case there is a correlation between the first information and the second information, at least one of a measurement condition of the alignment mark and a film formation condition is optimized so that a measurement result of the alignment mark of the substrate is not affected by the thickness of the film.

3. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 2.

4. The adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate and an exposure processing of transferring a pattern to the substrate via a projection optical system,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a measurement result of a thickness of the film formed on the substrate by the film formation processing and second information on a measurement result of a surface shape of an exposed surface of the substrate in the exposure processing,

the processing condition to be optimized includes at least one of a processing condition related to focus of the substrate with respect to the projection optical system in the exposure processing and a film formation condition of the film on the substrate, and

in the optimization process, in the case there is a correlation between the first information and the second information, the film formation condition is optimized, and the processing condition related to focus is optimized based on the first information and the second information.

5. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 4.

6. The adjustment method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage process of storing a causal relation between the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results and information on an optimization result of the processing condition; and

an extraction process of extracting a processing condition that has high correlativity with the measurement and/or inspection results based on the storage result, the storage process and the extraction process being performed while performing the plurality of substrate processings to a plurality of substrates, wherein

in the optimization process, the extracted processing condition is preferentially optimized.

7. The adjustment method according to claim 1, further comprising:

an extraction process of extracting regularity of information on the measurement and/or inspection results, while performing the plurality of substrate processings to a plurality of substrates, wherein

in the optimization process, the processing condition is optimized based on the extracted regularity.

8. The adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate and an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by exposing the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a foreign substance inspection result on the substrate before the exposure processing and second information on a foreign substance inspection result on the substrate after the exposure processing, and

in the optimization process, in the case a foreign substance is not detected in the first information and a foreign substance is detected in the second information and also there is a correlation between the first information and the second information, an inspection condition of a foreign substance on the substrate before the exposure processing is optimized.

9. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 8.

10. A substrate processing apparatus that performs a substrate processing according to transmitted information using the adjustment method according to claim 1.

11. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on a measurement and/or inspection result, in a measurement and/or inspection processing performed before and after at least one specific processing of the plurality of substrate processings, obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein, in the optimization process, one of the processing conditions is optimized based on information on at least one of a correlation, quality and change of a measurement and/or inspection result in the measurement and/or inspection processing performed before and after the at least one specific processing.

12. The adjustment method according to claim 11, wherein

in the optimization process, in the case abnormality is not detected in an anterior measurement and/or inspection processing before the specific processing and abnormality is detected in a posterior measurement and/or inspection processing after the specific processing, a processing condition of a substrate processing that is performed before the posterior measurement and/or inspection processing is optimized.

13. The adjustment method according to claim 12, wherein

in the optimization process, in the case abnormality is not detected in the anterior measurement and/or inspection processing before the specific processing and abnormality is detected in the posterior measurement and/or inspection processing after the specific processing and also there is a correlation between information on a measurement and/or inspection result of the anterior measurement and/or inspection processing and information on a measurement and/or inspection result of the posterior measurement and/or inspection processing, a processing condition of the anterior measurement and/or inspection processing is optimized.

14. The adjustment method according to claim 12, wherein

in the optimization process, in the case abnormality is not detected in the anterior measurement and/or inspection processing before the specific processing and abnormality is detected in the posterior measurement and/or inspection processing after the specific processing, information on a processing state of a substrate processing that is performed before the posterior measurement and/or inspection processing is acquired, and the processing condition is optimized based on the acquired information.

15. The adjustment method according to claim 14, wherein

information on a processing state of the specific processing is preferentially analyzed and a processing condition of the specific processing is optimized.

16. The adjustment method according to claim 12, wherein

in the optimization process, a processing condition of a substrate processing that is performed after the posterior measurement and/or inspection processing is also optimized further.

17. An adjustment method, in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate, an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure and a removal processing of liquid on the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on an inspection result before the exposure processing of a film formed on the substrate by the film formation processing, and second information on an inspection result of a foreign substance on the substrate after the exposure processing, and

in the optimization process, in the case the first information is normal and the second information is abnormal, information on a processing state of the exposure processing is acquired, and a processing condition of at least one of the exposure processing and the removal processing is optimized based on the acquired information.

18. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 17.

19. A substrate processing method in which a plurality of substrate processings that include an exposure processing of forming a pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate and an inspection processing of inspecting the substrate afterward are performed, the method comprising:

an acquisition process of acquiring information as to whether the exposure processing has been performed by liquid immersion exposure or dry exposure; and

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 18, in the case the exposure processing is judged to have been performed by liquid immersion exposure based on the acquired information.

20. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate, an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure, a removal processing of liquid on the substrate and a postbake processing to the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a foreign substance inspection result of the substrate before the postbake processing and second information on a foreign substance inspection result of the substrate after the postbake processing,

in the case the first information is normal and the second information is abnormal, information on a processing state of the postbake processing is acquired, and

in the optimization process, in the case the postbake processing is judged not to be a factor of abnormality in the second information based on the acquired information, at least one of a processing condition of the foreign substance inspection processing of the substrate before the postbake processing, a processing condition of the exposure processing and a processing condition of the liquid removal processing is optimized.

21. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 20.

22. A substrate processing method in which a plurality of substrate processings that include an exposure processing of forming a pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate and an inspection processing of inspecting the substrate afterward are performed, the method comprising:

an acquisition process of acquiring information as to whether the exposure processing has been performed by liquid immersion exposure or dry exposure; and

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 20, in the case the exposure processing is judged to have been performed by liquid immersion exposure based on the acquired information.

23. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate, an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure, a removal processing of liquid on the substrate, a postbake processing to the substrate and a development processing to the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a foreign substance inspection result of the substrate before the postbake processing and second information on a pattern inspection result of the substrate after the development processing,

in the case the first information is normal and the second information is abnormal, information on a processing state of the development processing and the postbake processing is acquired, and

in the optimization process, in the case the development processing and the postbake processing are judged not to be a factor of abnormality in the second information based on the acquired information, at least one of an inspection condition of the substrate before and after the postbake processing, a processing condition of the exposure processing and a processing condition of the liquid removal processing is optimized.

24. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 23.

25. A substrate processing method in which a plurality of substrate processings that include an exposure processing of forming a pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate and an inspection processing of inspecting the substrate afterward are performed, the method comprising:

an acquisition process of acquiring information as to whether the exposure processing has been performed by liquid immersion exposure or dry exposure; and

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 23, in the case the exposure processing is judged to have been performed by liquid immersion exposure based on the acquired information.

26. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate, an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure, a removal processing of liquid on the substrate, a postbake processing to the substrate and a development processing to the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a foreign substance inspection result of the substrate before the development processing and second information on a pattern inspection result of the substrate after the development processing,

in the case the first information is normal and the second information is abnormal, information on a processing state of the development processing is acquired, and

in the optimization process, in the case the development processing is judged not to be a factor of abnormality in the second information based on the acquired information, at least one of a measurement and/or inspection condition of the measurement and/or inspection before the development processing, a processing condition of the exposure processing and a processing condition of the liquid removal processing is optimized.

27. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 26.

28. A substrate processing method in which a plurality of substrate processings that include an exposure processing of forming a pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate and an inspection processing of inspecting the substrate afterward are performed, the method comprising:

an acquisition process of acquiring information as to whether the exposure processing has been performed by liquid immersion exposure or dry exposure; and

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 26, in the case the exposure processing is judged to have been performed by liquid immersion exposure based on the acquired information.

29. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate, an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure, a removal processing of liquid on the substrate, a postbake processing to the substrate, a development processing to the substrate and an etching processing to the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a measurement result of a surface shape of an exposed surface of the substrate before the exposure processing, and second information on a measurement result of a size of a pattern on the substrate after the development processing or the etching processing,

in the case the first information is normal and the second information is abnormal, information on a processing state of at least one of the development processing, the postbake processing and the exposure processing is acquired and analyzed, and

in the case the development processing, the postbake processing and the etching processing are judged not to be a factor of abnormality in the second information, at least one of a processing condition of the exposure processing and a processing condition of the liquid removal processing is optimized.

30. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 29.

31. A substrate processing method in which a plurality of substrate processings that include an exposure processing of forming a pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate and an inspection processing of inspecting the substrate afterward are performed, the method comprising:

an acquisition process of acquiring information as to whether the exposure processing has been performed by liquid immersion exposure or dry exposure; and

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 29, in the case the exposure processing is judged to have been performed by liquid immersion exposure based on the acquired information.

32. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate, an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure, a development processing to the substrate and an etching processing to the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a measurement result of a size of a pattern on the substrate after the development processing and second information on a measurement result of a size of the pattern on the substrate after the etching processing,

in the case the first information is normal and the second information is abnormal, information on a processing state of the etching processing is acquired and analyzed, and

in the case the etching processing is judged not to be a factor of abnormality in the second information, at least one of a processing condition of the exposure processing and a processing condition of the liquid removal processing is optimized.

33. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 32.

34. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of forming a film on the substrate, an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure, a postbake processing to the substrate, a development processing to the substrate and an etching processing to the substrate,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a measurement and/or inspection result before the exposure processing of a film formed on the substrate by the film formation processing, and second information on a measurement result of variation in a size of a pattern on the substrate after the development processing or the etching processing, and

based on correlativity between the first information and the second information and the change of the first information and the second information, at least one of a film formation/coating condition and a processing condition of the exposure processing is optimized.

35. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 34.

36. An adjustment method in which a processing condition of a substrate processing from amongst a plurality of substrate processings that are performed in series and that include a measurement and/or inspection processing is adjusted, the method comprising:

a collection process of collecting information on at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results obtained from at least one substrate;

an optimization process of optimizing a processing condition of at least one of the plurality of substrate processings based on the collected information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results; and

a transmission process of transmitting information on the optimized processing condition to an apparatus that performs the processing associated with the optimized substrate processing,

wherein the plurality of substrate processings include a film formation processing of performing formation or coating of a film on the substrate, and an exposure processing of forming a pattern on the substrate by liquid immersion exposure,

the information on the at least two types of measurement and/or inspection results includes first information on a measurement result of a processing parameter that is used for alignment of the substrate before the exposure processing, and second information on a measurement result of overlay of a pattern on the substrate after the development processing or the etching processing, and

in the case the first information is normal and the second information is abnormal, a processing condition of an alignment processing of the substrate is optimized based on correlativity between the first information and second information.

37. A substrate processing method, comprising:

an adjustment process of adjusting a processing condition of a substrate processing using the adjustment method according to claim 36.