Alignment systems and methods for lithographic systems
First Claim
1. An alignment method in a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
- illuminating an alignment mark provided on a substrate with a radiation beam, the alignment mark including a first grating and a second grating that are each adapted to enhance a different diffraction order, each of the first and the second grating including a plurality of segments alternately repeated along a first direction, wherein at least one segment of each of the first and the second grating is divided to form sub-segments that are alternately repeated along a second direction that is different from the first direction;
detecting a signal resulting from an interaction between the alignment mark and the radiation beam; and
aligning the substrate in the lithographic apparatus based on the detected signal.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An alignment method in a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
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illuminating an alignment mark provided on a substrate with a radiation beam, the alignment mark including a first grating and a second grating that are each adapted to enhance a different diffraction order, each of the first and the second grating including a plurality of segments alternately repeated along a first direction, wherein at least one segment of each of the first and the second grating is divided to form sub-segments that are alternately repeated along a second direction that is different from the first direction; detecting a signal resulting from an interaction between the alignment mark and the radiation beam; and aligning the substrate in the lithographic apparatus based on the detected signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A device manufacturing method comprising:
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projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate; and aligning the substrate so that the patterned beam of radiation is projected at desired locations on the substrate, the aligning comprising illuminating an alignment mark provided on the substrate with a radiation beam, the alignment mark including a first grating and a second grating that are each adapted to enhance a different diffraction order, each of the first and the second grating including a plurality of segments alternately repeated along a first direction, wherein at least one segment of each of the first and the second grating is divided to form sub-segments that are alternately repeated along a second direction that is different from the first direction; and detecting a signal resulting from an interaction between the alignment mark and the radiation beam. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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a patterning device support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device adapted to pattern a beam of radiation to form a patterned beam of radiation; a substrate table configured to support a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate; and an alignment system configured to align the substrate in the lithographic apparatus, the alignment system comprising a source of radiation configured to illuminate an alignment mark provided on the substrate with a radiation beam, the alignment mark including a first grating and a second grating that are each adapted to enhance a different diffraction order, each of the first and the second grating including a plurality of segments alternately repeated along a first direction, wherein at least one segment of each of the first and the second grating is divided to form sub-segments that are alternately repeated along a second direction that is different from the first direction, and a first and a second detection channel, the first detection channel adapted to detect a signal resulting from an interaction between the first grating and the radiation beam and the second detection channel adapted to detect a signal resulting from an interaction between the second grating and the radiation beam. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification