Device manufacturing method, device manufacturing system, and measurement/inspection apparatus

• US 8,159,650 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Okita, Shinichi, Yasukawa, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Peter B
• Application Number:
  US12/205,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/30, 355/77
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70516 Calibration of components of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. light sources, addressable masks or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70616 Monitoring the printed patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7085 Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

In the case where measurement/inspection of a wafer is performed in a measurement/inspection instrument before and after exposure is performed in an exposure apparatus, various kinds of conditions of the exposure apparatus and the measurement/inspection instrument are made to be matched. In particular, in accordance with a processing state of the exposure apparatus and a coater developer, a measurement result of a film, and the like, exclusion of a mark for overlay error measurement, adjustment of the measurement condition and correction of the measurement result, adjustment of the environment, correction of the measurement result according to the environment, and adjustment of pattern defect inspection are performed. Further, in calibration processing, aberration of a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a wafer for calibration, and the like are also taken into consideration. Accordingly, the yield of device production can be improved.

Claims

1. A device manufacturing method of manufacturing a device through a series of substrate processing that includes measurement/inspection processing to a substrate, the method comprising:

an acquisition process of acquiring at least one of information on the substrate and information on the series of substrate processing to the substrate;

a selection process of selecting one measurement/inspection instrument that actually measures/inspects the substrate from among a plurality of measurement/inspection instruments that perform the same measurement/inspection processing, based on the information that has been acquired; and

an adjustment process of adjusting at least one of a measurement/inspection condition and information on a measurement/inspection result of the measurement/inspection instrument that has been selected, based on the information that has been acquired.

2. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein

in the case where a detection system that is arranged in the measurement/inspection instrument and detects information on the substrate and a detection system that is arranged in a substrate processing apparatus that performs the substrate processing and detects information on the substrate are common at least partially,

the device manufacturing method further comprises

a calibration process of calibrating an operational condition of a common section of the detection systems of the measurement/inspection instrument and the substrate processing apparatus, using a reference substrate for calibration, prior to the adjustment process.

3. The device manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein

the detection system comprises at least one of

a pattern detecting system that photoelectrically detects information on a pattern on the substrate, and

a focus detecting system that detects information on focus of the substrate with respect to the detection system.

4. The device manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein

information on the series of substrate processing to the substrate includes at least one of

information on detection processing of an alignment mark formed on the substrate by the substrate processing,

information on focus of the substrate processing apparatus,

information on an arrangement of a pattern formed on the substrate by the substrate processing,

information on distortion of a pattern formed on the substrate by the substrate processing,

information on a processing state of the substrate processing,

information on environment of the substrate processing, and

information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

5. The device manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein

the measurement/inspection processing includes measurement of a plurality of marks for overlay error measurement included in device patterns that have been overlaid and formed on the substrate, and

in the adjustment process, adjustment of at least one of a measurement condition, a measurement result and measurement environment of the marks for overlay error measurement is performed, based on at least one of information on a processing state of the substrate processing, information on environment of the substrate processing, and information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

6. The device manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein

the measurement/inspection processing includes measurement of a plurality of marks for overlay error measurement included in device patterns that have been overlaid and formed on the substrate, and

in the adjustment process, a mark for overlay error measurement that has been judged as abnormal is excluded, based on at least one of information on a processing state of the substrate processing, information on environment of the substrate processing, and information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

7. The device manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein

the measurement/inspection processing includes at least one of pattern linewidth inspection and pattern defect inspection of a device pattern formed on the substrate, and

in the adjustment process, an inspection condition of at least one of the pattern linewidth inspection and the pattern defect inspection is adjusted, based on at least one of information on a processing state of the substrate processing and information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

8. The device manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein

in the adjustment process, a portion that has been judged as abnormal is inspected more intensively, compared with a portion that has been diagnosed as normal.

9. The device manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein

in the adjustment process, inspection frequency of pattern linewidth or inspection frequency of pattern defect of a portion that has been diagnosed as normal is decreased.

10. The device manufacturing method according to claim 9, wherein

in the case where as the substrate, a reference substrate for calibration is used,

in the adjustment process, at least one of a measurement/inspection condition and information on a measurement/inspection result of a measurement/inspection instrument that has been selected as a measurement/inspection instrument that performs the measurement/inspection processing is adjusted, in view of information on distortion of a measurement pattern formed on the reference substrate.

11. The device manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein

the substrate processing includes film forming processing onto the substrate, transfer processing of a device pattern to the substrate, development processing of the device pattern that has been transferred, and etching processing of the device pattern that has been transferred, and

the information on a processing state of the substrate processing includes at least one of information on a control error of the substrate and the device pattern in the transfer processing and information on a processing state in the film forming processing and the development processing.

12. A device manufacturing system that manufactures a device through a series of substrate processing that includes measurement/inspection processing to a substrate, the system comprising:

an acquisition device that acquires at least one of information on the substrate and information on the series of substrate processing to the substrate;

a plurality of measurement/inspection instruments that perform the same measurement/inspection processing;

a selection device that selects one measurement/inspection instrument that actually measures/inspects the substrate from among the plurality of measurement/inspection instruments, based on the information that has been acquired; and

an adjustment device that adjusts at least one of a measurement/inspection condition and information on a measurement/inspection result of the measurement/inspection instrument that has been selected, based on the information that has been acquired.

13. The device manufacturing system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a substrate processing device that performs the substrate processing;

wherein

in the case where a detection system that is arranged in the measurement/inspection instrument and detects information on the substrate and a detection system that is arranged in the substrate processing apparatus and detects information on the substrate are common at least partially,

the device manufacturing system further comprises

a calibration device that calibrates an operational condition of a common section of the detection systems of the measurement/inspection instrument and the substrate processing apparatus, using a reference substrate for calibration, prior to adjustment by the adjustment device.

14. The device manufacturing system according to claim 13, wherein

the detection system comprises at least one of

a pattern detecting system that photoelectrically detects information on a pattern on the substrate, and

a focus detecting system that detects information on focus of the substrate with respect to the detection system.

15. The device manufacturing system according to claim 12, wherein

information on the series of substrate processing to the substrate includes at least one of

information on detection processing of an alignment mark formed on the substrate by the substrate processing,

information on focus of the substrate processing apparatus,

information on an arrangement of a pattern formed on the substrate by the substrate processing,

information on distortion of a pattern foamed on the substrate by the substrate processing,

information on a processing state of the substrate processing,

information on environment of the substrate processing, and

information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

16. The device manufacturing system according to claim 15, wherein

the plurality of measurement/inspection instruments perform measurement of a plurality of marks for overlay error measurement included in device patterns that have been overlaid and formed on the substrate, and

the adjustment device performs adjustment of at least one of a measurement condition, a measurement result and measurement environment of the marks for overlay error measurement, based on at least one of information on a processing state of the substrate processing, information on environment of the substrate processing, and information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

17. The device manufacturing system according to claim 15, wherein

the plurality of measurement/inspection instruments perform measurement of a plurality of marks for overlay error measurement included in device patterns that have been overlaid and formed on the substrate, and

the adjustment device excludes a mark for overlay error measurement that has been judged as abnormal, based on at least one of information on a processing state of the substrate processing, information on environment of the substrate processing, and information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

18. The device manufacturing system according to claim 15, wherein

the plurality of measurement/inspection instruments perform at least one of pattern linewidth inspection and pattern defect inspection of a device pattern formed on the substrate, and

the adjustment device adjusts an inspection condition of at least one of the pattern linewidth inspection and the pattern defect inspection, based on at least one of information on a processing state of the substrate processing and information on a measurement/inspection result of a film formed on the substrate.

19. The device manufacturing system according to claim 18, wherein

the adjustment device more intensively inspects a portion that has been judged as abnormal, compared with a portion that has been diagnosed as normal.

20. The device manufacturing system according to claim 19, wherein

the adjustment device decreases inspection frequency of pattern linewidth or inspection frequency of pattern defect of a portion that has been diagnosed as normal.

21. The device manufacturing system according to claim 20, wherein

in the case where as the substrate, a reference substrate for calibration is used,

the adjustment device adjusts at least one of a measurement/inspection condition and information on a measurement/inspection result of a measurement/inspection instrument that has been selected as a measurement/inspection instrument that performs the measurement/inspection processing, in view of information on distortion of a measurement pattern formed on the reference substrate.

22. The device manufacturing system according to claim 15, wherein

the substrate processing includes film forming processing onto the substrate, transfer processing of a device pattern to the substrate, development processing of the device pattern that has been transferred, and etching processing of the device pattern that has been transferred, and

the information on a processing state of the substrate processing includes at least one of information on a control error of the substrate and the device pattern in the transfer processing and information on a processing state in the film forming processing and the development processing.

23. A measurement/inspection apparatus that performs measurement/inspection processing to a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

an acquisition device that acquires at least one of information on the substrate and information on a series of substrate processing to the substrate;

a determination device that determines whether or not the measurement/inspection apparatus is appropriate for actually measuring/inspecting the substrate, based on the information that has been acquired; and

an adjustment device that adjusts at least one of a measurement/inspection condition and information on a measurement/inspection result based on the information that has been acquired, in the case where the measurement/inspection apparatus has been determined as appropriate by the determination device.

24. The measurement/inspection apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

in the case where a detection system that is arranged in the measurement/inspection apparatus and detects information on the substrate and a detection system that is arranged in a substrate processing apparatus that performs the substrate processing and detects information on the substrate are common at least partially,

the measurement/inspection apparatus further comprises

a calibration device that calibrates an operational condition of a common section of the detection systems, using a reference substrate for calibration, prior to adjustment by the adjustment device.