Lithographic apparatus and method

• US 8,982,318 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Iosad, Nikolay Nikolaevich, Gui, Cheng-Qun
• Primary Examiner(s): RIDDLE, CHRISTINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/566,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20100081072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 355/52, 355/53, 355/54, 355/55, 355/56, 355 67- 71, 355/77, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.22, 250/548, 430/8, 430/22, 430/30, 430/311, 430/312, 430/315, 430/322
• US Class Current: 355/52
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70291 Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70508 Data handling in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. handling pattern data for addressable masks or data transfer to or from different components within the exposure apparatus

Abstract

A lithographic method, among things is disclosed. The method includes using information at least indicative of a desired shape or size of a constituent part of a device to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device, the desired shape or size being related to a measured property of a layer of material in which the constituent part of the device is to be created, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements that would be necessary to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the desired shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device.

Claims

1. A lithographic method, the method comprising:

using information at least indicative of a target shape or size of a constituent part of a device to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device, the target shape or size being calculated from a measured materials property of a material of a layer in which the constituent part of the device is to be created and/or of a previous device, and at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein,

before determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device,

and/or

before using information at least indicative of the measured property to determine the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device that is to be created using the layer of material,

the method further comprises:

measuring the property.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device, the method further comprises:

controlling the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements to implement the determined configuration.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein controlling the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements comprises:

controlling a position of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements, and/or

controlling an orientation of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements, and/or

controlling a shape of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements, and/or

controlling which of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements emit radiation, and/or

controlling an optical property of one or more elements of the plurality of individually controllable elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device results in an effect in a property or operation of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the effect is:

an improved performance of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole, and/or

an increased efficiency of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole, and/or

an improved or increased functionality of the constituent part of the device, and/or of the device as a whole.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the target shape or size is calculated from a measured electrical or chemical property of a material of a layer in which the constituent part of the device is to be created.

8. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of individually controllable elements, configured to create a pattern in a radiation beam;

a projection system, configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate; and

a control arrangement, the control arrangement configured to use information at least indicative of a target shape or size of a constituent part of a device to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device, the target shape or size being calculated from a measured materials property of a material of a layer in which the constituent part of the device is to be created and/or of a previous device, and at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of individually controllable elements are micromirrors or laser diodes.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein control arrangement is configured to calculate the target shape or size from a measured electrical or chemical property of a material of a layer in which the constituent part of the device is to be created.

11. A lithographic method, the method comprising:

using information at least indicative of a target change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a first device to implement the change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a subsequently created second device to vary the shape or size of that constituent part from the design shape or size of that constituent part such that the processed shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device is different from the design processed shape or size of that constituent part, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements of a lithographic apparatus to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, before determining a configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements of the lithographic apparatus to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device, the method further comprises:

using information at least indicative of a property of the first device to determine the target change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the first device that is to be implemented in the subsequently created second device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein,

before determining a configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements of the lithographic apparatus to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device,

and/or

before using information at least indicative of a property of the first device to determine the target change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the first device that is to be implemented in the subsequently created second device,

the method further comprises:

measuring the property of the first device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein after determining the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements of the lithographic apparatus to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device, the method further comprises

controlling the configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements to implement the determined configuration.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the change in shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device results in an effect in a property or operation of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device, and/or of the second device as a whole.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and subsequently created second devices are different versions of the same general device.

17. A lithographic apparatus, the lithographic apparatus comprising

a plurality of individually controllable elements, configured to create a pattern in a radiation beam;

a projection system, configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate; and

a control arrangement, the control arrangement being configured to use information at least indicative of a target change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a first device to implement the change in the shape or size of a constituent part of a subsequently created second device to vary the shape or size of that constituent part from the design shape or size of that constituent part such that the processed shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device is different from the design processed shape or size of that constituent part, at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of the plurality of individually controllable elements to create in the radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the target change in the shape or size of the constituent part of the subsequently created second device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of individually controllable elements are micromirrors or laser diodes.

19. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of individually controllable elements, configured to create a pattern in a radiation beam;

a projection system, configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate; and

a control arrangement, the control arrangement configured to use information at least indicative of a target shape or size of a constituent part of a device to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device, the target shape or size being calculated using a measured electrical or chemical property of a material of a layer in which the constituent part of the device is to be created and/or a measured electrical or chemical property of a material of a previous device, and at least a part of the implementation comprising determining a configuration of a plurality of individually controllable elements to create in a radiation beam a pattern which is sufficient to implement the target shape or size of the constituent part of the device when creating the constituent part of the device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the measured electrical or chemical property comprises a doping concentration and/or carrier mobility.