Metrology method and inspection apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method

• US 9,140,998 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Smilde, Hendrik Jan Hidde, Bleeker, Arno Jan, Warnaar, Patrick, Coene, Willem Marie Julia Marcel, Kubis, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARK, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US13/294,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20120123581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 700/105
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70483 Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70625 Dimensions, e.g. line width, critical dimension [CD], profile, sidewall angle or edge roughness
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70633 Overlay, i.e. relative alignment between patterns printed by separate exposures in different layers, or in the same layer in multiple exposures or stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70641 Focus
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for measuring target structures formed by a lithographic process on a substrate. A grating structure within the target is smaller than an illumination spot and field of view of a measurement optical system. The optical system has a first branch leading to a pupil plane imaging sensor and a second branch leading to a substrate plane imaging sensor. A spatial light modulator is arranged in an intermediate pupil plane of the second branch of the optical system. The SLM imparts a programmable pattern of attenuation that may be used to correct for asymmetries between the first and second modes of illumination or imaging. By use of specific target designs and machine-learning processes, the attenuation patterns may also be programmed to act as filter functions, enhancing sensitivity to specific parameters of interest, such as focus.

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

an illumination arrangement operable to deliver conditioned beams of radiation to a substrate for use in measurements;

a detection arrangement operable during such measurements to detect respective images of the substrate using radiation diffracted from the substrate, the illumination arrangement and the detection arrangement forming a measurement optical system;

a stop arrangement within the detection arrangement, wherein the illumination arrangement and stop arrangement together are configured to select which part of a diffraction spectrum of the diffracted radiation contributes to each image;

a controller configured to control the apparatus to produce first and second images of a periodic structure on the substrate, wherein;

the first image is detected in a first measurement using a first selected part of the diffracted radiation, the second image is detected in a second measurement using a second selected part of the diffracted radiation, which is symmetrically opposite to the first part in the diffraction spectrum of the periodic structure without rotating the substrate; and

wherein the detection arrangement further comprises a spatial light modulator operable to apply a varying optical attenuation over the selected part of the diffracted radiation prior to forming the first and second images respectively; and

a computational arrangement arranged to use a difference in intensity values derived from the first and second images to determine an asymmetry-related parameter.

2. The inspection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second measurements are performed without rotating the substrate using different optical paths within the measurement optical system, and the controller is further configured to control the spatial light modulator to reduce an influence on the determined asymmetry-related parameter of the difference in the optical paths between the first and second measurements.

3. The inspection apparatus of claim 2, wherein the computational arrangement is configured to change an illumination mode of the illumination arrangement between the first and second measurements measurement steps, and to select the varying optical attenuation applied by the spatial light modulator in accordance with the selected illumination mode.

5. The inspection apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to perform a calibration, wherein a pattern for attenuation is at least partially determined using results of a plurality of calibration measurements performed on a substrate, which is measured at different rotations through each of the optical paths.

8. The inspection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spatial light modulator is further configured to implement a first and second filter functions for the respective measurement, the filter functions being calculated to enhance sensitivity of the calculated difference to a property of interest.

9. The inspection apparatus of claim 8, wherein the spatial light modulator is further configured to implement a machine-learning process to derive the filter functions from measurements of a training set of structures.

10. The inspection apparatus of claim 9, wherein the machine-learning process comprises principal component analysis and the filter functions are calculated such that the calculated difference is related directly to a performance parameter of a lithographic process, rather than a feature of the periodic structure itself.

11. The inspection apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the apparatus so that a certain asymmetry of profile of the periodic structure is made sensitive to a particular performance parameter of a lithographic process.

12. The inspection apparatus of claim 11, wherein the lithographic process is an optical lithography process and is performed so that asymmetry between side wall angles in the periodic structure is sensitive to focus variation in the lithographic process.

4. A lithographic system comprising:

a lithographic apparatus comprising;

an illumination optical system arranged to illuminate a pattern;

a projection optical system arranged to project an image of the pattern onto a substrate; and

an inspection apparatus comprising, an illumination arrangement operable to deliver conditioned beams of radiation to the substrate for use in measurements;

a detection arrangement operable during such measurements to detect respective images of the substrate using radiation diffracted from the substrate the illumination arrangement and the detection arrangement forming a measurement optical system;

a stop arrangement within the detection arrangement, wherein the illumination arrangement and stop arrangement together are operable to select which part of a diffraction spectrum of the diffracted radiation contributes to each image;

a controller configured to control the apparatus to produce first and second images of a periodic structure on the substrate, wherein;

the first image is detected in a first measurement using a first selected part of the diffracted radiation, the second image is detected in a second measurement using a second selected part of the diffracted radiation which is symmetrically opposite to the first part in the diffraction spectrum of the periodic structure without rotating the substrate; and

wherein the detection arrangement further comprises a spatial light modulator operable to apply a varying optical attenuation over the selected part of the diffracted radiation prior to forming the first and second images respectively and a computational arrangement arranged to use a difference in intensity values derived from the first and second images to determine an asymmetry-related parameter, wherein the lithographic apparatus is arranged to use the measurement results from the inspection apparatus in applying the pattern to further substrates.

6. The inspection apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

an image sensor located in a conjugate pupil plane of the optical system configured to perform the calibration measurements.

7. The inspection apparatus of claim 4, wherein the calibration measurements are performed using a calibration target having a periodic structure larger than a field of view of the measurement optical system.