Alignment systems and methods for lithographic systems

a technology of lithographic projection and alignment system, which is applied in the direction of instruments, wave amplification devices, lasers, etc., can solve the problems of affecting the difficulty of improving the alignment system sufficiently to achieve the requirements of precision and accuracy, and the decrease in the size of components. , to achieve the effect of improving the accuracy of the on-axis alignment method

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-04-20
ASML NETHERLANDS BV
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This approach enhances alignment accuracy and robustness, reducing errors and improving the ability to detect smaller deviations, thereby supporting the production of next-generation ICs with tighter tolerances and increased complexity.

Problems solved by technology

However, with the continued decrease in the size of components on ICs and the increase in complexity, on-axis alignment systems have proven to be difficult to improve sufficiently to achieve the require precision and accuracy.
However, this polishing process affects the accuracy of the on-axis alignment method.
However, the CMP process renders the substrate grating mark asymmetrical so that this alignment method is no longer reliable.
Other processing steps and / or methods often introduce different types of errors.
For example, the Cu-damascene process tends to introduce alignment errors in a random distribution across an IC surface.
Without the improvement of alignment accuracy, improvements in resolution cannot be utilized.
In addition, the increased complexity of the micro-devices places greater demand for techniques to control and minimize the number of substrates that have to be discarded during the manufacturing process due to alignment errors.

Method used

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  • Alignment systems and methods for lithographic systems
  • Alignment systems and methods for lithographic systems
  • Alignment systems and methods for lithographic systems

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0047] Methods and devices according to this invention will now be described with reference to particular embodiments by way of example. The broad concepts of this invention are not limited to only these specifically described embodiments. The invention will be described with reference to an alignment system for a photolithography system that includes both an on-axis (also referred to as “axial”) and an off-axis (“off-axial”) alignment system that can be used in combination to obtain the eventual alignment of a mask with respect to a substrate (“workpiece”). The axial alignment system may have a separate source of radiation to illuminate alignment marks, such as in through-the-lens (TTL) or through-the-reticle (TTR) systems, or it may employ the same radiation as the exposure radiation. The following example will describe a TTL system in combination with an off-axial system (OAS) as an embodiment of this invention. Furthermore, the invention envisions application to photolithography...

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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.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 665,404, filed Sep. 22, 2003, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 411,861, filed Sep. 20, 2002, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 413,601, filed Sep. 26, 2002, European Application No. 03075954.2, filed Apr. 1, 2003 and European Application No. 03076422.9, filed May 12, 2003. The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] This invention relates to an alignment system for a lithographic projection apparatus, and a lithographic projection apparatus having such an alignment system, and more particularly to an alignment system that can detect the position of an alignment mark using at least two separate signals detected substantially in parallel and / or detect the position of a multi-target mark. [0004] 2. Discussion of Related Art [0005] Lithographic proje...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G01N21/86G01B11/00G01B11/02G01B21/00G02B5/18G03F7/00G03F7/20G03F9/00G03F9/02H01L21/027H01L21/3205H01L21/68H01L23/52H01S3/00
CPCG03F9/7046G03F9/7049G03F9/7092G03F9/7084G03F9/7088G03F9/7076G03F9/7065
InventorVAN BILSEN, FRANCISCUS BERNARDUS MARIABURGHOORN, JACOBUSFRANCISCUS VAN HAREN, RICHARD JOHANNESHINNEN, PAUL CHRISTIAANVAN HORSSEN, HERMANUS GERARDUSHUIJBREGTSE, JEROENJEUNINK, ANDRE BERNARDUSMEGENS, HENRYNAVARRO Y KOREN, RAMONTOLSMA, HOITE PIETER THEODOORGERTRUDUS SIMONS, HUBERTUS JOHANNESSCHUURHUIS, JOHNY RUTGERSCHETS, SICCO IANLEE, BRIAN YOUNG BOKDUNBAR, ALLAN REUBEN
OwnerASML NETHERLANDS BV