Energy calibration method and device of photoetching machine

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an energy calibration method and device of a photoetching machine. The method comprises the following steps: measuring by using a temperature sensor to obtain a temperature parameter in a photoetching process; according to a preset relation model, obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter; the preset relation model is a relation model of an energy conversion coefficient and a temperature parameter; and performing energy calibration on the photoetching machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to an energy calibration method and device for a lithography machine. Background Art

[0002] Photolithography is one of the most important steps in the semiconductor manufacturing process, which determines the technical level of the entire integrated circuit process. The state of the photolithography machine is not static. For example, as the operating time of the photolithography machine leads to the aging of the key components of the photolithography machine, the machine state will change dynamically, or the photolithography machine will crash or shut down for maintenance, which will cause the state of the machine to change dynamically. The exposure energy of the photolithography machine during photolithography will directly affect the size of the critical dimension CD. The size of the critical dimension CD will affect the actual graphic size of subsequent processes such as graphic transfer, resulting in process instability and reduced product yield. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately control the exposure energy of the photolithography machine through energy calibration methods. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of this, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an energy calibration method and device for a lithography machine.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present disclosure is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an energy calibration method for a lithography machine, the method comprising: using a temperature sensor to measure a temperature parameter in a lithography process; obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and energy calibrating the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

[0005] In some embodiments, temperature parameters in the lithography process are measured using a temperature sensor, including: using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor to measure the first temperature parameter and the second temperature parameter in the lithography process; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine.

[0006] In some embodiments, a first temperature parameter of the lithography process is measured using a first temperature sensor, including: using the first temperature sensor to measure a first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the lithography process, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature based on the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter.

[0007] In some embodiments, a second temperature parameter in the lithography process is measured using a second temperature sensor, including: using the second temperature sensor to measure a second temperature of the lens in the lithography process, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

[0008] In some embodiments, the energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter is obtained according to a preset relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter, including: obtaining a first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the relationship model.

[0009] In some embodiments, before using a temperature sensor to measure the temperature parameters in the lithography process, the method further includes: obtaining sample temperature parameters of the mask and / or lens in the lithography machine at different temperatures; and constructing a preset relationship model based on the sample temperature parameters.

[0010] In some embodiments, the preset relationship model is: ;in, is a coefficient related to the material of the mask or a coefficient related to the material of the lens, is the temperature parameter, is the volume of the light mask or the lens at room temperature, is the surface area of ​​the light cover or the lens at room temperature, is the energy conversion coefficient.

[0011] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an energy calibration device for a lithography machine, comprising: a temperature sensor for measuring temperature parameters in a lithography process; a calculation module for obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and a calibration module for calibrating the energy of the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

[0012] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor includes: a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine; the first temperature sensor is used to measure the first temperature parameter in the lithography process; the second temperature sensor is used to measure the second temperature parameter in the lithography process.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature based on the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter.

[0014] In some embodiments, the second temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the second temperature of the lens during the lithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

[0015] In some embodiments, the calculation module is further used to obtain a first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the preset relationship model.

[0016] The disclosed embodiment provides a method and device for energy calibration of a lithography machine. The method comprises: using a temperature sensor to measure and obtain a temperature parameter in a lithography process; obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and energy calibration of the lithography machine is performed based on the energy conversion coefficient. In the disclosed embodiment, the energy change in the lithography process is characterized based on the temperature parameter, so that the energy calibration of the lithography machine can be performed based on the temperature parameter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the steps of an energy calibration method for a lithography machine provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a lithography machine provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of an energy calibration device for a lithography machine provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 A hardware structure diagram of an energy calibration device for a lithography machine provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0019] In the following description, a large number of specific details are given to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be implemented without one or more of these details. In other examples, in order to avoid confusion with the present disclosure, some technical features known in the art are not described; that is, all features of actual embodiments are not described here, and well-known functions and structures are not described in detail.

[0020] In the drawings, the sizes of layers, regions, elements and their relative sizes may be exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals denote like elements throughout.

[0021] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as "on ...", "adjacent to ...", "connected to" or "coupled to" other elements or layers, it can be directly on, adjacent to, connected to or coupled to other elements or layers, or there can be intervening elements or layers. On the contrary, when an element is referred to as "directly on ...", "directly adjacent to ...", "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" other elements or layers, there is no intervening element or layer. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or part from another element, component, region, layer or part. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure, the first element, component, region, layer or part discussed below can be represented as the second element, component, region, layer or part. And when the second element, component, region, layer or part is discussed, it does not indicate that the present disclosure necessarily has the first element, component, region, layer or part.

[0022] Spatially relative terms such as "under", "beneath", "below", "under", "above", "above", etc., may be used here for convenience of description to describe the relationship between an element or feature shown in the figure and other elements or features. It should be understood that in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, the spatial relationship terms are intended to also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is turned over, then the elements or features described as "under other elements" or "under it" or "under it" will be oriented as "on" other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary terms "under" and "under" may include both upper and lower orientations. The device can be oriented otherwise (rotated 90 degrees or other orientations) and the spatial descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0023] The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to be a limitation of the present disclosure. When used herein, the singular forms "one", "an" and "said / the" are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "consisting of" and / or "comprising", when used in this specification, determine the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups. When used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

[0024] In order to thoroughly understand the present disclosure, detailed steps and detailed structures will be presented in the following description to illustrate the technical solution of the present disclosure. The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below, but in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present disclosure may also have other implementations.

[0025] In the process of product manufacturing, the stability of process quality is an important evaluation indicator of equipment and process, which determines whether some equipment or processes can enter mass production. For example, in the process of photolithography, whether the exposure energy is stable affects the photolithography effect at different positions of the same wafer, as well as the photolithography effect of different wafers. Therefore, high requirements are placed on the process stability of the photolithography machine, so as to ensure that different positions of the same wafer have controllable sizes and that different wafers obtained using the same photolithography parameters have consistent sizes.

[0026] During wafer exposure, the lithography machine provides the required exposure energy (output energy). The energy sensor on the lithography machine can feedback control the exposure energy. The spot sensor on the wafer chuck that carries the wafer is used to detect the exposure energy (input energy) received by the wafer and feedback it, thereby obtaining the energy conversion factor ESCF (Energy Sensor Conversion Factor) between the input energy and the output energy. At the same time, for a twins chuck lithography machine, each chuck also has an energy calibration sensor (Energy Sensor Calibration, ESCAL), which transmits output energy data with the spot sensor on the first chuck of the twin chucks to ensure that the energy of each chuck is consistent.

[0027] As the size of core devices continues to shrink, the size of core structures has entered the tens of nanometers or a few nanometers, and the stability requirements for the manufacturing process are getting higher and higher. Based on this, the energy calibration of the lithography machine during operation has become an urgent problem to be solved.

[0028] In this regard, the following implementation methods are proposed.

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the steps of an energy calibration method for a lithography machine provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the energy calibration method includes the following steps: Step S101: using a temperature sensor to measure and obtain temperature parameters during the photolithography process.

[0030] Step S102: obtaining the energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter.

[0031] Step S103: performing energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

[0032] In the disclosed embodiment, the energy variation in the lithography process is characterized based on the temperature parameter, so that the energy of the lithography machine can be calibrated based on the temperature parameter.

[0033] The lithography machine is mainly composed of three parts: the illumination optical module, the mask module and the wafer module. The optical module includes the light source module (source), the illumination module (illumination module) and the projection lens module (projection lens). The light source module can be simplified as a laser, which releases deep ultraviolet (DUV) or extreme ultraviolet (EUV). The mask module includes the mask transfer module (Reticle Handler) and the mask carrier (Reticle Stage). The mask transfer module is responsible for transferring the mask from the mask box to the mask carrier. The mask carrier is responsible for carrying and quickly moving the mask back and forth. The wafer module includes the wafer transfer module (Wafer Handler) and the wafer carrier (Wafer Stage). The wafer transfer module is responsible for transferring the wafer from the photoresist coater to the wafer carrier, and the wafer carrier is responsible for carrying the wafer and accurately positioning the wafer for exposure. The projection objective lens module includes a plurality of lenses, and is used for projecting the image of the mask in the mask module onto the surface of the wafer in the wafer module.

[0034] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor may be disposed adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor may be disposed adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine. The adjacent arrangement here may be a close proximity arrangement.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lithography machine provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be noted that: Figure 2This is a simplified structural diagram of a photolithography machine. Figure 2 Only the mask carrier 210, the projection lens module 220 and the wafer carrier 230 in the lithography machine are shown. Figure 2 As shown, the first temperature sensor is arranged at a position N1 below the mask carrier 210, and the first temperature sensor can be a retractable temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor is arranged in the first accommodating portion and can move relative to the first accommodating portion, and the first temperature sensor has a first position and a second position relative to the first accommodating portion; wherein, in the first position state, at least a part of the body of the first temperature sensor extends into the position below the mask carrier to measure the temperature of the mask on the mask carrier; in the second position state, the first temperature sensor is accommodated in the first accommodating portion. Similarly, the second temperature sensor is arranged at a position N2 below the lowest lens in the projection objective lens module 220, and the second temperature sensor can be a retractable temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor has a first position and a second position relative to the second accommodating portion; wherein, in the first position state, at least a part of the body of the second temperature sensor extends into the position below the lowest lens in the projection objective lens module to measure the temperature of the lowest lens in the projection objective lens module; in the second position state, the second temperature sensor is accommodated in the second accommodating portion.

[0036] It should be noted that Figure 2 The illustrated N1 and N2 are only an exemplary description. The first temperature sensor can also be set at other positions that are close to the mask carrier 210 and can measure the temperature parameters of the mask. The second temperature sensor and the projection lens module 220 can also be set at other positions that are close to the projection lens module 220 and can measure the temperature parameters of the lowermost lens in the projection lens module 220. Figure 2 The illustrated N1 and N2 are not intended to limit the locations of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor in the present disclosure.

[0037] In some embodiments, step S101 includes: using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor to measure and obtain a first temperature parameter and a second temperature parameter in a photolithography process.

[0038] In some embodiments, the first temperature sensor measures the first temperature parameter during the process of performing reticle stage alignment. When performing the photolithography process, each lot needs to perform a reticle stage alignment step before exposure. That is, through the X-axis moving device and / or the Y-axis moving device, the diagonal center of the actual graphic area to be exposed on the reticle on the reticle stage coincides with the center of the lithography machine lens.

[0039] In some embodiments, the second temperature sensor measures the second temperature parameter during a wafer lot correction process. During a photolithography process, wafer lot correction is performed on each lot before exposure.

[0040] In some embodiments, step S101 includes: using a first temperature sensor to measure a first temperature T1 of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient β1 of the mask at the first temperature T1 according to the first temperature T1 and the volume V1 of the mask; the first temperature T1 and the thermal expansion coefficient β1 of the mask at the first temperature T1 constitute the first temperature parameter. Here, the volume V1 of the mask is the volume of the mask at the first temperature T1.

[0041] In some embodiments, the volume V of the mask can be measured at room temperature T0. M Since the volume change of the mask at different temperatures satisfies the formula ΔV=V M ×β×ΔT. Therefore, the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask can be obtained by the following formula: β= In other embodiments, the volume of the mask may also be calculated by measuring the area and thickness of the mask.

[0042] In some embodiments, step S101 includes: using a second temperature sensor to measure a second temperature T2 of the lens during the photolithography process, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient β2 of the lens at the second temperature T2 according to the second temperature T2 and the volume V2 of the lens; the second temperature T2 and the thermal expansion coefficient β2 of the lens at the second temperature T2 constitute the second temperature parameter. Here, the volume V2 of the lens is the volume of the lens at the second temperature T2.

[0043] In some embodiments, the volume V of the lens can be measured at room temperature T0. L Since the volume change of the lens at different temperatures satisfies the formula ΔV=V L ×β×ΔT. Therefore, the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens can be obtained by the following formula: β= In other embodiments, the volume of the lens may also be calculated by measuring the area and thickness of the lens.

[0044] In some embodiments, when the lithography machine performs a continuous process (including a continuous process with replacement of a mask), a discontinuous process, a high-energy process layer (layer) process, or a low-energy process layer process, the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor will respectively measure the first temperature parameter and the second temperature parameter before each batch lot is exposed.

[0045] In some embodiments, step S102 includes: obtaining a first energy conversion coefficient ESCF1 corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient ESCF2 corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the relationship model.

[0046] In some embodiments, the preset relationship model is: ;in, is a coefficient related to the material of the mask or a coefficient related to the material of the lens, is the temperature parameter, is the volume of the mask or lens at room temperature, is the surface area of ​​the mask or lens at room temperature, is the energy conversion coefficient.

[0047] In some embodiments, μ is a coefficient in the function of the relationship between the distance that light energy penetrates an object and the reflectivity. Generally, the value range of μ is usually between 0.30 and 1.70. The value of μ is determined by the material of the mask or lens. Specifically, the corresponding value of μ can be obtained by querying the material properties of the mask or lens.

[0048] here, and All of them are parameters related to the mask or lens that can be obtained by measurement. Based on the preset relationship model, ESCF0 at room temperature T0 can be calculated. In the photolithography process of each lot, ESCF1 at the first temperature T1 can be obtained by bringing the first temperature T1 and the thermal expansion coefficient β1 into the preset relationship model. Specifically, , where μ1 is a coefficient related to the material of the mask, V M is the volume of the mask at room temperature T0, is the change from temperature T0 to T1, S1 is the surface area of ​​the mask at room temperature T0; based on bringing the second temperature T2 and the thermal expansion coefficient β2 into the preset relationship model, ESCF2 at the second temperature T2 can be obtained. Specifically, , where μ2 is a coefficient related to the material of the lens, V L is the volume of the lens at room temperature T0, is the change from temperature T0 to T2, and S2 is the surface area of ​​the lens at room temperature T0.

[0049] In the disclosed embodiment, ESCF0 at room temperature T0 is measured and calculated. When the lithography machine calibrates ESCF, T0 is used as the reference temperature and ESCF0 is used as the reference energy conversion coefficient to ensure that the energy conversion coefficient ESCF changes minimally before and after each calibration, thereby improving the energy baseline jump caused by the update of the energy conversion coefficient ESCF, which affects the critical dimension (Critical Dimension, CD) of the lithography and the R2R (Run to Run, controlling subsequent production through information obtained from previous operations) feedback system.

[0050] In some embodiments, before step S101, the energy calibration method further includes: obtaining sample temperature parameters of the mask and / or lens in the lithography machine at different temperatures; and constructing a preset relationship model based on the sample temperature parameters.

[0051] In some embodiments, first sample temperature parameters of the mask at different temperatures are obtained by a first temperature sensor, second sample temperature parameters of the lens at different temperatures are obtained by a second temperature sensor, and a preset relationship model is constructed based on the first sample temperature parameters and the second sample temperature parameters.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first sample temperature parameter includes but is not limited to the volume, thermal expansion coefficient, and surface area of ​​the mask at different temperatures. The second sample temperature parameter includes but is not limited to the volume, thermal expansion coefficient, and surface area of ​​the lens at different temperatures.

[0053] In a specific example, based on the first sample temperature parameter, the second sample temperature parameter, the measurement data and the fault detection system (FDC) parameters, the FDC parameters include the energy conversion coefficient ESCF, and a preset relationship model is established with the energy conversion coefficient ESCF as the dependent variable and the temperature parameter as the independent variable.

[0054] In the disclosed embodiment, ;in, To calibrate the energy conversion coefficient, is the energy conversion coefficient of the previous batch of lot, is the energy conversion coefficient of the current batch lot. The calibration energy conversion coefficient can be calculated based on the energy conversion coefficient of the previous batch lot and the energy conversion coefficient of the current batch lot. The lithography machine can be energy calibrated based on the calibration energy conversion coefficient.

[0055] In some embodiments, for a dual-carrier lithography machine, an energy conversion factor ECCF (Energy Sensor Calibration Conversion Factor) between parameters output by a point sensor and parameters output by an energy calibration sensor is also involved.

[0056] In the disclosed embodiment, ECCF0 at room temperature T0 is measured and calculated. When the lithography machine calibrates ECCF, T0 is used as the reference temperature and ECCF0 is used as the reference energy conversion coefficient to ensure that the energy conversion coefficient ECCF changes minimally before and after each calibration, thereby improving the energy baseline jump caused by the update of the energy conversion coefficient ECCF, which affects the critical dimension CD and R2R feedback system of the lithography.

[0057] In a specific example, based on the first sample temperature parameter, the second sample temperature parameter, the measurement data and the fault detection system (FDC) parameters, the FDC parameters include the energy conversion coefficient ECCF, and a preset relationship model is established with the energy conversion coefficient ECCF as the dependent variable and the temperature parameter as the independent variable.

[0058] In the disclosed embodiment, ;in, To calibrate the energy conversion coefficient, is the energy conversion coefficient of the previous batch of lot, is the energy conversion coefficient of the current batch lot. The calibration energy conversion coefficient can be calculated based on the energy conversion coefficient of the previous batch lot and the energy conversion coefficient of the current batch lot. The lithography machine can be energy calibrated based on the calibration energy conversion coefficient.

[0059] In the disclosed embodiment, more factors that affect the energy attenuation of the lithography machine (such as temperature parameters) are introduced, and a preset relationship model is established to perform energy calibration of the lithography machine. In this way, non-real energy changes can be filtered out, thereby achieving more accurate energy calibration.

[0060] In the disclosed embodiment, more temperature parameters that affect the energy attenuation of the lithography machine are introduced, so that the energy conversion coefficient changes more gradually, the baseline mutation is reduced, and the ECCF calibration period is extended.

[0061] In some embodiments, the energy calibration method further includes: using an energy sensor to measure energy parameters in the lithography process; the energy sensor is disposed in the illumination module, and the energy sensor is used to measure the energy of the output light of the light source in the lithography machine.

[0062] In some embodiments, energy calibration of a lithography machine is performed based on the energy conversion coefficient, including: energy calibration of the lithography machine is performed based on the energy conversion coefficient and the energy parameter.

[0063] In some embodiments, the energy conversion coefficient ESCF3 of input energy and output energy can be obtained according to the energy parameter and the exposure energy detected by the point sensor, and the calibration energy conversion coefficient can also be calculated according to the energy conversion coefficient ESCF3 and the energy conversion coefficient of the current batch lot. The lithography machine can be energy calibrated based on the calibration energy conversion coefficient.

[0064] In the disclosed embodiment, the energy conversion coefficient obtained based on the temperature parameter and the preset relationship model is used as a new FDC parameter for detection and control, changing from bilateral FDC limit control to unilateral FDC limit control, which is more conducive to setting accurate target values ​​(Target) and specification limits (SPEC limit). According to the critical dimension specification limit (CDSPEC) of the process layer (layer), the corresponding FDC alarm (alarm) and error limit (error limit) are set, which can effectively prevent the critical dimension CD of the product from exceeding the control limit (Out of control, OOC) and exceeding the specification limit (Out of specification, OOS), so as to set abnormal behavior countermeasures (Out of Control Action Plan, OCAP) more specifically and improve the stability of the critical dimension CD of the inline (Inline) lots.

[0065] In the disclosed embodiment, since the energy conversion coefficient obtained based on the temperature parameter and the preset relationship model is used as a new FDC parameter for detection and control, the FDC card control abnormality and processing are more accurate, and the abnormal point can be detected and whether it is a real mutation or an unreal mutation can be confirmed in time.

[0066] The energy calibration method for the lithography machine provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure can effectively improve the energy stability of the lithography machine, reduce energy mutations that are not real mutations, improve the stability of the product's key dimension CD, and improve the process capability.

[0067] It should be noted that, although the steps of the energy calibration method of the lithography machine in the present disclosure are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in this specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired results. Additionally or alternatively, some steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or one step may be decomposed into multiple steps, etc.

[0068] The exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an energy calibration device for a lithography machine, Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the structure of an energy calibration device for a lithography machine provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, the energy calibration device 300 of the lithography machine includes: a temperature sensor 310, used to measure the temperature parameters in the lithography process; a calculation module 320, used to obtain the energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; a calibration module 330, used to perform energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

[0069] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 310 includes: a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine; the first temperature sensor is used to measure the first temperature parameter in the lithography process; the second temperature sensor is used to measure the second temperature parameter in the lithography process.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature based on the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter.

[0071] In some embodiments, the second temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the second temperature of the lens during the lithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

[0072] In some embodiments, the calculation module 320 is further configured to obtain a first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the preset relationship model.

[0073] In some embodiments, the apparatus 300 further includes: a construction module 340 for acquiring sample temperature parameters of the mask and / or lens in the lithography machine at different temperatures; and constructing a preset relationship model based on the sample temperature parameters.

[0074] In some embodiments, the device 300 further includes: an energy sensor 350, which is used to measure energy parameters in the photolithography process; the energy parameters are used to characterize the energy of the output light of the light source in the photolithography machine.

[0075] In some embodiments, the calibration module 330 is specifically used to perform energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient and the energy parameter.

[0076] For details not disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure, please refer to the description of the aforementioned embodiments for understanding.

[0077] It can be understood that in this embodiment, a "module" can be a part of a circuit, a part of a processor, a part of a program or software, etc., and of course it can also be non-modular. Moreover, the components in this embodiment can be integrated into a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional module.

[0078] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software function module and is not sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this embodiment is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or the whole or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or a processor to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in this embodiment. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk, etc., various media that can store program codes.

[0079] Therefore, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a computer storage medium, which stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by at least one processor, the steps of the model calibration method described in any one of the aforementioned embodiments are implemented.

[0080] Based on the composition of the energy calibration device of a lithography machine and the computer storage medium, see Figure 4 , which shows a schematic diagram of the composition structure of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 .like Figure 4 As shown, the electronic device 400 may include: a communication interface 401, a memory 402 and a processor 403; each component is coupled together via a bus system 404. It is understood that the bus system 404 is used to realize the connection and communication between these components. In addition to the data bus, the bus system 404 also includes a power bus, a control bus and a status signal bus. However, for the sake of clarity, Figure 4Various buses are labeled as bus system 404. Among them, the communication interface 401 is used for receiving and sending signals in the process of sending and receiving information between other external network elements; Memory 402, used to store computer programs that can be run on processor 403; The processor 403 is configured to execute, when running the computer program: The temperature parameters in the photolithography process are measured using a temperature sensor; According to a preset relationship model, an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter is obtained; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; Energy calibration of the lithography machine is performed based on the energy conversion coefficient.

[0081] It can be understood that the memory 402 in the embodiment of the present disclosure can be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or can include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory can be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory can be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDRSDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus random access memory (DRRAM). The memory 402 of the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0082] The processor 403 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method can be completed by the hardware integrated logic circuit or software instructions in the processor 403. The above processor 403 may be a general processor, a digital signal processor (Digital Signal Processor, DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC), a field programmable gate array (Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components. The disclosed methods, steps and logic block diagrams in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented or executed. The general processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can also be any conventional processor, etc. The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be directly embodied as a hardware decoding processor to perform, or the hardware and software modules in the decoding processor are combined to perform. The software module can be located in a mature storage medium in the field such as a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory or an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register, etc. The storage medium is located in the memory 402, and the processor 403 reads the information in the memory 402 and completes the steps of the above method in combination with its hardware.

[0083] It is understood that the embodiments described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or a combination thereof. For hardware implementation, the processing unit may be implemented in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processors (DSP), digital signal processing devices (DSPD), programmable logic devices (PLD), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), general purpose processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units for performing the functions described in the present disclosure, or a combination thereof.

[0084] For software implementation, the techniques described herein can be implemented by modules (e.g., procedures, functions, etc.) that perform the functions described herein. The software code can be stored in a memory and executed by a processor. The memory can be implemented in the processor or outside the processor.

[0085] Optionally, as another embodiment, the processor 403 is further configured to execute the energy calibration method of the lithography machine described in any one of the aforementioned embodiments when running the computer program.

[0086] It should be understood that "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the size of the serial number of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The serial numbers of the embodiments of the present disclosure are for description only and do not represent the advantages and disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0087] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, and does not limit the patent scope of the present disclosure. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present disclosure and the drawings under the inventive concept of the present disclosure, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating energy of a lithography machine, characterized in that: The method comprises: The temperature parameters in the photolithography process are measured using a temperature sensor; According to a preset relationship model, an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter is obtained; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; Energy calibration of the lithography machine is performed based on the energy conversion coefficient.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The temperature parameters in the photolithography process are measured using temperature sensors, including: The first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are used to measure the first temperature parameter and the second temperature parameter in the lithography process; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that Measuring a first temperature parameter in a photolithography process using a first temperature sensor includes: A first temperature sensor is used to measure a first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process, and a thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature is obtained based on the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: Measuring a second temperature parameter in the photolithography process using a second temperature sensor includes: A second temperature of the lens during the photolithography process is measured using a second temperature sensor, and a thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature is obtained based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: According to the preset relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter, the energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter is obtained, including: A first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter are obtained according to the relationship model.

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: Before using the temperature sensor to measure and obtain the temperature parameters in the photolithography process, the method further includes: Obtaining sample temperature parameters of a mask and / or a lens in the lithography machine at different temperatures; A preset relationship model is constructed based on the sample temperature parameters.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The preset relationship model is: ;in, is a coefficient related to the material of the mask or a coefficient related to the material of the lens, is the temperature parameter, is the volume of the light mask or the lens at room temperature, is the surface area of ​​the light cover or the lens at room temperature, is the energy conversion coefficient.

8. An energy calibration device for a photolithography machine, characterized in that: include: Temperature sensor, used to measure temperature parameters during photolithography; A calculation module, used to obtain the energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; A calibration module is used to perform energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that The temperature sensor includes: a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine; The first temperature sensor is used to measure a first temperature parameter during a photolithography process; The second temperature sensor is used to measure a second temperature parameter during the photolithography process.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that The first temperature sensor is specifically used to measure a first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process, and obtain a thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature according to the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter; The second temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the second temperature of the lens during the photolithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

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