Method for obtaining a production aerial photograph of an object to be surveyed

Abstract

Method for determining a production aerial image (I(x, y)) of an object to be measured (12) as a result of illumination and imaging with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical production system (22, 23) with the following steps: - capturing (17) a measurement aerial photograph (I (x, y)) of the object (12) to be measured with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical measuring system (9), which includes a predetermined measurement illumination setting (5), wherein data of the measurement aerial photograph (I (x, y)) are generated during the capturing (17), - reconstructing (18) an object structure (13) of the object (12) to be measured from the data of the acquired measurement aerial photograph (I (x, y, z)) by means of a reconstruction algorithm, wherein during the reconstruction (18) data (T Mask ) of the reconstructed object structure (13), - Simulating (19) the production aerial photograph (I(x, y)) from the data (T Mask) of the reconstructed object structure (13) with the illumination and imaging conditions (T POB , E illu ) of the optical production system (22, 23), which includes a production lighting setting (19a) which differs from the measurement lighting setting (5), - wherein, in addition to the projection illumination setting (19a), an apparatus function of a lighting system (23) of the optical production system (22, 23) is also included in the simulation step (19), - wherein the measuring aerial image is captured in three dimensions, for which purpose the object (12) is displaced step by step along a z-direction with the aid of an object displacement device (12a).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for determining a production aerial image of an object to be measured as a result of illumination and imaging with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical production system.

[0002] A metrology system is known from US 2017 / 0131 528 A1 (parallel document WO 2016 / 012 425 A2) and from US 2017 / 0132782 A1. WO 2017 / 207 297 A1 discloses a method for predicting an imaging result of a lithography mask. DE 10 2016 209 616 A1 discloses a method for predicting an imaging result achieved with a mask during a lithography process, as well as a device therefor. DE 10 2010 029 049 B4 discloses illumination optics for a metrology system. DE 102 20 815 A1 discloses a reflective X-ray microscope and an inspection system. In the technical article by Zhang et al., Proc. SPIE 8326, Optical Microlithography XXV, 83261V (13 March 2012) describes a method for source mask optimization (SMO). DE 10 2012 213 368 A1 discloses an illumination optics system for EUV projection lithography.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to further develop a determination method of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the requirements for an optical measuring system used in the determination method are relaxed even under demanding illumination and imaging conditions of the optical production system.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by a determination method having the features specified in claim 1.

[0005] According to the invention, it was recognized that it is possible to perform production aerial image acquisition even for demanding lighting and imaging conditions of the optical production system using an optical measuring system in which a different measurement lighting setting is used than a production lighting setting. The measurement lighting setting can then be designed to be easier to implement within the optical measuring system, so that the overall requirements placed on the optical measuring system are relaxed. In particular, it is possible to simulate production aerial images that would be impossible or difficult to implement in a measurement setup, since this would require, for example, an aperture structure in the measurement setup that is impossible or difficult to manufacture.

[0006] Based on the simulated production aerial photograph, i.e., based on the results of the determination procedure, the object structure of the measured object can be optimized until the simulated production aerial photograph corresponds to a given aerial photograph. The determination procedure can therefore be part of an iterative process for optimizing an object structure until the object structure is optimized for the illumination and imaging conditions of the optical production system to generate an image structure, which in turn, for example, when the optical production system is used to produce micro- or nanostructured semiconductor components, serves as the starting point for the production of correspondingly structured semiconductor components with the highest resolution.

[0007] The measurement illumination setting includes a predefined numerical illumination aperture of the optical measuring system. This predefined illumination aperture is determined by the edge contour of the illumination pupil.

[0008] In the determination process, a reconstruction method for an object structure can be used, which is known from the technical article “Method for Retrieval of the Three-Dimensional Object Potential by Inversion of Dynamical Electron Scattering” by Van den Broek et al., Phys.Rev.Lett 109, 245502 (2012) and from WO 2017 / 207 297 A1.

[0009] When optimizing the object structure, for example, object defects can be detected and repaired if necessary.

[0010] Presetting a measurement illumination setting by means of a setting aperture according to claim 2 has proven successful.

[0011] A production lighting setting with an elliptical edge contour of an illumination pupil according to claim 3 is an example of a sophisticated production lighting setting.

[0012] The same applies to a freeform or SMO (Source Mask Optimization) illumination setting according to claim 3. Such a freeform illumination setting cannot be described by any of the standardized illumination settings "conventional," "annular," "dipole," or "multipole," but is characterized by a freely formed arrangement of the pupil regions exposed to illumination light within the illumination pupil. For information on the SMO methodology, reference is made to the technical article "Source mask optimization methodology (SMO) and application to real full chip optical proximity corrections" by D. Zhang et al., Proceedings SPIE 8326, Optical Microlithography XXV, 83261V (13 March 2012).

[0013] A production lighting setting with varying lighting intensity according to claim 5 is another example of a sophisticated production lighting setting. The minimum lighting intensity can be greater than 1% or even 10% of the maximum lighting intensity. The minimum lighting intensity can be less than 50% of the maximum lighting intensity.

[0014] A production lighting setup according to claim 6 has proven effective within an optical production system. The illuminated individual areas within the illumination pupil can be arranged separately from one another.

[0015] Such a production lighting setting can hardly or not at all be specified using a setting aperture, since the manufacturing effort for such a setting aperture, if such a setting aperture could be manufactured at all, would be enormous.

[0016] Individual area designs or arrangements according to claims 7 to 9 have also proven effective in specifying a production lighting setting. The individual areas can have circular borders, but this is not mandatory.

[0017] To carry out the investigation procedure, a metrology system with an optical measuring system - with an illumination system with an illumination optics for illuminating the object to be examined with a predetermined illumination setting, - with an imaging optic for imaging a section of the object into a measuring plane, and - with a spatially resolving detection device arranged in the measuring plane, - with an object displacement device for the z-axis displacement of the object to be examined. The advantages of such a metrology system correspond to those already explained above with reference to the approximation method according to the invention.

[0018] The metrology system can measure a lithography mask intended for projection exposure to produce semiconductor components with the highest structural resolution, which is, for example, better than 30 nm and in particular can be better than 10 nm.

[0019] The metrology system can have an interchangeable setting aperture for specifying the measurement illumination system. Such a metrology system is flexible in its use. The metrology system can have several interchangeable setting apertures that can be automatically interchanged via an interchangeable holder.

[0020] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 schematically shows a metrology system for determining an aerial image of an object to be measured in the form of a lithography mask, comprising an illumination system, an imaging optics and a spatially resolving directing device; Fig. 2 a sequence of main process steps of a process in which the metrology system is Fig. 1 is used to obtain an aerial photograph of an object to be measured as a result of illumination and imaging with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical production system; Fig. 3 shows in more detail, but still schematically, an image of the lithography mask with the imaging optics of the metrology system according to Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 a schematic visualization of input variables that are included in a determined production aerial photograph, namely in particular data on an optical production system that images the object to be measured, data of a reconstructed object structure as well as data on lighting conditions of the optical production system with a production lighting setting that differs from a measurement lighting setting of the metrology system according to Fig. 1 differs.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows, in a meridional section, a beam path of EUV illumination light or imaging light 1 in a metrology system 2. The illumination light 1 is generated by an EUV light source 3.

[0022] To facilitate the representation of positional relationships, a Cartesian xyz coordinate system is used below. The x-axis runs in the Fig. 1 perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The y-axis runs in the Fig. 1 to the right. The z-axis runs in the Fig. 1 up.

[0023] The light source 3 can be a laser plasma source (LPP; laser produced plasma) or a discharge source (DPP; discharge produced plasma). In principle, a synchrotron-based light source can also be used, for example, a free-electron laser (FEL). The useful wavelength of the illumination light 1 can be in the range between 5 nm and 30 nm. In principle, a variant of the projection exposure system 2 can also use a light source for other useful light wavelengths, for example, a useful wavelength of 193 nm.

[0024] The illumination light 1 is conditioned in an illumination optics unit (not shown in detail) of an illumination system of the metrology system 2, which also includes the light source 3, such that a specific illumination setting 5 is provided, i.e., a specific illumination angle distribution. This illumination setting 5 corresponds to a specific intensity distribution of the illumination light 1 in an illumination pupil of the illumination optics unit of the illumination system 4.

[0025] An example of lighting setting 5 is shown in the Fig. 1 is schematically indicated in the plane of the drawing as an annular illumination setting provided with bars and with a total of four approximately quarter-circular illumination poles 6. In fact, the illumination pupil in which the illumination setting 5 is present is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of the Fig. 1 and arranged perpendicular to the propagation direction of the illumination light 1 through the illumination pupil.

[0026] At each location of the illumination poles 6, a predetermined illumination intensity is present in the illumination pupil; otherwise, no illumination intensity is present. The illumination setting 5 can be specified by a setting aperture 7, which is permeable to the illumination light 1 at the location of the illumination poles 6 and blocks the illumination light in the vicinity of the illumination poles 6. An example of such a setting aperture 7 is a metal sheet with apertures whose shape exactly corresponds to the shape of the illumination poles 6. The setting aperture is arranged in a pupil plane of the illumination optics of the metrology system 2.

[0027] The setting aperture 7 can be adjusted using a Fig. 1 can be exchanged for a replacement setting panel to change the respective measurement illumination setting.

[0028] Instead of the quadrupole illumination setting 5 shown, other illumination settings can also be specified within the metrology system 2 by using differently shaped and / or distributed passage openings, for example a conventional illumination setting in which practically all illumination angles are used for object illumination, in particular with the exception of illumination angles close to a vertical or mean incidence on the object to be illuminated, an annular illumination setting with overall small illumination angles, i.e. illumination angles close to the vertical or mean incidence, which itself can be left out, or dipole illumination settings, wherein the individual poles can each have a "leaflet" contour, i.e. an edge contour that corresponds approximately to the section through a biconvex lens.

[0029] Together with an imaging optics or projection optics 8, the illumination system 4 represents an optical measuring system 9 of the metrology system 2.

[0030] The illumination light 1 illuminates an object field 10 of an object plane 11 of the metrology system 2 with the respective illumination setting 5. A lithography mask 12, also referred to as a reticle, is arranged in the object plane 11 as a reflective object. The object plane 11 runs parallel to the xy plane.

[0031] In the Fig. 3, which shows further details of the guidance of the imaging light 1 through the projection optics 8 of the metrology system 2, object structures 13 to be imaged are, facing the projection optics 8, perpendicular to the drawing plane of the Fig. 3 running line structures indicated.

[0032] The illumination light 1 is emitted by the lithography mask 12, as shown schematically in the Fig. 1, reflects and enters an entrance pupil of the imaging optics 8 in an entrance pupil plane. The entrance pupil of the imaging optics 8 used can have a circular or elliptical edge.

[0033] Within the imaging optics 8, the illumination or imaging light 1 propagates between the entrance pupil plane and an exit pupil plane. A circular exit pupil of the imaging optics 8 is located in the exit pupil plane.

[0034] The imaging optics 8 projects the object field 10 into an image field 14 in an image plane 15 of the metrology system 2. A magnifying image scale when projecting by the projection optics 8 is greater than 500. Depending on the design of the projection optics 8, the magnifying image scale can be greater than 100, greater than 200, greater than 250, greater than 300, greater than 400, and even significantly greater than 500. The image scale of the projection optics 8 is usually less than 2000.

[0035] The projection optics 8 serves to image a section of the object 12 into the image plane 15.

[0036] A spatially resolving detection device 16 of the metrology system 2 is arranged in the image plane 15. This can be a CCD camera.

[0037] The metrology system 2 with the optical measuring system 9 is used to perform a method for obtaining an aerial image of the object 12 to be measured as a result of illumination and imaging using the illumination and imaging conditions of an optical production system of an EUV projection exposure system (not shown). With the help of the metrology system 2, the aerial image of the object 12 generated with the optical production system of the production projection exposure system can thus be simulated or emulated.

[0038] The main steps of this process are described below with the help of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 explained.

[0039] In a capture step 17, a measurement aerial image I (x, y) of the object 12 to be measured is captured using the metrology system 2, using the illumination and imaging conditions of the optical measurement system 9. The measurement aerial image is captured using a predefined measurement illumination setting, for example, illumination setting 5. During this capture, intensity data I (x, y) of the measurement aerial image are generated.

[0040] In a subsequent reconstruction step 18 of the determination method, an object structure 13 in the form of a transfer function T Mask(x, y) of the object 12 to be measured is reconstructed from the data I (x, y) of the acquired aerial photograph using a reconstruction algorithm. In this reconstruction step 18, data of the reconstructed object structure 13 is generated. Such an object structure reconstruction algorithm from acquired aerial photograph data is described in the technical article "Method for Retrieval of the Three-Dimensional Object Potential by Inversion of Dynamical Electron Scattering" by Van den Broek et al., Phys.Rev.Lett 109, 245502 (2012). This reconstruction algorithm can also be applied to lithography masks. In this context, reference is made to WO 2017 / 207 297 A1.

[0041] In a subsequent simulation step 19 of the determination procedure, an electric field E I(x, y) of a production aerial photograph, i.e. an aerial photograph obtained with the optical production system of the production projection exposure system, from the data T Mask The reconstructed object structure 13 is simulated using the illumination and imaging conditions of the optical production system. These illumination and imaging conditions of the optical production system include a production illumination setting 19a (see Fig. 4), which differs from the measuring illumination system 5.

[0042] The production lighting setting 19a, which is exemplary in the Fig. 4, has a circular edge contour 20. Alternatively, a production lighting setting with an edge contour deviating from the circular shape, for example with an elliptical edge contour, can be used.

[0043] In the Fig. The production lighting setting 19a shown in Figure 4 is a freeform lighting setting. Such a freeform lighting setting cannot be described by any of the standardized lighting settings "conventional," "annular," "dipole," or "multipole." The freeform production lighting setting 19a has a plurality of illuminated individual regions 21 within the edge contour 20 of the production illumination pupil. The individual regions 21 are arranged in the manner of selected grid points of a point grid that completely covers the illumination pupil within the edge contour.

[0044] Each of the illuminated individual areas 21 has the same typical diameter. The typical diameter of the individual areas 21 can range between 0.5% and 10% of the total pupil area.

[0045] The illuminated individual regions 21 can have circular borders. The illuminated individual regions 21 are distributed irregularly within the edge contour 20 across the illumination pupil. The illuminated individual regions 21 are distributed with varying surface densities within the edge contour 20 across the illumination pupil.

[0046] In illumination setting 19a, all illuminated individual areas are illuminated with the same illumination intensity. In an alternative production illumination setting, the illumination intensity across illuminated areas of the illumination pupil can vary continuously in the range between a minimum illumination intensity and a maximum illumination intensity, with the minimum illumination intensity being greater than 0.

[0047] This variation in lighting intensity can be achieved in a production lighting setting, which otherwise corresponds to the production lighting setting 19a, by illuminating the various individual areas 21 with different lighting intensities. In this case, certain of the individual areas 21 can be illuminated with the maximum lighting intensity, while other individual areas 21 can be illuminated with lower lighting intensity, for example, with 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, or 1% of the maximum lighting intensity. The various individual areas 21 can be illuminated with differently graded lighting intensities, or a continuous variation of the lighting intensity is also possible.When using a graduated lighting intensity, two levels, three levels, four levels, five levels, six levels, seven levels, eight levels, nine levels, ten levels or even more levels can be used.

[0048] The simulation of the production aerial image I (x, y) also includes data on the imaging conditions of a projection optics 22 of the production projection exposure system. The production projection optics 22, which usually differs greatly from the measuring projection optics 8 of the metrology system 2, is Fig. 4 is shown schematically on the far left. Alternatively, it is also possible to use a measurement projection optics that matches the production projection optics.

[0049] An image-side numerical aperture of the production projection optics 22 can be in the range between 0.3 and 0.9, for example, 0.33, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, or 0.7. An imaging factor of the production projection optics 22 can be less than 1, so that the production projection optics 22 images the object structure 13 in a reduced size into an image field 26 of the production projection exposure system. This reduction can be fourfold, for example, resulting in an imaging scale of 0.25. Other imaging scales in the range between 0.1 and 0.5 are also possible.

[0050] In addition to the projection illumination setting 19a, further illumination conditions of the optical production system of the production projection exposure system are also included in the simulation step 19, in particular an apparatus function of an illumination system 23 of the production projection exposure system. This apparatus function includes data from the EUV light source as well as data from the illumination and projection optics of the production projection exposure system. Such data includes, for example, data on the uniformity of the illumination, i.e., data that represents a measure of how well an actual illumination intensity across the object field to be illuminated corresponds to a target illumination intensity. This data can also include data on the photon noise of the light source 3.

[0051] Simulation step 19 can also include specific additional properties of a coating on the object to be measured and / or a substrate onto which the object is imaged using the production system. Corresponding optical data can be absorption coefficients of an absorption layer and / or a multilayer coating.

[0052] Fig. Figure 4 illustrates the input variables that are included in the simulation of the production aerial photograph I. These include a transfer function T POB the production projection optics 22, the transfer function T determined in reconstruction step 18 Mask the object structure 13 and the lighting conditions E illu (u, v) of the production lighting system 23 including the production lighting setting 19a. u, v are coordinates in the frequency domain. The simulation is in Fig. 4 is schematically represented by box 27.

[0053] In the investigation procedure (in the Fig. 4 schematically marked by reference numeral 28) may also include system-specific effects, namely aberrations measured during the preparation of the investigation procedure during the adjustment of the system and during the calibration of the system, uniformity data, and photon noise data, which are estimated from the data of the measured aerial photograph I (x, y) and, if necessary, included in the calculation. This step of including system-specific effects is described in the Fig. 4 at 24. Overall, the resulting aerial photograph I=Σ|E I 2 | of the object 12 to be measured as a result of the illumination and imaging with illumination and imaging conditions of the optical projection system with the production projection optics 22 according to the following formula: E1(x,y)=FT-1[TPOB×FT[Tmask(x', y')×FT-1[Etitlu(u,v)]]] FT denotes the Fourier transformation, FT -1 denotes the inverse Fourier transform. u and v denote pupil coordinates of the production illumination setting 19a and the production projection system 23 in the frequency domain, respectively.

[0054] With the determination method it is possible, for example, to carry out an aerial photograph determination (in the Fig. 4 (schematically designated by reference numeral 29) for a significantly more complex production lighting setting similar to the lighting setting 19a. The design requirements for the setting apertures 7 of the metrology system 2 are thus reduced.

[0055] The measurement aerial photograph I is captured in three dimensions. For this purpose, the object 12 is moved with the aid of an object displacement device 12a, which is Fig.1 is shown schematically, is gradually shifted in the z-direction, so that due to the image transfer of this z-shift from the object plane 11 to the image plane 15, a plurality of 2D aerial images I (x, y, z i ) for z-steps z i in the area around image plane 15. The majority of 2D aerial photographs then result in a 3D measurement aerial photograph (I (x, y, z)). Image plane 15 is also referred to as the measurement plane.

Claims

[1] Method for determining a production aerial photograph (I(x, y)) of an object (12) to be measured as a result of illumination and imaging with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical production system (22, 23) with the following steps: - capturing (17) a measurement aerial photograph (I (x, y)) of the object (12) to be measured with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical measuring system (9), which includes a predetermined measurement illumination setting (5), wherein data of the measurement aerial photograph (I (x, y)) are generated during the capturing (17), - reconstructing (18) an object structure (13) of the object (12) to be measured from the data of the acquired measurement aerial photograph (I (x, y, z)) by means of a reconstruction algorithm, wherein during the reconstruction (18) data (T Mask ) of the reconstructed object structure (13), - Simulating (19) the production aerial photograph (I(x, y)) from the data (T Mask) of the reconstructed object structure (13) with the illumination and imaging conditions (T POB , E illu ) of the optical production system (22, 23), which includes a production lighting setting (19a) which differs from the measurement lighting setting (5), - wherein, in addition to the projection illumination setting (19a), an apparatus function of a lighting system (23) of the optical production system (22, 23) is also included in the simulation step (19), - wherein the measuring aerial image is captured in three dimensions, for which purpose the object (12) is displaced step by step along a z-direction with the aid of an object displacement device (12a). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the measuring illumination setting (5) is specified by a setting aperture (7). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the production illumination setting (19a) has an elliptical edge contour of an illumination pupil. [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the production lighting setting (19a) is a freeform or Source Mask Optimization (SMO) lighting setting. [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the production lighting setting (19a) has an illumination intensity over illuminated areas of an illumination pupil which varies in the range between a minimum illumination intensity and a maximum illumination intensity, wherein the minimum illumination intensity is greater than 0. [6] Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the production lighting setting (19a) has a plurality of illuminated individual areas (21) within an illumination pupil. [7] Method according to claim 6, characterized bythat each of the illuminated individual areas (21) has the same typical diameter. [8] Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by that the illuminated individual areas (21) are arranged irregularly distributed over the illumination pupil. [9] Method according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by that the illuminated individual areas (21) are arranged with varying surface density over the illumination pupil.

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