Determination method, pattern transfer method, article manufacturing method, program, information processing device, and lithography system

Abstract

This determination method comprises: a generation step for generating corrected measurement data by removing, from measurement data of a first substrate having a plurality of shot regions to which a pattern is transferred by a lithography device, a component depending on the arrangement of the plurality of shot regions of the first substrate; and a determination step for, on the basis of the corrected measurement data and the arrangement of a plurality of shot regions of a second substrate, determining a correction value to be given to the lithography device when the pattern is transferred to the second substrate using the lithography device.

Description

Determination method, pattern transfer method, article manufacturing method, program, information processing device, and lithography system

[0001] The present invention relates to a determination method, a pattern transfer method, an article manufacturing method, a program, an information processing device, and a lithography system.

[0002] In recent years, the increasing integration and miniaturization of semiconductor integrated circuits have led to extremely small line widths of patterns formed on substrates. Accordingly, further miniaturization is required in the lithography process for forming resist patterns on substrates. In step-and-repeat and step-and-scan exposure systems, alignment between the master and the substrate is crucial. A common alignment method is global alignment, which involves measuring the positions of alignment marks in several sample shot areas selected from multiple shot areas on the substrate and then determining the arrangement of the multiple shot areas. In recent years, high-order shot arrangement correction models and high-order shot shape correction models have been used to correct nonlinear distortions of the substrate. The primary indicator of alignment results is overlay error. Overlay error indicates the relative misalignment between layers formed in the lithography process. As semiconductor integrated circuits become increasingly integrated and miniaturized, there is a growing demand for reducing overlay error.

[0003] Factors that cause nonlinear distortion of a substrate include the lithography process used to form a pattern on the substrate, as well as the characteristics of the substrate holding mechanism that holds the substrate in the exposure apparatus. Ideally, the substrate holding mechanism would be configured to flatten the substrate due to the lithography process. However, it is difficult to flatten the substrate, especially the outer periphery, using the substrate holding mechanism, resulting in unevenness. Unevenness in the substrate can cause errors in the position measurement of alignment marks provided in the shot area of ​​the substrate, leading to worsening overlay errors, which are the alignment results between the previous layer and the new layer in the lithography process. In addition to worsening overlay errors, substrate unevenness also affects focus control, resulting in worsening the resolution of the pattern formed on the substrate.

[0004] Japanese Patent No. 6630839 discloses a method for reducing deterioration of overlay and focus by determining the amount of substrate deflection based on the characteristics of a substrate holding mechanism and calibrating alignment control in response to substrate non-flatness.

[0005] However, because substrate holding mechanisms repeatedly come into contact with substrates over long periods of time, their components are deformed and worn down by collisions when holding the substrate and pressure when releasing the substrate. Furthermore, as overlay errors and focus requirements increase with the increasing integration and miniaturization of semiconductor integrated circuits, individual differences in substrate holding mechanisms become unignorable. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the impact on alignment accuracy of the substrate that is caused by localized and minute distortions and deflections of the substrate caused by the substrate holding mechanism.

[0006] The present invention provides a technique that is advantageous for improving the accuracy of transferring a pattern onto a substrate.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention relates to a determination method, which includes a generation step of generating corrected measurement data by removing components dependent on the arrangement of a plurality of shot areas of a first substrate from measurement data of the first substrate having a plurality of shot areas to which a pattern has been transferred by a lithography device, and a determination step of determining a correction value to be applied to the lithography device when transferring a pattern to the second substrate using the lithography device based on the corrected measurement data and the arrangement of the plurality of shot areas of the second substrate.

[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0009] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and are used to explain the principles of the present invention together with the description. A diagram showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment. A diagram showing the configuration of a lithography system according to an embodiment. A diagram showing a determination method according to an embodiment. A diagram illustrating substrate measurement data. A diagram illustrating error components specific to a shot layout. A diagram illustrating step drive directions during exposure processing. A diagram illustrating error components caused by the step drive directions. A diagram illustrating scan drive directions during exposure processing. A diagram illustrating error components caused by the scan drive directions. A diagram illustrating a determination method. A diagram illustrating shape correction of a shot area. A diagram illustrating periodic acquisition of substrate measurement data. A diagram illustrating sparseness and density of substrate measurement data. A diagram illustrating sparseness and density of substrate measurement data. A diagram illustrating interpolation of substrate measurement data.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus 204 according to an embodiment. The exposure apparatus 204 is an example of a lithography apparatus or pattern transfer apparatus that transfers a pattern onto a substrate. The lithography apparatus or pattern transfer apparatus may be, for example, an exposure apparatus, an imprint apparatus, or an electron beam lithography apparatus. In this specification and the accompanying drawings, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system, with the surface of the substrate 4 (generally a horizontal plane) serving as the XY plane. The directions parallel to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the XYZ coordinate system are defined as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, respectively, and rotation around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are defined as θX, θY, and θZ, respectively.

[0012] The exposure apparatus 204 can be configured as a step-and-scan exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate 4 while synchronously driving a reticle stage (original stage) and a substrate stage, i.e., a scanning exposure apparatus (scanner). Here, an example will be described in which the exposure apparatus 204 is a scanning exposure apparatus. However, the exposure apparatus 204 is not limited to a scanning exposure apparatus, and may be configured, for example, as a step-and-repeat exposure apparatus (stepper) that exposes the substrate while the substrate stage is stationary. The exposure apparatus 204 can include a light source 7, an illumination optical system 8, a reticle stage 2, a projection optical system 3, a substrate stage 6, a substrate holding mechanism 5, and a control unit 16. The exposure apparatus 204 can also include a laser interferometer 9, a laser interferometer 10, a focus sensor 11, a substrate transport unit 12, a reticle transport unit 14, and an alignment scope 15.

[0013] The light source 7 may be, for example, a high-pressure mercury lamp, an ArF excimer laser, a KrF excimer laser, or an EUV light source. The light source 7 may be housed in the chamber of the exposure apparatus 204 or may be connected to the chamber. Light emitted from the light source 7 illuminates a reticle 1 (master) via an illumination optical system 8. The reticle 1 has a pattern to be transferred onto a substrate 4 coated with a photosensitive material, and is mounted on a reticle stage 2. The reticle stage 2 holds the reticle via a reticle holding mechanism (not shown) and is driven by a drive mechanism (e.g., a linear motor) (not shown).

[0014] The projection optical system 3 projects the pattern of the reticle 1 onto the substrate 4 placed on the substrate holding mechanism 5. This transfers the pattern of the reticle 1 onto (the photosensitive material of) the substrate 4. Here, the pattern of the reticle 1 is projected (transferred) onto the substrate 4 at a projection magnification (e.g., 1 / 4) of the projection optical system 3. The area onto which the pattern of the reticle 1 is projected is called a shot area. A plurality of shot areas are set or defined on the substrate 4, and projection is performed onto the plurality of shot areas in a predetermined order.

[0015] The substrate stage 6 can be driven in the X and Y directions by, for example, a drive mechanism (linear motor) not shown. The substrate holding mechanism 5 is mounted on the substrate stage 6 and holds the substrate 4. The substrate stage 6 can be configured to position the substrate holding mechanism 5 in the Z direction, the θZ direction, the θX direction, and the θY direction. The substrate 4 held by the substrate holding mechanism 5 is moved by driving the substrate stage 6 and the substrate holding mechanism 5.

[0016] The laser interferometer 9 measures the position of the reticle stage 2 in the Y direction, and also measures the attitude of the reticle stage 2. The exposure apparatus 204 similarly includes a laser interferometer (not shown) for measuring the position of the reticle stage 2 in the X direction. In addition, the laser interferometer 10 measures the position of the substrate stage 6 on which the substrate 4 is mounted in the Y direction, and also measures the attitude of the substrate stage 6. In addition, the exposure apparatus 204 similarly includes a laser interferometer (not shown) for measuring the position of the substrate stage 6 in the X direction. The control unit 16 controls the positions of the reticle stage 2 and the substrate stage 6 based on the positions measured by the laser interferometer 9 and the laser interferometer 10.

[0017] The focus sensor 11 may include a light projection system 11a that projects light (multiple beams) onto the substrate 4, a light receiving system 11b that receives light reflected from the substrate 4, and a detection unit (not shown) that detects the light from the light receiving system 11b and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 16. The light projection system 11a and the light receiving system 11b are installed on either side of the exit unit of the projection optical system 3, with the light projection system 11a irradiating the substrate with obliquely incident light and the light receiving system 11b capturing light reflected on the opposite side. The control unit 16 detects the position of the substrate 4 in the Z direction based on the detection signal detected by the focus sensor 11, and controls the movement of the substrate 4 by the substrate stage 6.

[0018] The substrate transport unit 12 transports the substrate 4. The substrate transport unit 12 transports the substrate 4 from a substrate storage container (not shown) or the like that stores the substrate 4 to the substrate stage 6. The substrate transport unit 12 also transports the substrate 4 from the substrate stage 6 to the substrate storage container or the like.

[0019] The reticle transport unit 14 transports the reticle 1. The reticle transport unit 14 transports the reticle 1 from a reticle storage container (not shown) or the like that stores the reticle 1 to the reticle stage 2. The reticle transport unit 14 also transports the reticle 1 from the reticle stage 2 to the reticle storage container or the like.

[0020] The alignment scope 15 generates a digital image signal by capturing an image of a mark provided on the substrate 4 in order to position (align) the substrate 4 held by the substrate holding mechanism 5. The alignment scope 15 may include an image sensor (not shown) that outputs a grayscale image signal corresponding to the brightness of the light reflected from the substrate 4, i.e., the grayscale, and an A / D converter (not shown) that converts the grayscale image signal obtained from the image sensor into a digital image signal. The control unit 16 detects the position of the mark on the substrate 4 using the digital image signal output from the alignment scope 15, and controls the substrate stage 6 based on the detected position of the mark to position the substrate 4.

[0021] The control unit 16 controls the process of exposing the substrate 4 by controlling the operation and adjustment of each part of the exposure apparatus 204. The control unit 16 is an information processing device that can be configured, for example, as a PLD (abbreviation for Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (abbreviation for Field Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a computer with an embedded program, a storage device, or a combination of all or part of these. The control unit 16 can also be configured as a plurality of information processing devices. The control unit 16 may be configured integrally with other parts of the exposure apparatus 204 (in a common housing), or may be configured separately from other parts of the exposure apparatus 204 (in a different housing). The control unit 16 may also control the exposure process (lithography process) of the substrate 4 by applying process conditions acquired from a storage device or the like. The process conditions applied to the exposure process may include, for example, positioning conditions that define the tolerance for positioning the substrate 4 by the substrate stage 6. The process conditions applied to the exposure process may include, for example, measurement conditions that define the light irradiation time and irradiation timing when measuring with the focus sensor 11. The process conditions applied to the exposure process may include, for example, exposure conditions that define the identifier of the reticle 1 when exposing the substrate 4, the layout of the shot area on the substrate 4, the illumination mode, and the like. The process conditions applied to the exposure process may also include, for example, environmental conditions that define the temperature and air pressure within the exposure apparatus, and setup conditions that include information such as the model of the exposure apparatus and the software version.

[0022] 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a lithography system according to one embodiment. The lithography system according to one embodiment may include an exposure apparatus 204, a substrate measurement apparatus 205 that measures a substrate 4 exposed by the exposure apparatus 204, and an information processing apparatus 206 that processes the measurement results of the substrate measurement apparatus 205. The substrate measurement apparatus 205 may measure overlay errors, which are the results of alignment in the X and Y directions between a previous layer and a new layer thereon in the lithography process, and may measure pattern shapes and pattern dimensions, which are the results of alignment in the Z direction. The overlay error is measured by measuring box-in-box marks, which are made up of marks formed on each of the two layers to be measured.

[0023] The information processing device 206 receives the measurement results of the substrate measuring device 205, generates alignment correction values ​​based on the measurement results, and provides the alignment correction values ​​to the exposure device 204. The alignment correction values ​​in the X and Y directions may include center correction values ​​of the shot area in the X and Y directions, and shape correction values ​​of the shot area in the X and Y directions. The center correction value of the shot area and the shape correction value of the shot area may include non-linear correction values. Furthermore, the alignment correction values ​​in the Z direction may include a rotation correction value θX about the X axis and a rotation correction value θY about the Y axis. In a step-and-scan exposure device, the alignment correction value in the Z direction may be determined for each stage position in the scanning direction during scanning exposure of one shot area.

[0024] The exposure apparatus 204 can improve alignment accuracy by storing alignment correction values ​​in a storage device or the like of the control unit 16 and reflecting these correction values ​​in the control of the reticle stage 2 and substrate stage 6 during the exposure process of the substrate 4. The information processing device 206 can be configured by a computer with an embedded program, a storage device, or a combination of all or part of these. The program can be provided to the information processing device (computer) via a computer-readable memory medium, a data communication network, or the like.

[0025] 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of a determination method according to one embodiment. Here, an example will be described in which the processing shown in FIG. 3 is executed by the information processing device 206, but the processing may also be executed by the exposure apparatus 204 (controller 16). The shot layout refers to the arrangement (layout) of multiple shot areas on a substrate. Furthermore, the shot layout-common substrate error component is a substrate error component that is independent of the shot layout, in other words, a substrate error component that is common to multiple shot layouts that can be applied to the exposure process.

[0026] First, in step 101 (acquisition step), the information processing device 206 acquires measurement data of the first substrate from, for example, the substrate measurement device 205. The information processing device 206 can be understood as an apparatus equipped with an acquisition unit that executes step 101. The first substrate is a substrate onto which a pattern has been transferred by the exposure device 204 through the above-described exposure process, and the transferred pattern has been developed by a developing device (not shown), i.e., converted into a physical pattern. The substrate used as the material for the first substrate may be, for example, a substrate managed to correct for differences between multiple exposure devices, a substrate to be shipped as a finished product, or another substrate. The first substrate has marks such as box-in-box marks for measuring the overlay error between two layers formed through the exposure process by the exposure device 204. In order to acquire the overall characteristics of the first substrate without bias, it is desirable to arrange several tens of box-in-box marks evenly in the X and Y directions at a predetermined pitch (e.g., 5 mm pitch) within each shot area. By narrowing the arrangement pitch of the box-in-box marks, more detailed substrate measurement data can be obtained, and the correction accuracy of substrate error components common to the shot layout can be improved. The measurement data for the first substrate can be, for example, data having measurement values ​​in the X and Y directions at each point on the substrate, as shown in Figure 4.

[0027] Next, in step 102 (generation step), the information processing device 206 generates corrected measurement data by removing components dependent on the shot layout (arrangement of multiple shot areas) of the first substrate from the measurement data of the first substrate. The information processing device 206 can be understood as a device equipped with a generation unit that executes step 102. Here, the measurement data of the first substrate acquired in step 101 may include, for example, error components due to substrate distortion caused by the characteristics of the substrate holding mechanism 5, as well as error components caused by the exposure process specific to the exposure device 204. The former, i.e., error components due to substrate distortion caused by the characteristics of the substrate holding mechanism 5, are substrate error components common to the shot layout. On the other hand, the latter, i.e., error components caused by the exposure process specific to the exposure device 204, are error components dependent on the shot layout in the exposure process, i.e., error components specific to the shot layout. Therefore, by removing the error components (error components dependent on the shot layout) caused by the exposure process specific to the exposure device 204 from the measurement data acquired in step 101, it is possible to approximately obtain substrate error components common to the shot layout.

[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates a shot-common shape component, which is one of the error components specific to a shot layout. The shot-common shape component is a shape component common to multiple shot areas on a substrate. The shot-common shape component is mainly caused by the shape characteristics of the reticle 1, the drive characteristics of the reticle stage 2, the drive characteristics of the projection optical system 3, and the drive characteristics of the substrate stage 6. FIG. 5 shows an example of the shot-common shape component when four box-in-box marks are arranged in the X direction and six in the Y direction within a shot area. FIG. 5 shows an example of processing measurement data for a first substrate to obtain the average value of the measurement data for each of multiple shot areas. This is obtained by calculating the average value of the measurement data at the same coordinates for multiple shot areas. The example in FIG. 5 is a diagram in which adjacent measurement data (average values) are connected by straight lines.

[0029] When there is no distortion of a common shape among multiple shot areas, the grids intersect at right angles, but when there is distortion of a common shape among multiple shot areas, the grids do not intersect at right angles. Such shot-common shape components are removed from the measurement data for each shot area of ​​the measurement data for the first substrate. This allows for the acquisition of corrected measurement data that indicates substrate error components common to the shot layout, with error components specific to the shot layout removed.

[0030] Another error component specific to the shot layout is caused by the step drive direction of the substrate stage 6 between shot areas in the exposure apparatus 204. Before performing exposure processing in the exposure apparatus 204, the substrate stage 6 is driven to position the shot area to be exposed under the projection optical system 3. This operation is called step drive. FIG. 6 shows an example of the step drive direction during exposure processing in the exposure apparatus 204. FIG. 7 shows an example of an error component caused by the step drive direction of the substrate stage 6, illustrating the occurrence of error components specific to the step drive direction. This error component is mainly caused by the drive characteristics of the substrate stage 6 and the characteristics of the laser interferometer 10. The step drive direction during exposure processing is determined by a predetermined shot layout and shot exposure order. Information indicating the shot layout and shot exposure order is stored, for example, in a storage device of the control unit 16. The step drive direction during exposure processing is determined based on the shot layout and shot exposure order. Then, for example, by calculating the average value of measurement data for each step drive direction for the measurement data of the first substrate, it is possible to determine the error component caused by the step drive direction. The error components caused by such step drive directions are removed from the measurement data for each shot area of ​​the measurement data for the first substrate, thereby obtaining corrected measurement data that indicates substrate error components common to all shot layouts, with error components specific to the shot layout removed.

[0031] Another shot layout-specific error component is caused by the scan drive direction of the substrate stage 6 during exposure processing by the exposure apparatus 204. This can occur in a step-and-scan exposure apparatus (scanner) that exposes while synchronously driving the reticle stage 2 and the substrate stage 6. Figure 8 shows an example of the scan drive direction during exposure processing by the exposure apparatus 204. Figure 9 shows an example of an error component caused by the scan drive direction, illustrating how error components specific to the scan drive direction are generated. Such error components are mainly caused by the holding characteristics of the reticle 1, the drive characteristics of the reticle stage 2, the drive characteristics of the projection optical system 3, and the drive characteristics of the substrate stage 6.

[0032] The scan drive direction during exposure processing is determined by a predetermined shot layout and shot exposure order (exposure order of multiple shot areas). The shot layout, shot exposure order, and scan drive direction are stored, for example, in a storage device of the control unit 16. For the measurement data of the first substrate, based on the scan drive direction of each shot area, for example, an average value of the measurement data for each scan drive direction can be calculated to calculate the error component caused by the scan drive direction. Such error components caused by the scan drive direction are removed from the measurement data of each shot of the substrate measurement data of the first substrate. This allows for the acquisition of corrected measurement data that indicates substrate error components common to all shot layouts, with error components specific to the shot layout removed.

[0033] The shot layout-specific error components have been described above as shot-common shape components, error components due to the step drive direction, and error components due to the scan drive direction. However, the error components are not limited to these, and this method can also be applied to error components common to the entire substrate that arise from the lithography process.

[0034] Next, in step 103 (determination step), the information processing device 206 determines a correction value to be applied to the exposure device 204 when transferring a pattern to the second substrate using the exposure device 204, based on the corrected measurement data generated in step 102 and the shot layout of the second substrate. The information processing device 206 can be understood as an apparatus having a determination unit that executes step 103. Figure 10 shows the process of determining a correction value to be applied to the exposure device 204 when transferring a pattern to the second substrate, using corrected measurement data obtained by removing error components specific to the shot layout from the measurement data of the first substrate.

[0035] The substrate measurement data in FIG. 10 illustrates corrected measurement data obtained in step 102 by removing error components specific to the shot layout from the measurement data of the first substrate. The corrected measurement data may be provided to the control unit 16 and stored in, for example, a storage device of the control unit 16. The shot layout of the second substrate, which is the substrate to be processed, is stored in, for example, a storage device of the control unit 16. When the second substrate, which is the substrate to be processed, is loaded into the exposure apparatus 204 and an exposure job is started, the control unit 16 acquires the shot layout of the second substrate from the storage device of the control unit 16 and extracts corrected measurement data corresponding to each shot area from the corrected measurement data. Next, the control unit 16 determines, for each shot area, a correction value for correcting the shape of the shot area, for example, from the corrected measurement data corresponding to the shot area. As shown in FIG. 11, this correction value may include high-order shot area shape correction in the X and Y directions. The shot layout of the second substrate may be the same as that of the first substrate or may be different from that of the first substrate. Correction values ​​can be flexibly and accurately determined for various shot layouts based on the corrected measurement data. The correction values ​​may be determined by the information processing device 206, the exposure device 204, or another device. Furthermore, the device that performs steps 101 and 102 and the device that performs step 103 may be the same or different devices. By controlling the exposure of the second substrate using the correction values ​​determined in step 103, substrate error components that do not depend on the shot layout can be corrected with high accuracy.

[0036] In a step-and-scan exposure apparatus (scanner), the shape of the shot area can be corrected, for example, by changing the scanning speed of the substrate stage 6 relative to the reticle stage 2 according to a correction value during scanning exposure, or by changing the magnification of the projection optical system 3 according to a correction value during scanning exposure. Also, in a step-and-repeat exposure apparatus (stepper), the shape of the shot area can be corrected by driving an aspherically machined optical element of the projection optical system 3 according to a correction value during stationary exposure.

[0037] A specific example of determining the correction value in step 103 will be described. The correction value for correcting the shape of the shot area can be determined, for example, through fitting of a polynomial model as follows: Dx is the amount of correction in the X direction at the coordinates (x, y) in the shot area, and Dy is the amount of correction in the Y direction at the coordinates (x, y) in the shot area. For each shot area, measurement data corresponding to each shot area is extracted from the corrected measurement data, and fitting of a polynomial model is performed to determine the correction coefficient k １ ~k ４２ Specifically, for example, the measurement positions in the measurement data corresponding to each shot area from the corrected measurement data are substituted into x and y in formula (1), and the measurement values ​​are substituted into Dx and Dy in formula (1). Then, a matrix is ​​created from m pieces of corrected measurement data, and the inverse matrix is ​​found to determine the correction coefficient k １ ~k ４２ It is possible to determine the correction coefficient k １ 1 to k42, higher-order correction coefficients may be added or removed depending on the correction capability of the exposure tool 204.

[0038] ...(1)

[0039] ...(2)

[0040] Below, another specific example of the process of removing error components caused by the exposure process specific to the exposure apparatus 204 from the measurement data of the first substrate in step 102 will be described. In the above description, the shot-common shape component, the error component due to the step drive direction, and the error component due to the scan drive direction were cited as error components caused by the exposure process specific to the exposure apparatus 204. However, measurement data of the first substrate may be periodically acquired, and the difference between the previous measurement data of the first substrate and the latest measurement data of the first substrate may be calculated as the error component caused by the exposure process specific to the exposure apparatus 204. By calculating and removing such error components from the measurement data, error components caused by changes over time in the substrate holding mechanism 5 can be corrected. FIG. 12 illustrates how measurement data of the first substrate is acquired as reference data, and then measurement data of the first substrate is acquired as periodic data A, B, and C, for example, three times per month. For example, by calculating a correction value based on the difference between the reference data and periodic data A, error components caused by changes over time in the substrate holding mechanism 5 between the acquisition of the reference data and the acquisition of periodic data A can be corrected. By calculating a correction value based on the difference between the reference data and the periodic data C, it is possible to correct the error component that occurs due to changes in the substrate holding mechanism 5 over time between the time the reference data is acquired and the time the periodic data C is acquired.

[0041] Below, another specific example of the process of determining correction values ​​according to the shot layout of the second substrate in step 103 will be described. Depending on the arrangement of measurement points during measurement of the first substrate, the density of corrected measurement data may vary when determining correction values ​​according to the shot layout of the second substrate. This will be explained with reference to FIGS. 13A and 13B. Black circles represent measurement data. Thin-line rectangles represent the shot layout of the first substrate, and thick-line rectangles represent the shot layout of the second substrate. FIG. 13A shows the shot layout of the first substrate. FIG. 13B shows the shot layout of the second substrate. As shown in FIG. 13A, on the first substrate, measurement data (measurement points) are arranged to the edge of the shot area. If the shot layout of the second substrate is similar to that of the first substrate, appropriate correction values ​​can be determined. However, as shown in FIG. 13B, in the shot layout of the second substrate, measurement data (measurement points) are not present at the edge of the shot area, which may result in excessive correction values. In such a case, in the generation process of step 102, it is desirable to generate corrected measurement data by interpolating the data obtained by removing components that depend on the shot layout from the measurement data acquired in step 101.

[0042] FIG. 14A illustrates an example of measurement points in the shot layout of the first substrate. In step 102, corrected measurement data for each measurement point can be generated according to the method described above. Also in step 102, the information processing device 206 can define pseudo measurement points (intersections) at a fine pitch, such as 1 mm, as illustrated in FIG. 14B. Also in step 102, the information processing device 206 calculates corrected measurement data for the pseudo measurement points by interpolation for each shot area based on the corrected measurement data for the measurement points in FIG. 14A. In step 103, the information processing device 206 extracts measurement values ​​from the corrected measurement data for the measurement points and pseudo measurement points in accordance with the shot layout of the second substrate and determines correction values. This allows correction values ​​to be determined without causing variations in the density of the measurement data.

[0043] The measurement data of the first substrate may be generated in the exposure apparatus 204 using the alignment scope 15 configured in the exposure apparatus 204, rather than the substrate measuring instrument 205. Furthermore, the measurement data of the first substrate may be a mark for measuring an absolute positional deviation amount, such as an alignment mark arranged on the substrate, rather than a mark for measuring a relative positional deviation amount, such as a box-in-box mark.

[0044] The measurement data for the first substrate may not be the amount of misalignment in the X and Y directions at multiple locations on the substrate, but may be, for example, the position (height) in the Z direction at multiple locations on the substrate obtained by measuring the substrate using the focus sensor 11 configured in the exposure apparatus 204. The error component specific to the measurement data for the first substrate is considered similar to the amount of misalignment in the X and Y directions; for example, the shot-common component in the Z direction (component common to multiple shot areas) can be considered an error component generated by the specific exposure process by the exposure apparatus 204. Correction values ​​according to the shot layout of the second substrate may include a rotation correction value θX about the X axis and a rotation correction value θY about the Y axis. In a step-and-scan exposure apparatus, θX and θY can be corrected for each stage position in the scanning direction during scanning exposure of each shot area.

[0045] A pattern transfer method according to one embodiment determines a correction value based on measurement data of a first substrate onto which a pattern is transferred by an exposure tool 204 and a shot layout of a second substrate, in accordance with the determination method shown in Fig. 3. The pattern transfer method may include a transfer step of transferring a pattern onto the second substrate while correcting the exposure tool 204 according to the correction value.

[0046] In one embodiment, the article manufacturing method may include a transfer step of transferring a pattern onto a second substrate using the transfer method, and a processing step of processing the second substrate onto which the pattern has been transferred in the transfer step to obtain an article. The processing step may include, for example, a step of developing the second substrate onto which the pattern has been transferred in the transfer step, as well as other well-known processes. Other well-known processes include etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, and the like. This article manufacturing method may produce higher-quality articles than conventional methods. (Other Examples) The present invention may also be realized by a process in which a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention may also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0047] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0048] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-172129, filed on October 3, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A determination method comprising: a generation step of generating corrected measurement data by removing components dependent on the arrangement of a plurality of shot areas of a first substrate from measurement data of the first substrate having a plurality of shot areas to which a pattern has been transferred by a lithography device; and a determination step of determining a correction value to be applied to the lithography device when the pattern is transferred to the second substrate using the lithography device, based on the corrected measurement data and the arrangement of the plurality of shot areas of the second substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metrology data includes metrology data relating to the positions of a plurality of marks on the first substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the components dependent on the arrangement include a component that is common to the multiple shot areas of the first substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement-dependent component includes an average of measurement data for each of the plurality of shot areas of the first substrate.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the lithography apparatus is an exposure apparatus, and the components dependent on the arrangement include a component dependent on a step drive direction between shot areas of the first substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the lithography apparatus is a scanning exposure apparatus, and the components dependent on the arrangement include components dependent on a scanning direction in scanning exposure of each of the plurality of shot areas of the first substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence-dependent component includes a difference between a previous measurement data of the first substrate and a latest measurement data of the first substrate.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the metrology data includes metrology data of an overlay error.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement data includes measurement data relating to heights of a plurality of locations on the first substrate.

10. A determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the generation step generates the corrected measurement data by interpolating data obtained by removing components that depend on the array from the measurement data.

11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising the step of obtaining the metrology data by measuring the first substrate.

12. A pattern transfer method comprising: a step of determining a correction value by the determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 11; and a step of transferring a pattern onto the second substrate while correcting the lithography apparatus based on the correction value.

13. A method for manufacturing an article, comprising: a step of transferring a pattern to the second substrate by the pattern transfer method according to claim 12; and a step of processing the second substrate onto which the pattern has been transferred to obtain an article.

14. A program for causing a computer to execute the determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. An information processing device comprising: a generation unit that generates corrected measurement data by removing components that depend on the arrangement of a plurality of shot areas of a first substrate from measurement data of the first substrate having a plurality of shot areas to which a pattern has been transferred by a lithography device; and a determination unit that determines a correction value to be applied to the lithography device when a pattern is transferred to the second substrate using the lithography device, based on the corrected measurement data and the arrangement of the shot areas of the second substrate.

16. A lithography system comprising a lithography apparatus, comprising: a generation unit that generates corrected measurement data by removing components that depend on an arrangement of a plurality of shot areas of a first substrate from measurement data of the first substrate having a plurality of shot areas to which a pattern has been transferred by the lithography apparatus; and a determination unit that determines a correction value to be used when transferring the pattern to the second substrate based on the corrected measurement data and the arrangement of the plurality of shot areas of the second substrate; and the lithography system transfers the pattern to the plurality of shot areas of the second substrate by the lithography apparatus while controlling the lithography apparatus in accordance with the correction value.

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