Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080230695 | Method of imaging radiation from an object on a detection device and an inspection device for inspecting an object - A method of imaging radiation from an object on a detection device. The method includes directing a beam of coherent radiation to the object, scanning the beam of radiation over an angle in or out of a plane of incidence relative to the object, and imaging scattered radiation from the object on the detection device. | 09-25-2008 |
20080259291 | Pellicle, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - A pellicle for integrated circuit equipment operating in an EUV range includes a multi-layered structure of alternating layers. The pellicle is constructed and arranged to reflect or absorb undesired radiation and to intercept debris to enhance the spectral purity of a radiation beam. | 10-23-2008 |
20080259298 | Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - A lithographic apparatus for maskless EUV applications includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam and to supply the conditioned radiation beam to a spatial light modulator, a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the conditioned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The illumination system includes a field facet mirror constructed and arranged to define a field of the conditioned radiation beam. The field facet mirror is constructed and arranged to optically match a source of radiation and the illumination system. | 10-23-2008 |
20080266654 | Extreme ultraviolet microscope - An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) microscope configured to analyze a sample. The microscope includes a source of EUV radiation constructed and arranged to generate the EUV radiation with a wavelength at least in a range of about 2-6 nm, and an optical system constructed and arranged to illuminate the sample with the EUV radiation and to collect a radiation emanating from the sample. The optical system is arranged with at least one mirror that includes a multilayer structure for in-phase reflection of at least a portion of the radiation in the range of about 2-6 nm. | 10-30-2008 |
20080297747 | Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method - One or more patterning arrays are mounted to a mounting plate via height adjustment structures that enable the flatness of the active surfaces of the patterning arrays to be controlled. The height adjustment structures may comprise an array of piezoelectric actuators or screws. Alternatively, the backside of the patterning means may be polished to optical flatness and bonded by crystal bonding to an optically flat surface of a rigid mounting body. | 12-04-2008 |
20080309899 | Lithographic Apparatus and Method - Systems and methods are provided for measuring aberration in a lithographic apparatus. A radiation beam is modulated using an array of individually controllable elements, and the modulated beam is projected using a projection system. A pattern is provided on the array of individually controllable elements to modulate the radiation beam, and the pattern comprises a repeating structure that is formed from a plurality of features that are dimensioned such that first order diffraction of the radiation beam substantially fills the pupil of the projection system. A sensor detects the projected radiation and measures interference in the radiation projected by the projection system. Aberration in the detected radiation beam is then measured. | 12-18-2008 |
20090033889 | Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a beam of radiation; a pattern support configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern the beam of radiation to form a patterned beam of radiation; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, the substrate holder including a support surface in contact with the substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate; and a cleaning system including a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit constructed and arranged to generate radicals on the support surface of the substrate holder to remove contamination therefrom. | 02-05-2009 |
20090033897 | Limiting a Portion of a Patterning Device Used to Pattern A Beam - A system and method are used to limit a proportion of a programmable patterning means used to pattern a substrate. This is done such that a size of a repeated pattern to be exposed on the substrate is an integer multiple of a size of a pattern exposed on the substrate by the patterned beam. | 02-05-2009 |
20090040492 | Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - A source configured to generate radiation for a lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The source includes an anode, and a cathode. The cathode and the anode are configured to create a discharge in a fuel in a discharge space between the anode and the cathode so as to generate a plasma, the cathode and the anode positioned relative to each other so that, in use, current lines extending between the anode and the cathode are substantially curved so as to create a force that substantially radially compresses the plasma only in a region proximate an upper surface of the cathode or of the anode. | 02-12-2009 |
20090213353 | Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method - Provided is a method and system for facilitating use of a plurality of individually controllable elements to modulate the intensity of radiation received at each focusing element of an array of focusing elements to control the intensity of the radiation in the areas on the substrate onto which the focusing elements direct the radiation. | 08-27-2009 |
20100296073 | Lithographic Apparatus, Substrate Table, and Method for Enhancing Substrate Release Properties - A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a chuck having a plurality of protrusions constructed and arranged to support corresponding parts of a bottom surface of a wafer. The top surface of at least one of the protrusions includes a plurality of elements that define a reduced contact area between the substrate and the top surface of the protrusion. | 11-25-2010 |
20110007314 | Method and apparatus for angular-resolved spectroscopic lithography characterization - An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference. | 01-13-2011 |
20110013274 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET MICROSCOPE - An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) microscope configured to analyze a sample. The microscope includes a source of EUV radiation constructed and arranged to generate the EUV radiation with a wavelength at least in a range of about 2-6 nm, and an optical system constructed and arranged to illuminate the sample with the EUV radiation and to collect a radiation emanating from the sample. The optical system is arranged with at least one mirror that includes a multilayer structure for in-phase reflection of at least a portion of the radiation in the range of about 2-6 nm. | 01-20-2011 |
20110043777 | TARGET MATERIAL, A SOURCE, AN EUV LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND A DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD USING THE SAME - A target material is configured to be used in a source constructed and arranged to generate a radiation beam having a wavelength in an extreme ultraviolet range. The target material includes a Gd-based composition configured to modify a melting temperature of Gd. | 02-24-2011 |
20110043791 | Metrology Method and Apparatus, Lithographic Apparatus, Device Manufacturing Method and Substrate - A metrology apparatus is arranged to illuminate a plurality of targets with an off-axis illumination mode. Images of the targets are obtained using only one first order diffracted beam. Where the target is a composite grating, overlay measurements can be obtained from the intensities of the images of the different gratings. Overlay measurements can be corrected for errors caused by variations in the position of the gratings in an image field. | 02-24-2011 |
20120038910 | Inspection Apparatus and Method - Ghost reflections in a catadioptric scatterometer objective are excluded from an angle-resolved spectrum measurement by using a partial pupil for illumination and for the measurement excluding the area of the pupil plane that has been illuminated. Ghost reflections are reflected back into same point in the pupil plane. The ghost reflections do not interfere with the signal in the non-illuminated area of the pupil plane. An illumination system provides a beam of electromagnetic radiation to illuminate a first area in an illumination pupil plane of the objective. The objective is arranged as to illuminate the substrate with the beam of electromagnetic radiation. The illumination pupil plane is the back projected image of the pupil plane of the objective and is also imaged into the measurement pupil plane at the back focal plane of the objective, via auxiliary optics. A detector is configured to measure an angle resolved spectrum arising from the illumination of the substrate, in a measurement area of the measurement pupil plane of the objective excluding an area corresponding to the first area. | 02-16-2012 |
20120038929 | Method and Apparatus for Angular-Resolved Spectroscopic Lithography Characterization - An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference. | 02-16-2012 |
20120123581 | Metrology Method and Inspection Apparatus, Lithographic System and Device Manufacturing Method - Methods are disclosed for measuring target structures formed by a lithographic process on a substrate. A grating structure within the target is smaller than an illumination spot and field of view of a measurement optical system. The optical system has a first branch leading to a pupil plane imaging sensor and a second branch leading to a substrate plane imaging sensor. A spatial light modulator is arranged in an intermediate pupil plane of the second branch of the optical system. The SLM imparts a programmable pattern of attenuation that may be used to correct for asymmetries between the first and second modes of illumination or imaging. By use of specific target designs and machine-learning processes, the attenuation patterns may also be programmed to act as filter functions, enhancing sensitivity to specific parameters of interest, such as focus. | 05-17-2012 |
20130162996 | Inspection Method and Apparatus, and Lithographic Apparatus - An inspection method reflects radiation with a known polarization beam off a periodic structure, such as a grating. The reflected radiation beam is split into first and second orthogonally polarized sub-beams. The phase of the first sub-beams is shifted with respect to the second sub-beam. A first image resultant from the first sub-beam and a second image resultant from the second sub-beam are simultaneously detected. A difference in intensity values is used to derived from the detected first and second images together to determine an overlay error in the periodic structure. | 06-27-2013 |
20140009746 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, METHOD FOR MAINTAINING A LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A lithographic apparatus having a plurality of individually controllable radiation source units each providing a portion of a patterned beam of radiation, a control system configured to monitor a parameter of performance of each of the individually controllable radiation source units, and a replacement mechanism configured to replace one of the individually controllable radiation source units with a replacement unit responsive to the control system determining that a criterion has been met based on the monitored parameter of performance. | 01-09-2014 |
20140055788 | Method and Apparatus for Angular-Resolved Spectroscopic Lithography Characterization - An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference. | 02-27-2014 |
20140152969 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A lithographic apparatus is provided and configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate. The apparatus has a measurement system to provide measurement data related to a thickness of a resist layer on the substrate, and a controller to control the operation of the lithographic apparatus such that a radiation intensity level in the patterned beam to be projected onto the substrate is controlled based on the measurement data. | 06-05-2014 |
20140160452 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, PROGRAMMABLE PATTERNING DEVICE AND LITHOGRAPHIC METHOD - A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a modulator to modulate a plurality of beams according to a desired pattern and a donor structure on to which the modulated beams impinge. The donor structure is configured such that the impinging modulated beams cause a donor material to be transferred from the donor structure to the substrate. | 06-12-2014 |
20140176929 | Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method Using Dose Control - A system and method are used to manufacture a device using at least one exposure step. Each exposure step projects a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate. The patterned beam includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel delivers a radiation dose no greater than a predetermined normal maximum dose to the target portion in the exposure step and/or at least one selected pixel delivers an increased radiation dose, greater than the normal maximum dose. The increased dose may be delivered to compensate for the effect of a defective element at a known position in the array on a pixel adjacent a selected pixel or compensate for underexposure of the target portion at the location of a selected pixel resulting from exposure of that location to a pixel affected by a known defective element in another exposure step. | 06-26-2014 |
20140192337 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, METHOD OF SETTING UP A LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A lithographic apparatus having a programmable patterning device and a projection system. The programmable patterning device is configured to provide a plurality of radiation beams. The projection system has a lens group array configured to project the plurality of radiation beams onto a substrate. The projection system further includes a focus adjuster in an optical path corresponding to a lens group of the lens group array. The focus adjuster has an optical element having substantially zero optical power. | 07-10-2014 |
20140211189 | RADIATION MODULATOR FOR A LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS, A LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS, A METHOD OF MODULATING RADIATION FOR USE IN LITHOGRAPHY, AND A DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus, a lithography apparatus, a method of modulating radiation for use in lithography, and a device manufacturing method is disclosed. The radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus may have a plurality of waveguides supporting propagation therethough of radiation having a wavelength less than 450 nm; and a modulating section configured to individually modulate radiation propagating in each of the waveguides in order to provide a modulated plurality of output beams. | 07-31-2014 |
20140233025 | Method and Apparatus for Angular-Resolved Spectroscopic Lithography Characterization - An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference. | 08-21-2014 |
20140285782 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus having a projection system configured to project a plurality of radiation beams onto a target and an image slicer. The image slicer is arranged in an inverted configuration such that, if an input image formed of a plurality of separated image regions were provided to the image slicer, it would output an output image formed from the plurality of image regions, each arranged to adjoin an adjacent image region. The exposure apparatus is configured such that each of the radiation beams is input into the image slicer at a location corresponding to a respective one of the separated image regions. | 09-25-2014 |
20140285785 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - The invention relates to intensity values for a plurality of beams used to irradiate a plurality of locations on a target are determined with reference to the position and/or rotation of the locations. Also provided is an associated lithographic or exposure apparatus, an associated device manufacturing method and an associated computer program. | 09-25-2014 |
20140340666 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An exposure apparatus including a projection system configured to project a plurality of radiation beams onto a target; a movable frame that is at least rotatable around an axis; and an actuator system configured to displace the movable frame to an axis away from an axis corresponding to the geometric center of the movable frame and to cause the frame to rotate around an axis through the center of mass of the frame. | 11-20-2014 |
20140347641 | DEVICE, LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, METHOD FOR GUIDING RADIATION AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A device having a waveguide formed of a continuous body of material that is transparent to radiation that passes through the waveguide, wherein the body has an input surface and an output surface, and a cooler configured to cool the input surface and/or the output surface. An exposure apparatus having a programmable patterning device that comprises a plurality of radiation emitters, configured to provide a plurality of radiation beams; and a projection system, comprising a stationary part and a moving part, configured to project the plurality of radiation beams onto locations on a target that are selected based on a pattern, wherein at least one of the radiation emitters comprises a waveguide configured to output a radiation beam that comprises unpolarized and/or circularly polarized radiation. | 11-27-2014 |
20140354970 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A lithographic or exposure apparatus has a projection system and a controller. The projection system includes a stationary part and a moving part. The projection system is configured to project a plurality of radiation beams onto locations on a target. The locations are selected based on a pattern. The controller is configured to control the apparatus to operate in a first mode or a second mode. In the first mode the projection system delivers a first amount of energy to the selected locations. In the second mode the projection system delivers a second amount of energy to the selected locations. The second amount of energy is greater than the first amount of energy. | 12-04-2014 |
20150034788 | Rotatable Frame For a Lithographic Apparatus - A projection system, configured to project a radiation beam onto a target, includes a rotatable frame ( | 02-05-2015 |
20150062547 | Lithography Apparatus, a Device Manufacturing Method, a Method Of Manufacturing an Attenuator - There is disclosed an exposure apparatus, a device manufacturing method and a method of manufacturing an attenuator. According to an embodiment, the exposure apparatus includes a programmable patterning device configured to provide a plurality of individually controllable radiation beams; a projection system configured to project each of the radiation beams onto a respective location on a target; and an attenuator configured to reduce a standard deviation in maximum radiation flux or background exposure level that can be applied to the target by the radiation beams as a function of position on the target. | 03-05-2015 |