# US 10,503,079 B2 · Position detection method, position detection apparatus, lithography apparatus, and article manufacturing method

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- Number: US 10,503,079 B2
- Document ID: US10503079B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/689,051
- Filed: 2017-08-29
- Published: 2018-03-01
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-31
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Tadaki Miyazaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503079B2

## CPC

- G03F 7/70666: {Aerial image, i.e. measuring the image of the patterned exposure light at the image plane of the projection system}
- G03F 1/84: Inspecting
- G03F 7/70258: {Projection system adjustments, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of projection system}
- G03F 7/7065: {Defects, e.g. optical inspection of patterned layer for defects}
- G03F 9/7003: {Alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment}
- G03F 9/7088: {Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection}
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)

## Abstract

A method detects a position of a target in an image using a template having first to Nth feature points. The method includes obtaining an index indicating correlation between the template and the image by repeating processing for each relative positions of the template with respect to the image, while sequentially setting first to nth (n≤N) feature points as a feature point of interest. When the feature point of interest is a Jth feature point, whether an intermediate index indicating the correlation obtained based on processing of the first to Jth feature points satisfies a censoring condition is determined, and processing of (J+1)th and subsequent feature points is canceled if the intermediate index satisfies the censoring condition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A position detection method of causing a computer to detect a position of a target in an image by template matching using a template having first to Nth feature points, where N is a natural number not less than 3, the method comprising:
obtaining an index indicating correlation between the template and the image by repeating processing for each relative position of a plurality of relative positions of the template with respect to the image, while sequentially setting first to nth feature points as a feature point of interest, where n is less than or equal to N;
determining, during obtaining of the index for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions, whether the feature point of interest is a Jth feature point, where J is a natural number not less than 2 and less than N, and where the Jth feature point is determined before causing the computer to start execution of a process of detecting the position of the target in the image;
determining, in a case where the feature point of interest is determined as the Jth feature point, whether an intermediate index indicating the correlation obtained based on processing of the first to Jth feature points satisfies a censoring condition; and
terminating processing of remaining (J+1)th to Nth feature points in a case where the intermediate index satisfies the censoring condition.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in the obtaining, the intermediate index is not obtained for first to (J−1)th feature points.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the index for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions includes obtaining an index value indicating the correlation for the first to Jth feature points, and obtaining the intermediate index based on the index value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the obtaining of the index for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions includes:
sequentially setting the first to Jth feature points as a feature point of interest, and integrating values of a function using a value T(n) of the template at a feature point of interest as a variable; and
obtaining the intermediate index based on a value of a function using the value obtained by the integration as a variable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the obtaining of the index for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions comprises:
sequentially setting the first to Jth feature points as a feature point of interest, and integrating values of a function using, as variables, a value T(n) of the template at a feature point of interest and a value of a pixel in the image, which corresponds to the feature point of interest; and
obtaining the intermediate index based on a value of a function using the value obtained by the integration as a variable.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the obtaining of the index for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions includes:
sequentially setting the first to Jth feature points as a feature point of interest, and performing first integration on values of a first function using a value T(n) of the template at a feature point of interest as a variable;
sequentially setting the first to Jth feature points as a feature point of interest, and performing second integration on values of a second function using a value of a pixel in the image, which corresponds to the feature point of interest, as a variable; and
obtaining the intermediate index based on the value obtained by the first integration and the value obtained by the second integration.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the Jth feature point includes repeating processing for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions of the template with respect to a test image by sequentially setting the first to nth feature points, where n is less than or equal to N, as a feature point of interest, thereby obtaining an index indicating correlation between the template and the test image for each of the first to nth feature points, and determining the Jth feature point based on transition of the index obtained for each of the first to nth feature points with respect to the test image.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the censoring condition.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the determining of the censoring condition includes repeating processing for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions of the template with respect to a test image by sequentially setting the first to nth feature points as a feature point of interest, thereby obtaining an index indicating correlation between the template and the test image for each of the first to nth feature points, and determining the censoring condition based on transition of the index obtained for each of the first to nth feature points with respect to the test image.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising redefining the first to Nth feature points by rearranging the first to Nth feature points.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in the obtaining of the index for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions, in a case where an intermediate index obtained based on processing of first to JN2th feature points, where JN2 is a natural number larger than J, satisfies a second censoring condition, processing for (JN2+1)th and subsequent feature points is terminated.

### Claim 12

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a position detection method of detecting a position of a target in an image by template matching using a template having first to Nth feature points, where N is a natural number not less than 3, the method comprising:
obtaining an index indicating correlation between the template and the image by repeating processing for each relative position of a plurality of relative positions of the template with respect to the image, while sequentially setting first to nth feature points as a feature point of interest, where n is less than or equal to N;
determining, during obtaining of the index for each relative position of the plurality of relative positions, whether the feature point of interest is a Jth feature point, where J is a natural number not less than 2 and less than N, and where the Jth feature point is determined before causing the computer to start execution of a process of detecting the position of the target in the image;
determining, in a case where the feature point of interest is determined as the Jth feature point, whether an intermediate index indicating the correlation obtained based on processing of the first to Jth feature points satisfies a censoring condition; and
terminating processing of remaining (J+1)th to Nth feature points in a case where the intermediate index satisfies the censoring condition.

### Claim 13

A position detection apparatus for detecting a position of a target in an image by template matching using a template having first to Nth feature points, where N is a natural number not less than 3, the apparatus comprising a processor configured to:
obtain an index indicating correlation between the template and the image by repeating processing for each relative position of a plurality of relative positions of the template with respect to the image, while sequentially setting first to nth feature points as a feature point of interest, where n is less than or equal to N;
determine, during processing performed on each relative position of the plurality of relative positions to obtain the index, whether the feature point of interest is a Jth feature point, where J is a natural number not less than 2 and less than N, and where the Jth feature point is determined before causing the computer to start execution of a process of detecting the position of the target in the image;
determine, in a case where the feature point of interest is determined as the Jth feature point, whether an intermediate index indicating the correlation obtained based on processing of the first to Jth feature points satisfies a censoring condition; and
terminate processing of remaining (J+1)th to Nth feature points in a case where the intermediate index satisfies the censoring condition.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

A lithography apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate, comprising:
an image capture configured to capture an image of a mark on the substrate;
a positioning mechanism configured to position the substrate; and
a controller configured to control the positioning mechanism based on the image obtained by the image capture,
wherein the controller includes a position detection apparatus cited in claim 13 and configured to detect a position of a mark in the image obtained by the image capture.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the position detection apparatus determines at least one of the Jth feature point and the censoring condition based on an attribute of the substrate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the position detection apparatus determines at least one of the Jth feature point and the censoring condition based on an image pertaining to a specific substrate.

### Claim 17

An article manufacturing method comprising:
forming a pattern on a substrate by using a lithography apparatus; and
processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed in the forming,
wherein an article is obtained from the processed substrate,
wherein the lithography apparatus is configured to form a pattern on the substrate, and comprises:
an image capture configured to capture an image of a mark on the substrate;
a positioning mechanism configured to position the substrate; and
a controller configured to control the positioning mechanism based on the image obtained by the image capture,
wherein the controller includes a position detection apparatus configured to detect a position of a mark in the image obtained by the image capture,
wherein the position detection apparatus is configured to detect a position of a target in an image by template matching using a template having first to Nth (N is a natural number not less than 3) feature points,
the position detection apparatus comprising a processor configured to:
obtain an index indicating correlation between the template and the image by repeating processing for each relative position of a plurality of relative positions of the template with respect to the image, while sequentially setting first to nth feature points as a feature point of interest, where n is less than or equal to N;
determine, during processing performed on each relative position of the plurality of relative positions to obtain the index, whether the feature point of interest is a Jth feature point, where J is a natural number not less than 2 and less than N, and where the Jth feature point is determined before causing the computer to start execution of a process of detecting the position of the target in the image:
determine, in a case where the feature point of interest is determined as the Jth feature point, whether an intermediate index indicating the correlation obtained based on processing of the first to Jth feature points satisfies a censoring condition; and
terminate processing of remaining (J+1)th to Nth feature points in a case where the intermediate index satisfies the censoring condition.