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US 10,871,708 B2Granted
Spatial-frequency matched wafer alignment marks, wafer alignment and overlay measurement and processing using multiple different mark designs on a single layer
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorsSteven Douglas Slonaker, Stephen P. Renwick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Alignment patterns that are selected based on device pattern spatial frequencies are defined on a reticle. The alignment patterns can include periodic arrays of lines, spaces, dots, of other pattern elements. Such patterns can be defined as sets associated with a common spatial frequency or frequency range, or some or all sets can include alignment marks having mark elements associated with different spatial frequencies.
Claims40
A pattern mask, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of device pattern areas defined on the substrate;
- and
- a set of alignment marks defined on the substrate and distributed along a first direction, wherein each alignment mark includes a periodic array of alignment mark elements along the first direction.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- obtaining a spatial frequency spectrum associated with a circuit pattern;
- based on the obtained spatial frequency spectrum, defining alignment mark set patterns that include a plurality of alignment marks distributed along a first direction, wherein each alignment mark includes a periodic array of alignment mark elements along the first direction;
- and
- transferring the alignment mark set patterns to a mask.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- determining a spatial frequency spectrum associated with a pattern to be transferred from a reticle to a sensitized substrate;
- and
- defining a periodic reticle pattern based on the spatial frequency spectrum.
A pattern mask comprising:
- a substrate;
- first device patterns with a first pitch arranged on the substrate;
- second device patterns with a second pitch different from the first pitch, arranged on the substrate;
- and
- an alignment mark including first segments arranged with the first pitch and second segments arranged with the second pitch.
2 more elements
A pattern mask comprising:
- a substrate;
- first device patterns arranged on the substrate, the first device patterns having a first pitch;
- second device patterns arranged on the substrate, the second device patterns having a second pitch different from the first pitch;
- and
- an alignment mark including a plurality of segments associated with a power spectral density corresponding to a weighted combination of the first pitch and the second pitch, wherein the plurality of segments includes first segments arranged with the first pitch and second segments arranged with the second pitch.
2 more elements
A pattern mask comprising:
- a substrate;
- first device patterns arranged on the substrate, the first device patterns having a first pitch;
- second device patterns arranged on the substrate, the second device patterns having a second pitch different from the first pitch;
- and
- an alignment mark including a plurality of segments having a spatial frequency distribution that is a combination of the first pitch and the second pitch.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- illuminating a set of marks on a workpiece;
- and
- detecting the set of marks, wherein the set of marks is distributed along a first direction, and each mark includes a periodic array of mark elements along the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.