Method and apparatus for photolithographic imaging
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsJoern-Holger Franke, Eric Henri Jan Hendrickx, Guido Constant Simon Schiffelers
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Abstract
A method for reducing M3D effects on imaging is described. The method includes identifying points within a source plane of the photolithography system that are associated with pattern shifts resulting from diffraction of light off a photomask under an angle of incidence between an imaging beam of radiation and the mask normal, determining pattern shifts associated with the identified source plane points, and modifying the source to reduce the determined pattern shifts.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- identifying points within an illumination plane of a photolithography system that are associated with pattern shifts resulting from diffraction of radiation off a patterning device due to asymmetric phase effects among diffraction orders;
- determining shifts, associated with the identified points, of a pattern for imaging a feature onto a substrate using the photolithography system;
- and
- modifying the illumination to reduce the determined pattern shifts.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a processor system, are configured to cause the processor system to a least:
- identify points within an illumination plane of a photolithography system that are associated with pattern shifts resulting from diffraction of radiation off a patterning device due to asymmetric phase effects among diffraction orders;
- determine shifts, associated with the identified points, of a pattern for imaging a feature onto a substrate using the photolithography system;
- and
- modify the illumination to reduce the determined pattern shifts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.