Method of spatially aligning a patterning device and a substrate
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsHans Butler, Marinus Petrus Reijnders, Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans
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Abstract
A method of spatially aligning a patterning device and a substrate, wherein the patterning device and the substrate are separated by an optical path comprising one or more moveable optical components is described, the method comprising: —performing a plurality of alignment measurements, wherein for each alignment measurement the moveable optical components are arranged in respective predetermined positions, —combining the alignment measurements, and —spatially aligning the patterning device and the substrate based on the combination of the alignment measurements.
Claims12
A method of spatially aligning a patterning device and a substrate, wherein the patterning device and the substrate are separated by an optical path comprising one or more moveable optical components, the method comprising:
- performing a plurality of alignment measurements, wherein for each alignment measurement the one or more moveable optical components are arranged in respective predetermined positions,
- combining the plurality of alignment measurements, and
- spatially aligning the patterning device and the substrate based on the combination of the plurality of alignment measurements,
- wherein the respective predetermined positions of the movable optical components are selected to average out a positioning error of the one or more moveable optical components, and
- wherein the positioning error of the one or more moveable optical components is caused by a cyclic error of a position measurement of the one or more moveable optical components.
An apparatus comprising:
- a support structure configured to support a patterning device;
- a substrate table configured to support a substrate;
- a projection system comprising one or more moveable optical components, the one or more moveable optical components providing an optical path between the patterning device and the substrate;
- a positioning system configured to position the patterning device, the substrate and the one or more moveable optical components of the projection system;
- a position measurement system configured to measure a position of the support structure, the substrate table and the one or more moveable optical components of the projection system;
- a control unit configured to control the positioning system;
- and
- wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a radiation beam to irradiate the patterning device, and
- wherein the control unit is configured to control the apparatus to perform a method of spatially aligning the patterning device and the substrate by:
- performing alignment measurements, wherein for each alignment measurement the one or more moveable optical components are arranged in respective predetermined positions,
- combining the plurality of alignment measurements, and
- spatially aligning the patterning device and the substrate based on the combination of the plurality of alignment measurements,
- wherein the respective predetermined positions of the movable optical components are selected to average out a positioning error of the one or more moveable optical components, and
- wherein the positioning error of the one or more moveable optical components is caused by a cyclic error of a position measurement of the one or more moveable optical components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.