US 2019/0294059 A1 · METHOD OF DETERMINING PELLICLE COMPENSATION CORRECTIONS FOR A LITHOGRAPHIC PROCESS, METROLOGY APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

Abstract

A method of determining a pellicle compensation correction which compensates for a distortion of a patterning device resultant from mounting of a pellicle onto the patterning device. The method includes determining a pellicle induced distortion from a first shape associated with the patterning device without the pellicle mounted and a second shape associated with the patterning device with the pellicle mounted, the pellicle induced distortion describing the distortion of the patterning device due to the pellicle being mounted. The determined pellicle induced distortion is then used to calculate the pellicle compensation correction for a lithographic exposure step using the patterning device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

determining a pellicle induced distortion from a first height profile associated with the patterning device without the pellicle mounted and a second height profile associated with the patterning device with the pellicle mounted, the pellicle induced distortion describing the distortion of the patterning device due to the pellicle being mounted;
and
using the determined pellicle induced distortion to calculate the pellicle compensation correction for a lithographic exposure step using the patterning device.

A non-transitory computer program product comprising therein processor readable instructions which, when run on suitable processor controlled apparatus, cause the processor controlled apparatus to at least:

determine a pellicle induced distortion from a first height profile associated with a patterning device without a pellicle mounted thereon and a second height profile associated with the patterning device with the pellicle mounted thereon, the pellicle induced distortion describing the distortion of the patterning device due to the pellicle being mounted;
and
use the determined pellicle induced distortion to calculate a pellicle compensation correction for a lithographic exposure step using the patterning device, the pellicle compensation correction configured to compensate for a distortion of the patterning device resultant from mounting of the pellicle onto the patterning device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/304,419Filed 16 May 2017

Priority

EP 16173580.88 Jun 2016

Published

26 Sep 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G03F 7/70983
Construction of apparatus, e.g. environment aspects, hygiene aspects or materials: optical system protection, e.g. pellicles or removable covers…
G01N 21/94
Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination: investigating contamination, e.g. dust
G01N 21/9501
Characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined: semiconductor wafers
G01N 21/956
Characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined: inspecting patterns on the surface of objects

Method of determining pellicle compensation corrections for a lithographic process, metrology apparatus and computer program

Life of this patent

Method of determining pellicle compensation corrections for a lithographic process, metrology apparatus and computer program

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20