Method and apparatus for controlling iso-dense bias in lithography
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorJozef Maria Finders
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus and a method of using the apparatus in the manufacture of a device such as an integrated circuit (IC). In particular, the present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus wherein iso-dense bias in a printed pattern on a substrate is capable of being controlled by using radiation with a spectral distribution comprising two or more spectral peaks.
Claims26
A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
- a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
- a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate;
- and
- a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
- wherein the lithographic apparatus is constructed and arranged to control and substantially maintain iso-dense bias at a nominal value when forming a pattern on the substrate by controlling the radiation beam to have a spectral energy distribution comprising two or more discrete spectral peaks separated from one another and by adjusting said separation to control and substantially maintain the iso-dense bias at the nominal value.
A lithographic apparatus constructed and arranged to control and substantially maintain iso-dense bias in a printed pattern on a substrate at a nominal value by generating a radiation beam having a spectral energy distribution comprising two or more discrete spectral peaks separated from one another and by adjusting said separation to control and substantially maintain the iso-dense bias at the nominal value.
A device manufacturing method comprising:
- projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate;
- controlling iso-dense bias in a printed pattern on the substrate and substantially maintaining the iso-dense bias at a nominal value by causing the radiation beam to have a spectral energy distribution comprising two or more discrete spectral peaks separated from one another and adjusting said separation to control and substantially maintain the iso-dense bias at the nominal value.
A microelectronic device manufactured according to the method of:
- projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate;
- wherein iso-dense bias in a printed pattern on the substrate is capable of being controlled and substantially maintained at a nominal value by being capable of generating a radiation beam to have a spectral energy distribution comprising two or more discrete spectral peaks separated from one another and adjusting said separation to control and substantially maintain the iso-dense bias at the nominal value.
A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a radiation source capable of forming a radiation beam;
- a spectral energy distribution processing system capable of processing the radiation beam to create a spectral energy distribution comprising at least two discrete spectral peaks at different wavelengths separated from one another and of adjusting said separation;
- and
- a patterning projection device capable of applying the at least two discrete spectral peaks of the spectral energy distribution substantially simultaneously to create a pattern on a substrate.
A method of imaging a substrate, comprising:
- generating a beam of radiation having a spectral energy distribution;
- processing the spectral energy distribution to create at least two discrete spectral peaks separated from one another;
- adjusting said separation;
- and
- projecting the spectral energy distribution with the at least two spectral peaks to form a pattern in a substrate.
A method of imaging a substrate, comprising:
- providing, in a lithographic apparatus, a beam of radiation having a spectral energy distribution comprising at least two discrete spectral peaks separated from one another;
- adjusting said separation to control an iso-dense bias in the lithographic apparatus to be at the substantially same value as an iso-dense bias in another lithographic apparatus;
- and
- projecting the spectral energy distribution with the at least two spectral peaks to form a pattern in a substrate.
A lithographic apparatus constructed and arranged to control iso-dense bias in a printed pattern on a substrate in the lithographic apparatus to be a substantially same value as an iso-dense bias in a printed pattern on a substrate in another lithographic apparatus by generating a radiation beam having a spectral energy distribution comprising two or more discrete spectral peaks separated from one another and by adjusting said separation to control the iso-dense bias in the lithographic apparatus to be at the substantially same value as the iso-dense bias in the other lithographic apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.