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US 7,548,315 B2Granted
System and method to compensate for critical dimension non-uniformity in a lithography system
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorHermanus Gerardus Van Horssen
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Abstract
A system and method are used to compensate for critical dimension non-uniformity caused by different polarization directions in an illumination beam. A system comprises a source of radiation and an optical system. The source of radiation produces a beam of radiation. The optical system is configured to transmit a first portion of the beam having a first polarization direction during a first portion of a cycle and a second portion of the beam having a second polarization direction during a second portion of the cycle.
Claims13
A lithography system, comprising:
- an illumination system configured to generate an illumination beam of radiation, comprising,
- a source of radiation configured to produce a beam of radiation;
- and
- an optical system configured to transmit a first portion of the illumination beam having a first polarization direction during a first portion of a cycle and a second portion of the illumination beam having a second polarization direction during a second portion of the cycle;
- a patterning device including first and second patterns having respective first and second optical proximity correction corresponding to the first and second polarization directions, the first and second patterns configured to pattern respective ones of the first and second portions of the illumination beam of radiation;
- a detector configured to detect characteristics of the beam of radiation and to generate control signals that control whether the first or second pattern of the patterning device is used based on the detected characteristics;
- and
- a projection system configured to project the first and second patterned beams onto a target portion of a substrate.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- producing a beam of radiation during an exposure cycle;
- directing a first portion of the beam having a first polarization direction onto a patterning device, comprising a first pattern including a first optical proximity correction, during a first portion of the exposure cycle;
- projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
- directing a second portion of the beam having a second polarization direction onto the patterning device, comprising a second pattern including a second optical proximity correction, during a second portion of the exposure cycle;
- projecting the patterned beam onto the target portion of the substrate;
- detecting characteristics of the beam of radiation:
- and
- controlling whether the first or second pattern of the patterning device is used based on the detected characteristics.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.