US 8,947,665 B2Granted

Measurement method, measurement apparatus, exposure method, and exposure apparatus

AssigneeNikon Corporation

InventorsMitsuru Kobayashi, Masahiko Yasuda

Life of this patent

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Abstract

To perform high-speed and highly accurate measurement by setting desired measuring conditions for each measuring object. In an alignment sensor of exposure apparatus, in the case of performing position measurement for a plurality of sample shots, measurement is performed by changing the measuring conditions, in response to a measuring axis direction, a mark or a layer whereupon a mark to be measured exists. At that time, for the measuring objects to be measured under the same measuring conditions, for example, a position in a Y axis direction and a position in an X axis direction, measurement is continuously performed. When the measuring condition is changed, a baseline value is remeasured. The changeable measuring conditions are wavelength of measuring light, use and selection of a retarder, NA and σ of an optical system, a light quantity of measuring light, illumination shape, signal processing algorithm, etc.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A measurement apparatus, which measures a plurality of X marks and a plurality of Y marks, which are measurement objects formed on a prescribed substrate, comprising:

an illumination system which illuminates the X and Y marks;
a light-receiving system which receives a beam generated from the illuminated X marks and a beam generated from the illuminated Y marks;
a computation unit which processes a signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated X marks by the light-receiving system, and processes a signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the Y marks by the light-receiving system;
a control system including a control program and a system controller, execution of the control program by the system controller causing the system controller to
adjust at least one of the illumination system and the light-receiving system to set a measurement condition to a first condition when all of the X marks are measured among the marks which are the measurement objects on the prescribed substrate without measuring the Y marks, and to set the measurement condition to a second condition different from the first condition when all of the Y marks are measured without measuring the X marks, the X marks including all marks for measuring positions in a first direction in a two-dimensional plane on the substrate, the Y marks including all marks for measuring positions in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the two-dimensional plane on the substrate, and
switch the measurement condition from the first condition to set the second condition after the measurement of all of the X marks on the prescribed substrate under the first condition,
wherein the first condition includes a signal processing condition to process, by the computation unit, the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated X marks by the light-receiving system, and the second condition includes a signal processing condition to process, by the computation unit, the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated Y marks by the light-receiving system.

4 more elements

A measurement apparatus that measures a plurality of X marks formed on a substrate and that are illuminated to thereby generate a beam from the illuminated X marks, and a plurality of Y marks formed on the substrate and that are illuminated to thereby generate a beam from the illuminated Y marks, the measurement apparatus comprising:

a computation unit which processes a signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated X marks, and processes a signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated Y marks;
and
a control system including a control program and a system controller, execution of the control program by the system controller causing
measurement, via processing by the computation unit of the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated X marks, positions of all of the X marks under a first condition without measuring the Y marks,
measurement, via processing by the computation unit of the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated Y marks, positions of all of the Y marks in a second direction under a second condition without measuring the X marks, the X marks for measuring positions on the substrate in a first direction in a two-dimensional plane, and the Y marks for measuring positions on the substrate in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the two-dimensional plane, and
switching a measurement condition from the first condition to the second condition after the measurement of all of the X marks under the first condition, wherein
the first condition includes a signal processing condition to process, by the computation unit, the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated X marks, and
the second condition includes a signal processing condition to process, by the computation unit, the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated Y marks.

5 more elements

a computation unit which processes a signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated X marks, and processes a signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated Y marks;
a control system including a control program and a system controller, execution of the control program by the system controller causing
measurement, via processing by the computation unit, the plurality of X marks without measuring Y marks,
measurement, via processing by the computation unit, the plurality of Y marks without measuring X marks, the X marks each having line patterns that extend in a Y direction, the Y marks each having line patterns that extend in an X direction, the X direction being orthogonal to the Y direction,
setting a measurement condition including a first condition and a second condition, the first condition being used when measuring all of the X marks without measuring the Y marks, the second condition being used when measuring all of the Y marks without measuring the X marks,
switching the measurement condition from the first condition to the second condition after the measurement of all of the X marks on the substrate under the first condition, wherein
the first condition includes a signal processing condition to process, by the computation unit, the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated X marks, and
the second condition includes a signal processing condition to process, by the computation unit, the signal obtained by receiving the beam generated from the illuminated Y marks.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/495,284Filed 13 Jun 2012 · division
Priority: JP P2004-12853623 Apr 2004
Published: US 2013/0027680 A131 Jan 2013
Granted: 3 Feb 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G03F 9/7046
Alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment: strategy, e.g. mark, sensor or wavelength selection
G03F 9/7003
For microlithography: alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment
G03F 9/7011
Alignment other than original with workpiece: pre-exposure scan; original with original holder alignment; Prealignment, i.e. workpiece with…
G03F 9/7019
Alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment: calibration

Family

PCT/JP2005/007507Parent of this division · filed 20 Apr 2005
US 2013/0027680 A1Pre-grant publication · published 31 Jan 2013
Application11/587,099Parent of this division
US 2008/0013073 A1Published application
US 8,477,310 B2Related patent
US 8,947,665 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.