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US 9,913,357 B2Granted
Radiation source, metrology apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorMartijn Petrus Christianus Van Heumen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A radiation source apparatus comprising: a container comprising walls for defining a space for containing a gaseous medium in which plasma which emits plasma emitted radiation is generated following excitation of the gaseous medium by a driving radiation; and a thermal load applicator adapted to apply a thermal load to at least part of the walls of the container to reduce stresses in the walls.
Claims26
A radiation source apparatus comprising:
- a container comprising a first wall portion and a second wall portion that define a space configured to contain a gaseous medium in which radiation emitting plasma is generated following excitation of the gaseous medium by a driving radiation;
- and
- a thermal load applicator configured to apply a thermal load to the first wall portion to reduce a thermal gradient between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, thereby reducing stresses in the first and second wall portions.
An inspection apparatus for measuring a property of a structure on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a support for the substrate having the structure thereon;
- an optical system configured to illuminate the structure under predetermined illumination conditions and to detect predetermined portions of radiation diffracted by the component target structures under the illumination conditions;
- and
- a processor arranged to process information characterizing the detected radiation to obtain a measurement of the property of the structure,
- wherein the optical system includes a radiation source apparatus comprising:
- a container comprising a first wall portion and a second wall portion defining a space configured to contain a gaseous medium in which radiation emitting plasma is generated following excitation of the gaseous medium by a driving radiation;
- and
- a thermal load applicator configured to apply a thermal load to the first wall portion to reduce a thermal gradient between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, thereby reducing stresses in the first and second wall portions.
5 more elements
A lithographic system comprising:
- a lithographic apparatus comprising:
- an illumination optical system arranged to illuminate a pattern;
- a projection optical system arranged to project an image of the pattern onto a substrate;
- and
- an inspection apparatus for measuring a property of a structure on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a support for the substrate having the structure thereon;
- an optical system configured to illuminate the structure under predetermined illumination conditions and to detect predetermined portions of radiation diffracted by the component target structures under the illumination conditions;
- a processor arranged to process information characterizing the detected radiation to obtain a measurement of the property of the structure,
- wherein the optical system includes a radiation source apparatus comprising:
- a container comprising a first wall portion and a second wall portion defining a space configured to contain a gaseous medium in which radiation emitting plasma is generated following excitation of the gaseous medium by a driving radiation;
- and
- a thermal load applicator configured to apply a thermal load to the first wall portion to reduce a thermal gradient between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, thereby reducing stresses in the first and second wall portions, and
- wherein the lithographic apparatus is configured to use the measurement results from the inspection apparatus in applying the pattern to further substrates.
10 more elements
A method of measuring a property of structures that have been formed by a lithographic process on a substrate, the method comprising:
- illuminating the structures using output radiation of a radiation source apparatus, the radiation source comprising:
- a container comprising a first wall portion and a second wall portion defining a space containing a gaseous medium in which radiation emitting plasma is generated following excitation of the gaseous medium by a driving radiation, and
- a thermal load applicator configured to apply a thermal load to the first wall portion to reduce a thermal gradient between the first wall portion and a second wall portion, thereby reducing stresses in the first and second wall portions;
- detecting radiation diffracted by the structures;
- and
- determining from properties of the diffracted radiation one or more properties of the structure.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing devices, comprising:
- applying a device pattern to a series of substrates using a lithographic process;
- inspecting at least one composite target structure formed as part of or beside the device pattern on at least one of the substrates using a method comprising:
- illuminating the structures using output radiation of a radiation source apparatus, the radiation source comprising:
- a container comprising a first wall portion and a second wall portion defining a space containing a gaseous medium in which radiation emitting plasma is generated following excitation of the gaseous medium by a driving radiation, and
- a thermal load applicator configured to apply a thermal load to the first wall portion to reduce a thermal gradient between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, thereby reducing stresses in the first and second wall portions;
- detecting radiation diffracted by the structures;
- and
- determining from properties of the diffracted radiation one or more properties of the structure;
- and
- controlling the lithographic process for later substrates in accordance with the result of the inspection method.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.