Roger D Irwin

US Patent:

7198873, Apr 3, 2007

Filed:

Nov 18, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/715109

Inventors:

Bernd Geh - Scottsdale AZ, US
Roger Henry Irwin - Phoenix AZ, US
Eric Anthony Janda - Chandler AZ, US
David Merritt Phillips - Corrales NM, US

Assignee:

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

International Classification:

G03F 9/00
G03C 5/00

US Classification:

430 30, 355 77

Abstract:

A method of optimizing lithographic processing to achieve substrate uniformity, is presented herein. In one embodiment, The method includes deriving hyper-sampled correlation information indicative of photoresist behavior for a plurality of wafer substrates processed at pre-specified target processing conditions. The derivation includes micro-exposing subfields of the substrates with a pattern, processing the substrates at the various target conditions, determining photoresist-related characteristics of the subfields (e. g. , Bossung curvatures), and extracting correlation information regarding the subfield characteristics and the different target processing conditions to relate the target conditions as a function of subfield characteristics. The method then detects non-uniformities in a micro-exposed subsequent substrate-processed under production-level processing conditions and exploits the correlation information to adjust the production-level conditions and achieve uniformity across the substrate.

US Patent:

8120748, Feb 21, 2012

Filed:

Feb 22, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/709188

Inventors:

Bernd Geh - Scottsdale AZ, US
Roger Irwin - Phoenix AZ, US
Eric Anthony Janda - Chandler AZ, US
David Merritt Phillips - Corrales NM, US

Assignee:

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

International Classification:

G03B 27/52
G03B 27/42
G03B 27/44
G03B 27/32

US Classification:

355 27, 355 53, 355 54, 355 55, 355 77

Abstract:

A method of optimizing lithographic processing to achieve substrate uniformity, is presented herein. In one embodiment, The method includes deriving hyper-sampled correlation information indicative of photoresist behavior for a plurality of wafer substrates processed at pre-specified target processing conditions. The derivation includes micro-exposing subfields of the substrates with a pattern, processing the substrates at the various target conditions, determining photoresist-related characteristics of the subfields (e. g. , Bossung curvatures), and extracting correlation information regarding the subfield characteristics and the different target processing conditions to relate the target conditions as a function of subfield characteristics. The method then detects non-uniformities in a micro-exposed subsequent substrate processed under production-level processing conditions and exploits the correlation information to adjust the production-level conditions and achieve uniformity across the substrate.