Patents Assigned to ASML Netherlands
  • Measuring a Process Parameter for a Manufacturing Process Involving Lithography
    Publication number: 20200401054
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of measuring a process parameter for a manufacturing process involving lithography. In a disclosed arrangement the method comprises performing first and second measurements of overlay error in a region on a substrate, and obtaining a measure of the process parameter based on the first and second measurements of overlay error. The first measurement of overlay error is designed to be more sensitive to a perturbation in the process parameter than the second measurement of overlay error by a known amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Maurits Van Der Schaar, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Omer Abubaker Omer Adam, Te-Chih Huang, Youping Zhang
  • Scan Signal Characterization Diagnostics
    Publication number: 20200401053
    Abstract: A system for and method of processing a wafer in which a scan signal is analyzed locally to extract information about alignment, overlay, mark quality, wafer quality, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicants: ASML Netherlands B.V., ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Cornelis Melchior BROUWER, Krishanu SHOME
  • Control System and Method
    Publication number: 20200401050
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a laser, comprising a sensor for sensing a physical value indicative of a characteristic of a laser beam emitted by the laser, a switch, a first controller and a second controller. Each controller is configured, to receive a further sensor value from the sensor, adjust a received setpoint value based on the received further sensor value to give an output value and cause the laser to operate in accordance with the output value. The switch is configured to switch between the controllers such that output values are provided from each controller in a cyclic fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Herman Philip GODFRIED, Frank EVERTS, Wilhelmus Patrick Elisabeth M OP 'T ROOT
  • MOUNTED HOLLOW-CORE FIBER ARRANGEMENT
    Publication number: 20200400880
    Abstract: A mounted hollow-core fiber arrangement includes a hollow-core fiber having a microstructure, and a mount arrangement including a plurality of mounting contacts configured to apply a force to an outer layer of the hollow-core fiber. A portion of the hollow-core fiber is located in a receiving region of the mount arrangement. The plurality of mounting contacts are positioned around the receiving region. The mounting contacts are distributed around the receiving region, the distribution of the mounting contacts corresponding to a distribution of features of the microstructure of the hollow-core fiber. The mounted hollow core fiber can be used in a radiation source apparatus for providing broadband radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Sebastian Thomas BAUERSCHMIDT, Patrick Sebastian Uebel, Peter Maximilian Gotz
  • METHOD FOR EVALUATING CONTROL STRATEGIES IN A SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING PROCESS
    Publication number: 20200401052
    Abstract: A method for determining a preferred control strategy relating to control of a manufacturing process for manufacturing an integrated circuit. The method includes: obtaining process data associated with a design of said integrated circuit; and obtaining a plurality of candidate control strategies configured to control the manufacturing process based on the process data, each candidate control strategy including an associated cost metric based on an associated requirement to implement the candidate control strategy. A quality metric related to an expected performance of the manufacturing process is determined for each candidate control strategies, and a preferred control strategy is selected based on the determined quality metrics and associated cost metrics for each candidate control strategy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Ivo Matteo Leonardus WEIJDEN, Jeroen VAN DONGEN, Cornelis Johannes Henricus LAMBREGTS, Theo Wilhelmus Maria THIJSSEN, Ruud Rudolphus Johannes Catharinus DE WIT, Hans Marinus STRUIJS, Erik Mathijs Maria CROMBAG, Roy WERKMAN, Maria Helena SCHUT, Erwin RIEMENS, Menno MEELDIJK
  • Metrology robustness based on through-wavelength similarity
    Patent number: 10871716
    Abstract: A method including obtaining a measurement result from a target on a substrate, by using a substrate measurement recipe; determining, by a hardware computer system, a parameter from the measurement result, wherein the parameter characterizes dependence of the measurement result on an optical path length of the target for incident radiation used in the substrate measurement recipe and the determining the parameter includes determining dependence of the measurement result on a relative change of wavelength of the incident radiation; and if the parameter is not within a specified range, adjusting the substrate measurement recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Miguel Garcia Granda, Christian Marinus Leewis, Frank Staals
  • Substrate, metrology apparatus and associated methods for a lithographic process
    Patent number: 10871367
    Abstract: A substrate having a plurality of features for use in measuring a parameter of a device manufacturing process and associated methods and apparatus. The measurement is by illumination of the features with measurement radiation from an optical apparatus and detecting a signal arising from interaction between the measurement radiation and the features. The plurality of features include first features distributed in a periodic fashion at a first pitch, and second features distributed in a periodic fashion at a second pitch, wherein the first pitch and second pitch are such that a combined pitch of the first and second features is constant irrespective of the presence of pitch walk in the plurality of features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Alok Verma, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Thomas Theeuwes, Anagnostis Tsiatmas, Bert Verstraeten
  • Lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 10871715
    Abstract: A substrate table for an immersion system having a projection system arranged to project an image onto a substrate and a liquid confinement system configured to confine an immersion liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate table including: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; and a current control device arranged to reduce an electric current flowing between the substrate and the substrate holder while the immersion liquid is confined to the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Poiesz, Bert Dirk Scholten, Dirk Willem Harberts, Lucas Henricus Johannes Stevens, Laura Maria Fernandez Diaz, Johannes Adrianus Cornelis Maria Pijnenburg, Abraham Alexander Soethoudt, Wilhelmus Jacobus Johannes Welters, Jimmy Matheus Wilhelmus Van De Winkel
  • Lithographic apparatus, cover for use in a lithographic apparatus and method for designing a cover for use in a lithographic apparatus
    Patent number: 10871714
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure configured to contain immersion fluid in a space adjacent to an upper surface of a substrate table and/or a substrate located in a recess of the substrate table, a cover including a planar main body that, in use, extends around a substrate from the upper surface to a peripheral section of an upper major face of the substrate in order to cover a gap between an edge of the recess and an edge of the substrate, and an immersion fluid film disruptor configured to disrupt the formation of a film of immersion fluid between an edge of the cover and immersion fluid contained by the fluid handling structure during movement of the substrate table relative to the fluid handling structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Niek Jacobus Johannes Roset, Nicolaas Ten Kate, Sergei Shulepov, Raymond Wilhelmus Louis Lafarre
  • LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD
    Publication number: 20200393768
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Koen Jacobus Johannes Maria ZAAL, Joost Jeroen OTTENS
  • LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED PATTERNING PERFORMANCE
    Publication number: 20200393769
    Abstract: A plate to be positioned between a movable stage and a projection system of a lithographic apparatus, the plate having a surface to face the movable stage; an opening through the plate for passage of patterned radiation beam; one or more gas outlets in a side of the opening and in the surface of the plate, wherein the one or more gas outlets are configured to supply gas to a region between the movable stage and the projection system, wherein all of the one or more gas outlets in the surface of the plate are positioned such that, for each of such one or more gas outlets, a line that is both orthogonal to the surface and intersects the gas outlet does not intersect the patterning device at any point during the entire range of movement of the patterning device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Federico LA TORRE, Laurentius Johannes Adrianus VAN BOKHOVEN, José Nilton FONSECA Junior, Gerben PIETERSE, Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina EUMMELEN, Frank Johannes Jacobus VAN BOXTEL
  • Lithographic Apparatus and Method
    Publication number: 20200393770
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a substrate storage module having a controllable environment for protecting lithographically exposed substrates from ambient air. The substrate storage module is configured to store at least twenty substrates and the substrate storage module is an integral part of the lithographic apparatus. The substrate storage module may be used to protect substrates from ambient air during stitched lithographic exposures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Paul VAN DONGEN, Aart Adrianus VAN BEUZEKOM
  • Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 10866530
    Abstract: A difficulty of contamination interfering with a grid plate positional measurement system is addressed. In one embodiment contamination is prevented from coming into contact with the grating or the sensor. In an embodiment, surface acoustic waves are used to detach contamination from a surface of the grating or sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens, Nicolaas Ten Kate
  • Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 10866501
    Abstract: Embodiments of a drain in a lithographic projection apparatus are described that have, for example, a feature which reduces inflow of gas into the drain during a period when no liquid is present in the drain. In one example, a passive liquid removal mechanism is provided such that the pressure of gas in the drain is equal to the ambient gas pressure and in another embodiment a flap is provided to close off a chamber during times when no liquid needs removing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Nicolaas Rudolf Kemper, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Joost Jeroen Ottens, Edwin Cornelis Kadijk, Sergei Shulepov
  • Metrology method and device
    Patent number: 10866526
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus, including: an objective configured to receive diffracted radiation from a metrology target having positive and negative diffraction order radiation; an optical element configured to separate the diffracted radiation into portions separately corresponding to each of a plurality of different values or types of one or more radiation characteristics and separately corresponding to the positive and negative diffraction orders; and a detector system configured to separately and simultaneously measure the portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: ASML Holding N.V., ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yevgeniy Konstantinovich Shmarev, Nitesh Pandey, Armand Eugene Albert Koolen
  • Methods and apparatus for monitoring a lithographic manufacturing process
    Patent number: 10866527
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a lithographic process, and associated lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining height variation data relating to a substrate supported by a substrate support and fitting a regression through the height variation data, the regression approximating the shape of the substrate; residual data between the height variation data and the regression is determined; and variation of the residual data is monitored over time. The residual data may be deconvolved based on known features of the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Emil Peter Schmitt-Weaver, Kaustuve Bhattacharyya, Wim Tjibbo Tel, Frank Staals, Leon Martin Levasier
  • Athermalization of an alignment system
    Patent number: 10866531
    Abstract: An alignment system configured to be substantially insensitive to thermal variations in its system during alignment measurements. The alignment system includes a sensor system, a support structure, a sensing element, a position measurement system, and an athermal interface between the sensing element and the support structure. The sensor system is configured to determine a position of an alignment mark on a substrate and the support structure is configured to support the sensor system. The sensing element is configured to detect an unintentional displacement of the support structure and the position measurement system is configured to measure the unintentional displacement relative to a reference element based on the detected unintentional displacement. The athermal interface is configured to prevent detection of temperature induced displacement of the support structure by the sensing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V., ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Suzanne Johanna Antonetta Geertruda Cosijns, Maarten Van Der Heijden, Frederikus Johannes Maria De Vreede, David Taub, Eric Emery, Joseph Ashwin Franklin
  • Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 10866529
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is described, the apparatus comprising: a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate; the projection system comprising a plurality of optical elements; a sensor frame; a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of the plurality of optical elements relative to the sensor frame; wherein the sensor frame comprises: N sub-frames, N being an integer >1, a coupling system coupling the N sub-frames and a second position measurement system configured to determine a relative position of the N sub-frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hans Butler, Michael Johannes Vervoordeldonk, Maurice Willem Jozef Etiënne Wijckmans
  • Process window tracker
    Patent number: 10866523
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a lithography process, wherein processing parameters of the lithography process include a first group of processing parameters and a second group of processing parameters, the method including: obtaining a change of the second group of processing parameters; determining a change of a sub-process window (sub-PW) as a result of the change of the second group of processing parameters, wherein the sub-PW is spanned by only the first group of processing parameters; and adjusting the first group of processing parameters based on the change of the sub-PW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Wim Tjibbo Tel, Frank Staals, Mark John Maslow
  • E-beam apparatus
    Patent number: 10867770
    Abstract: An e-beam apparatus is disclosed, the tool comprising an electron optics system configured to project an e-beam onto an object, an object table to hold the object, and a positioning device configured to move the object table relative to the electron optics system. The positioning device comprises a short stroke stage configured to move the object table relative to the electron optics system and a long stroke stage configured to move the short stroke stage relative to the electron optics system. The e-beam apparatus further comprises a magnetic shield to shield the electron optics system from a magnetic disturbance generated by the positioning device. The magnetic shield may be arranged between the positioning device and the electron optics system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Paul Hempenius, Sven Antoin Johan Hol, Maarten Frans Janus Kremers, Henricus Martinus Johannes Van De Groes, Niels Johannes Maria Bosch, Marcel Koenraad Marie Baggen