Patents Assigned to ASML Netherlands
  • Publication number: 20220342316
    Abstract: Described herein is a method of training a model configured to predict whether a feature associated with an imaged substrate will be defective after etching of the imaged substrate and determining etch conditions based on the trained model. The method includes obtaining, via a metrology tool, (i) an after development image of the imaged substrate at a given location, the after development image including a plurality of features, and (ii) an after etch image of the imaged substrate at the given location; and training, using the after development image and the after etch image, the model configured to determine defectiveness of a given feature of the plurality of features in the after development image. In an embodiment, the determining of defectiveness is based on comparing the given feature in the after development image with a corresponding etch feature in the after etch image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marleen KOOIMAN, Maxim PISARENCO, Abraham SLACHTER, Mark John MASLOW, Bernardo Andres OYARZUN RIVERA, Wim Tjibbo TEL, Ruben Cornelis MAAS
  • Publication number: 20220342228
    Abstract: A system includes a radiation source and a phased array. The phased array includes optical elements, waveguides and phase modulators. The phased array generates a beam of radiation. The optical elements radiate radiation waves. The waveguides guide radiation from the radiation source to the optical elements. The phase modulators adjust phases of the radiation waves such that the radiation waves accumulate to form the beam. An amount of incoherence of the beam is based on randomization of the phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicants: ASML Netherlands B.V., ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Irwan Dani SETIJA, Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF, Mohamed SWILLAM, Arjan Johannes Anton BEUKMAN
  • Patent number: 11480884
    Abstract: A method for improving the yield of a lithographic process, the method including: determining a parameter fingerprint of a performance parameter across a substrate, the parameter fingerprint including information relating to uncertainty in the performance parameter; determining a process window fingerprint of the performance parameter across the substrate, the process window being associated with an allowable range of the performance parameter; and determining a probability metric associated with the probability of the performance parameter being outside an allowable range. Optionally a correction to the lithographic process is determined based on the probability metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Everhardus Cornelis Mos, Jochem Sebastiaan Wildenberg, Erik Johannes Maria Wallerbos, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Frank Staals, Franciscus Hendricus Arnoldus Elich
  • Patent number: 11480882
    Abstract: A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate using a lithographic projection having an illumination system and projection optics, the method including: (1) obtaining a simulation model that models projection of radiation by the projection optics, wherein the simulation model models an effect of an obscuration in the projection optics, and configuring, based on the model, the portion of the patterning device pattern, and/or (2) obtaining a simulation model that models projection of radiation by the projection optics, wherein the simulation model models an anamorphic demagnification of radiation by the projection optics, and configuring, based on the model, the portion of the patterning device pattern taking into account an anamorphic manufacturing rule or anamorphic manufacturing rule ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu
  • Patent number: 11482399
    Abstract: A system and method for advanced charge control of a light beam is provided. The system comprising a laser source comprising a laser diode for emitting a beam and a beam homogenizer to homogenize the emitted beam. The system and methods further comprise a beam shaper configured to shape the emitted beam using an anamorphic prism group and a driver configured to direct the shaped beam to a specified position on a wafer, wherein the laser source, the beam shaper, and the driver are coaxially aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jian Zhang, Qing Jiu Chen, Yixiang Wang
  • Publication number: 20220334497
    Abstract: Disclosed is a detection apparatus for a metrology device operable to measure a parameter of interest from scattered radiation having been scattered from a sample. The detection device comprises a detector comprising an array of pixels. The array of pixels comprises imaging pixels for detecting an image from which the parameter of interest is determined, and direction detecting pixels for detecting the angle of incidence of said scattered radiation on said detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Nitesh PANDEY
  • Patent number: 11476085
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element. The detector comprises a switching element configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yongxin Wang, Zhonghua Dong, Rui-Ling Lai
  • Patent number: 11476077
    Abstract: A stage apparatus for an e-beam inspection apparatus comprising: an object table (3) comprising an supporting surface, the object table configured to support a substrate (190) on the supporting surface; a positioning device (180) configured to a position the object table; a position measurement system (5) comprising a position sensor (8-10) configured to measure a height position of the object table parallel to a first axis, the first axis being substantially perpendicular to the supporting surface, the position sensor comprising an interferometer measurement system having an interferometer sensor (9, 10, 22), wherein a measurement beam (11, 15) of the interferometer sensor is configured to irradiate a reflective surface (13, 17) of the object table in a measurement direction, the measurement direction having a first component parallel to the first axis and a second component parallel to a second axis, the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marcel Koenraad Marie Baggen, Wouter Onno Pril, Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch
  • Patent number: 11474438
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus for inspecting an object such as a pellicle for use in an EUV lithographic apparatus, the inspection apparatus including: a vacuum chamber; a load lock forming an interface between the vacuum chamber and an ambient environment; and a stage apparatus configured to receive the object from the load lock and displace the object inside the vacuum chamber, wherein the vacuum chamber includes a first parking position and a second parking position for temporarily storing the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Pawel Safinowski, Derk Servatius Gertruda Brouns
  • Patent number: 11474435
    Abstract: Disclosed is an illumination system for delivering incoherent radiation to a metrology sensor system. Also disclosed is an associated metrology system and method. The illumination system comprises a spatial filter system for selective spatial filtering of a beam of said incoherent radiation outside of a module housing of the metrology sensor system. At least one optical guide is provided for guiding the spatially filtered beam of incoherent radiation to the metrology sensor system, the at least one optical guide being such that the radiation guided has a substantially similar output angle as input angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Sebastianus Adrianus Goorden, Simon Reinald Huisman, Sergei Sokolov
  • Patent number: 11474436
    Abstract: A method for tuning a target apparatus of a patterning process. The method includes obtaining a reference performance, and measurement data of a substrate subjected to the patterning process at the target apparatus, the measurement data indicative of a performance of the target apparatus; determining a cause of a performance mismatch based on a difference between the reference performance and the performance of the target apparatus, wherein the cause includes an optical characteristic; and responsive to the cause, adjusting an optical parameter associated with an adjustable optical characteristic to reduce the performance mismatch in the optical characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Bart Smeets, Anita Bouma, Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans, Birgitt Noelle Cornelia Liduine Hepp, Paulus Hubertus Petrus Koller, Carsten Andreas Köhler
  • Patent number: 11474440
    Abstract: Method of and apparatus for repairing an optical element disposed in a vacuum chamber while the optical element is in the vacuum chamber. An exposed surface of the optical element is exposed to an ion flux generated by an ion source to remove at least some areas of the surface that have been damaged by exposure to the environment within the vacuum chamber. The method and apparatus are especially applicable to repair multilayer mirrors serving as collectors in systems for generating EUV light for use in semiconductor photolithography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Alexander I. Ershov
  • Publication number: 20220328283
    Abstract: A sensor may be used to measure a degree of tilt of a sample. The sensor may include an apparatus having a light source, first, second, and third optical elements, a lens, and an aperture. The first optical element may supply light from the light source toward the sample, and may supply light input into the first optical element from the sample toward the second optical element. The second optical element may supply light toward first and second sensing elements. An aperture may be arranged on a focal plane of the lens. A light beam incident on the first sensing element may be a reference beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jinmei YANG, Jian ZHANG, Zhiwen KANG, Yixiang WANG
  • Publication number: 20220326623
    Abstract: In a lithographic process, product units such as semiconductor wafers are subjected to lithographic patterning operations and chemical and physical processing operations. Alignment data or other measurements are made at stages during the performance of the process to obtain object data representing positional deviation or other parameters measured at points spatially distributed across each unit. This object data is used to obtain diagnostic information by performing a multivariate analysis to decompose a set of vectors representing the units in the multidimensional space into one or more component vectors. Diagnostic information about the industrial process is extracted using the component vectors. The performance of the industrial process for subsequent product units can be controlled based on the extracted diagnostic information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander YPMA, Jasper MENGER, David DECKERS, David HAN, Adrianus Cornelis Matheus KOOPMAN, Irina LYULINA, Scott Anderson MIDDLEBROOKS, Richard Johannes Franciscus VAN HAREN, Jochem Sebastiaan WILDENBERG
  • Publication number: 20220326152
    Abstract: A high harmonic generation assembly and method for generating high harmonic radiation. The assembly comprises a cavity configured to receive input radiation and increase the intensity of the input radiation inside the cavity for forming drive radiation suitable for use in high harmonic generation. The assembly further comprises an interaction region within the cavity at which, in use, a medium is present, the medium being configured to generate harmonic radiation by high harmonic generation when the drive radiation is incident thereupon, and an optical assembly configured to direct the drive radiation to pass through the interaction region, and comprising an output coupler comprising an aperture through which at least a part of the generated harmonic radiation is able to exit the cavity. The optical assembly is further configured to shape the drive radiation into a converging hollow beam before the drive radiation passes through the interaction region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Adrianus Johannes Hendrikus SCHELLEKENS, David O'DWYER, Nan LIN, Gerrit Jacobus Hendrik BRUSSAARD
  • Patent number: 11467339
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a radiation source. In one arrangement, the radiation source includes an optical fiber that is hollow, and has an axial direction, a gas that fills the hollow of the optical fiber, and a plurality of temperature setting devices disposed at respective positions along the axial direction of the optical fiber, wherein the temperature setting devices are configured to control the temperature of the gas to locally control the density of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik Sabert, Patrick Sebastian Uebel
  • Patent number: 11469076
    Abstract: An improved system and method for inspection of a sample using a particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, to systems and methods of scanning a sample with a plurality of charged particle beams. An improved method of scanning an area of a sample using N charged particle beams, wherein Nis an integer greater than or equal to two, and wherein the area of the sample comprises a plurality of scan sections of N consecutive scan lines, includes moving the sample in a first direction. The method also includes scanning, with a first charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, first scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the first charged particle beam. The method further includes scanning, with a second charged particle beam of the N charged particle beams, second scan lines of at least some scan sections of the plurality of scan sections moving towards a probe spot of the second charged particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Martinus Gerardus Maria Johannes Massen, Joost Jeroen Ottens, Long Ma, Youfei Jiang, Weihua Yin, Wei-Te Li, Xuedong Liu
  • Patent number: 11466980
    Abstract: A lithographic process is used to form a plurality of target structures distributed at a plurality of locations across a substrate and having overlaid periodic structures with a number of different overlay bias values distributed across the target structures. At least some of the target structures comprising a number of overlaid periodic structures (e.g., gratings) that is fewer than said number of different overlay bias values. Asymmetry measurements are obtained for the target structures. The detected asymmetries are used to determine parameters of a lithographic process. Overlay model parameters including translation, magnification and rotation, can be calculated while correcting the effect of bottom grating asymmetry, and using a multi-parameter model of overlay error across the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Maurits Van Der Schaar, Kaustuve Bhattacharyya, Hendrik-Jan Hidde Smilde
  • Patent number: 11469074
    Abstract: Systems and methods of enhancing imaging resolution by reducing crosstalk between detection elements of a secondary charged-particle detector in a multi-beam apparatus are disclosed. The multi-beam apparatus may comprise an electro-optical system for projecting a plurality of secondary charged-particle beams from a sample onto a charged-particle detector. The electro-optical system may include a first pre-limit aperture plate comprising a first aperture configured to block peripheral charged-particles of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams, and a beam-limit aperture array comprising a second aperture configured to trim the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams. The charged-particle detector may include a plurality of detection elements, wherein a detection element of the plurality of detection elements is associated with a corresponding trimmed beam of the plurality of secondary charged-particle beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Weiming Ren, Xuerang Hu, Qingpo Xi, Xuedong Liu
  • Patent number: 11467486
    Abstract: A catalyst including: a first layer including a transition metal; a base layer; and an interlayer, wherein the interlayer is disposed between the base layer and the first layer is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for preparing a catalyst as well as for synthesizing graphene, a pellicle produced using the catalyst or methods disclosed herein, as well as a lithography apparatus including such a pellicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Evgenia Kurganova, Adrianus Johannes Maria Giesbers, Alexander Ludwig Klein, Maxim Aleksandrovich Nasalevich, Arnoud Willem Notenboom, Mária Péter, Pieter-Jan Van Zwol, David Ferdinand Vles, Sten Vollebregt, Willem-Pieter Voorthuijzen