Patents by Inventor Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde
Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20230016664Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel, Christophe David Fouquet, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Xing Lan Liu, Johannes Marcus Maria Beltman, Andreas Fuchs, Omer Abubaker Omer Adam, Michael Kubis, Martin Jacobus Johan Jak
-
Patent number: 11526085Abstract: In a dark-field metrology method using a small target, a characteristic of an image of the target, obtained using a single diffraction order, is determined by fitting a combination fit function to the measured image. The combination fit function includes terms selected to represent aspects of the physical sensor and the target. Some coefficients of the combination fit function are determined based on parameters of the measurement process and/or target. In an embodiment the combination fit function includes jinc functions representing the point spread function of a pupil stop in the imaging system.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Bastiaan Onne Fagginger Auer, Davit Harutyunyan, Patrick Warnaar
-
Patent number: 11466980Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Maurits Van Der Schaar, Kaustuve Bhattacharyya, Hendrik-Jan Hidde Smilde
-
Patent number: 11428521Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2021Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Kaustuve Bhattacharyya, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel, Christophe David Fouquet, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Maurits Van der Schaar, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Xing Lan Liu, Johannes Marcus Maria Beltman, Andreas Fuchs, Omer Abubaker Omer Adam, Michael Kubis, Martin Jacobus Johan Jak
-
Patent number: 11392043Abstract: A method of determining an estimated intensity of radiation scattered by a target illuminated by a radiation source, has the following steps: obtaining and training (402) a library REFLIB of wavelength-dependent reflectivity as a function of the wavelength, target structural parameters and angle of incidence R(?,?,x,y); determining (408) a wide-band library (W-BLIB) of integrals of wavelength-dependent reflectivity R of the target in a Jones framework over a range of radiation source wavelengths ?; training (TRN) (410) the wide-band library; and determining (412), using the trained wide-band library, an estimated intensity (INT) of radiation scattered by the target illuminated by the radiation source.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Seyed Iman Mossavat, Remco Dirks, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde
-
Publication number: 20220057192Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria VAN BUEL, Christophe David FOUQUET, Hendrik Jan Hidde SMILDE, Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR, Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF, Richard Johannes Franciscus VAN HAREN, Xing Lan LIU, Johannes Marcus Maria BELTMAN, Andreas FUCHS, Omer Abubaker Omer ADAM, Michael KUBIS, Martin Jacobus Johan JAK
-
Patent number: 11204239Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2020Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Kaustuve Bhattacharyya, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel, Christophe David Fouquet, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Xing Lan Liu, Johannes Marcus Maria Beltman, Andreas Fuchs, Omer Abubaker Omer Adam, Michael Kubis, Martin Jacobus Johan Jak
-
Patent number: 11181828Abstract: Techniques for determining a value of a parameter of interest of a patterning process are described. One such technique involves obtaining a plurality of calibration data units from one or more targets in a metrology process. Each calibration data unit of at least two of the calibration data units represents detected radiation obtained using different respective polarization settings in the metrology process, each polarization setting defining a polarization property of incident radiation of the metrology process and of detected radiation of the metrology process. The calibration data units are used to obtain calibration information about the metrology process. A measurement data unit representing detected radiation scattered from a further target is obtained, the further target having a structure formed using the patterning process on the substrate or on a further substrate. A value of the parameter of interest is determined using the measurement data unit and the obtained calibration information.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Patrick Warnaar, Hilko Dirk Bos, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Mohammadreza Hajiahmadi, Lukasz Jerzy Macht, Karel Hendrik Wouter Van Den Bos, Sergei Sokolov, Lucas Tijn Kunneman
-
Patent number: 11092900Abstract: A substrate has first and second target structures formed thereon by a lithographic process. Each target structure has two-dimensional periodic structure formed in a single material layer on a substrate using first and second lithographic steps, wherein, in the first target structure, features defined in the second lithographic step are displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a first bias amount that is close to one half of a spatial period of the features formed in the first lithographic step, and, in the second target structure, features defined in the second lithographic step are displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a second bias amount close to one half of said spatial period and different to the first bias amount.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2019Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Maurits Van Der Schaar, Youping Zhang, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Anagnostis Tsiatmas, Adriaan Johan Van Leest, Alok Verma, Thomas Theeuwes, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Paul Christiaan Hinnen
-
Publication number: 20200379359Abstract: In a dark-field metrology method using a small target, a characteristic of an image of the target, obtained using a single diffraction order, is determined by fitting a combination fit function to the measured image. The combination fit function includes terms selected to represent aspects of the physical sensor and the target. Some coefficients of the combination fit function are determined based on parameters of the measurement process and/or target. In an embodiment the combination fit function includes jinc functions representing the point spread function of a pupil stop in the imaging system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Hendrik Jan Hidde SMILDE, Bastiaan Onne FAGGINGER AUER, Davit HARUTYUNYAN, Patrick WARNAAR
-
Publication number: 20200348125Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel, Christophe David Fouquet, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Xing Lan Liu, Johannes Marcus Maria Beltman, Andreas Fuchs, Omer Abubaker Omer Adam, Michael Kubis, Martin Jacobus Johan Jak
-
Patent number: 10739687Abstract: In a dark-field metrology method using a small target, a characteristic of an image of the target, obtained using a single diffraction order, is determined by fitting a combination fit function to the measured image. The combination fit function includes terms selected to represent aspects of the physical sensor and the target. Some coefficients of the combination fit function are determined based on parameters of the measurement process and/or target. In an embodiment the combination fit function includes jinc functions representing the point spread function of a pupil stop in the imaging system.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Bastiaan Onne Fagginger Auer, Davit Harutyunyan, Patrick Warnaar
-
Patent number: 10725386Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, and associated inspection apparatus. The method comprises measuring at least two target structures on a substrate using a plurality of different illumination conditions, the target structures having deliberate overlay biases; to obtain for each target structure an asymmetry measurement representing an overall asymmetry that includes contributions due to (i) the deliberate overlay biases, (ii) an overlay error during forming of the target structure and (iii) any feature asymmetry. A regression analysis is performed on the asymmetry measurement data by fitting a linear regression model to a planar representation of asymmetry measurements for one target structure against asymmetry measurements for another target structure, the linear regression model not necessarily being fitted through an origin of the planar representation. The overlay error can then be determined from a gradient described by the linear regression model.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2019Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Scott Anderson Middlebrooks, Niels Geypen, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Alexander Straaijer, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria Van Kraaij
-
Patent number: 10718604Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2019Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Kaustuve Bhattacharyya, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel, Christophe David Fouquet, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Xing Lan Liu, Johannes Marcus Maria Beltman, Andreas Fuchs, Omer Abubaker Omer Adam, Michael Kubis, Martin Jacobus Johan Jak
-
Publication number: 20200133140Abstract: Techniques for determining a value of a parameter of interest of a patterning process are described. One such technique involves obtaining a plurality of calibration data units from one or more targets in a metrology process. Each calibration data unit of at least two of the calibration data units represents detected radiation obtained using different respective polarization settings in the metrology process, each polarization setting defining a polarization property of incident radiation of the metrology process and of detected radiation of the metrology process. The calibration data units are used to obtain calibration information about the metrology process. A measurement data unit representing detected radiation scattered from a further target is obtained, the further target having a structure formed using the patterning process on the substrate or on a further substrate. A value of the parameter of interest is determined using the measurement data unit and the obtained calibration information.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Patrick WARNAAR, Hilko Dirk BOS, Hendrik Jan Hidde SMILDE, Mohammadreza HAJIAHMADI, Lukasz Jerzy MACHT, Karel Hendrik Wouter VAN DEN BOS, Sergei SOKOLOV, Lucas Tijn KUNNEMAN
-
Publication number: 20200073254Abstract: A substrate has first and second target structures formed thereon by a lithographic process. Each target structure has two-dimensional periodic structure formed in a single material layer on a substrate using first and second lithographic steps, wherein, in the first target structure, features defined in the second lithographic step are displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a first bias amount that is close to one half of a spatial period of the features formed in the first lithographic step, and, in the second target structure, features defined in the second lithographic step are displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a second bias amount close to one half of said spatial period and different to the first bias amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR, Youping ZHANG, Hendrik Jan Hidde SMILDE, Anagnostis TSIATMAS, Adriaan Johan VAN LEEST, Alok VERMA, Thomas THEEUWES, Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER, Paul Christiaan HINNEN
-
Publication number: 20200057386Abstract: A method of determining an estimated intensity of radiation scattered by a target illuminated by a radiation source, has the following steps: obtaining and training (402) a library REFLIB of wavelength-dependent reflectivity as a function of the wavelength, target structural parameters and angle of incidence R(?,?,x,y); determining (408) a wide-band library (W-BLIB) of integrals of wavelength-dependent reflectivity R of the target in a Jones framework over a range of radiation source wavelengths ?; training (TRN) (410) the wide-band library; and determining (412), using the trained wide-band library, an estimated intensity (INT) of radiation scattered by the target illuminated by the radiation source.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2019Publication date: February 20, 2020Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Seyed Iman MOSSAVAT, Remco DIRKS, Hendrik Jan Hidde SMILDE
-
Patent number: 10481503Abstract: A substrate has first and second target structures formed by a lithographic process. Each target structure has a two-dimensional periodic structure formed in a single layer using first and second lithographic steps. The first target structure has features defined in the second lithographic step displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a first bias amount. The second target structure has features defined in the second lithographic step displaced relative to features defined in the first lithographic step by a second bias amount. An angle-resolved scatter spectrum of the first target structure and an angle-resolved scatter spectrum of the second target structure is obtained. A measurement of a parameter of a lithographic process is derived from the measurements using asymmetry found in the scatter spectra of the first and second target structures.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Maurits Van Der Schaar, Youping Zhang, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Anagnostis Tsiatmas, Adriaan Johan Van Leest, Alok Verma, Thomas Theeuwes, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Paul Christiaan Hinnen
-
Publication number: 20190346256Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2019Publication date: November 14, 2019Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Kaustuve BHATTACHARYYA, Henricus Wilhelmus Maria VAN BUEL, Christophe David FOUQUET, Hendrik Jan Hidde SMILDE, Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR, Arie Jeffrey DEN BOEF, Richard Johannes Franciscus VAN HAREN, Xing Lan LIU, Johannes Marcus Maria BELTMAN, Andreas FUCHS, Orner Abubaker Orner ADAM, Michael KUBIS, Martin Jacobus Johan JAK
-
Publication number: 20190278190Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, and associated inspection apparatus. The method comprises measuring at least two target structures on a substrate using a plurality of different illumination conditions, the target structures having deliberate overlay biases; to obtain for each target structure an asymmetry measurement representing an overall asymmetry that includes contributions due to (i) the deliberate overlay biases, (ii) an overlay error during forming of the target structure and (iii) any feature asymmetry. A regression analysis is performed on the asymmetry measurement data by fitting a linear regression model to a planar representation of asymmetry measurements for one target structure against asymmetry measurements for another target structure, the linear regression model not necessarily being fitted through an origin of the planar representation. The overlay error can then be determined from a gradient described by the linear regression model.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Scott Anderson MIDDLEBROOKS, Niels GEYPEN, Hendrik Jan Hidde SMILDE, Alexander STRAAIJER, Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR, Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria VAN KRAAIJ