Patents by Inventor Joseph Cramer

Joseph Cramer 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).

  • Patent number: 10151985
    Abstract: A method including determining one or more statistical features from data obtained from a lithography process, a lithography apparatus, a substrate processed by the lithography process or the lithography apparatus, wherein determining the one or more statistical features does not include reconstructing a characteristic of the lithography process, of the lithography apparatus, or of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Remco Dirks, Seyed Iman Mossavat, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer
  • Publication number: 20180335704
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for measuring a target formed on a substrate. The target includes an alignment structure and a metrology structure. In one method, a first measurement process is performed that includes illuminating the target with first radiation and detecting radiation resulting from scattering of the first radiation from the target. A second measurement process includes illuminating the target with second radiation and detecting radiation resulting from scattering of the second radiation from the target. The first measurement process detects a position of the alignment structure. The second measurement process uses the position of the alignment structure detected by the first measurement process to align a radiation spot of the second radiation onto a desired location within the metrology structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventor: Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER
  • Patent number: 10132763
    Abstract: An inspection method determines values of profile parameters of substrate patterns. A baseline substrate with a baseline pattern target (BP) is produced that has a profile described by profile parameters, for example CD (median critical dimension), SWA (side wall angle) and RH (resist height). Scatterometry is used to obtain first and second signals from first and second targets. Values of differential pattern profile parameters are calculated using a Bayesian differential cost function based on a difference between the baseline pupil and the perturbed pupil and dependence of the pupil on pattern profile parameters. For example, the difference is measured between a baseline process and a perturbed process for stability control of a lithographic process. Fed-forward differential stack parameters are also calculated from observations of stack targets on the same substrates as the pattern targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Robert John Socha, Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans, Jean-Pierre Agnes Henricus Marie Vaessen
  • Publication number: 20180173113
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a characteristic of illumination from a metrology apparatus, the method comprising: using the metrology apparatus to acquire a pupil image at different focus settings of the metrology apparatus; and calculating an asymmetry value for each acquired pupil image; wherein each pupil image is acquired on at least one edge of a target of a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jolanda Theodora Josephina SCHMETZ-SCHAGEN, Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER, Armand Eugene Albert KOOLEN, Bastiaan Onne FAGGINGER AUER
  • Patent number: 9977340
    Abstract: Diffraction models and scatterometry are used to reconstruct a model of a microscopic structure on a substrate. A plurality of candidate structures are defined, each represented by a plurality of parameters (p1, p2, etc.)). A plurality of model diffraction signals are calculated by simulating illumination of each of the candidate structures. The structure is reconstructed by fitting one or more of the model diffraction signals to a signal detected from the structure. In the generation of the candidate structures, a model recipe is used in which parameters are designated as either fixed or variable. Among the variable parameters, certain parameters are constrained to vary together in accordance with certain constraints, such as linear constraints. An optimized set of constraints, and therefore an optimized model recipe, is determined by reference to a user input designating one or more parameters of interest for a measurement, and by simulating the reconstruction process reconstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Maria Johanna Hendrika Aben, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Noelle Martina Wright, Ruben Alvarez Sanchez, Martijn Jaap Daniel Slob
  • Publication number: 20180129140
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring a parameter of interest relating to a structure on a substrate, and associated metrology apparatus. The method comprises determining a correction to compensate for the effect of a measurement condition on a measurement signal from a plurality of measurement signals, wherein each of said measurement signals results from a different measurement of the structure performed under a different variation of said measurement condition. The correction is then used in a reconstruction of a mathematical model of said structure to suppress an influence of variations of said measurement condition on the reconstruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER, Bastiaan Onne Fagginger Auer
  • Patent number: 9964853
    Abstract: A method of determining exposure dose of a lithographic apparatus used in a lithographic process on a substrate. Using the lithographic process to produce a first structure on the substrate, the first structure having a dose-sensitive feature which has a form that depends on exposure dose of the lithographic apparatus on the substrate. Using the lithographic process to produce a second structure on the substrate, the second structure having a dose-sensitive feature which has a form that depends on the exposure dose of the lithographic apparatus but which has a different sensitivity to the exposure dose than the first structure. Detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the first and second structures with radiation to obtain first and second scatterometer signals. Using the first and second scatterometer signals to determine an exposure dose value used to produce at least one of the first and second structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Clement Paul Vanoppen, Eric Jos Anton Brouwer, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Jan Hendrik Den Besten, Adrianus Franciscus Petrus Engelen, Paul Christiaan Hinnen
  • Patent number: 9952517
    Abstract: A method of determining exposure dose of a lithographic apparatus used in a lithographic process on a substrate, the method comprising the steps: (a) receiving a substrate comprising first and second structures produced using the lithographic process; (b) detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the first structure with radiation to obtain a first scatterometer signal; (c) detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the second structure with radiation to obtain a second scatterometer signal; (d) using the first and second scatterometer signals to determine an exposure dose value used to produce said first and second structures wherein the first structure has a first periodic characteristic with spatial characteristics and yet at least another second periodic characteristic with spatial characteristics designed to be affected by the exposure dose and the second structure has a first periodic characteristic with spatial characteristics and yet at least another second periodic characteristic with sp
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Alok Verma, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer
  • Publication number: 20180059883
    Abstract: A digital learning environment method and system includes a display module that is configured to be divided into plural information areas, and plural input modules, connected to the display module, and configured to obtain user inputs. A processor is connected to the plural input modules and the display module, and is configured to receive and display in real-time, inputs from the users corresponding to the plural input modules. The processor is also configured to allow the users to collaborate in real-time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Allan S. Frankel, Michael W. Leonard, Terri Christensen Frankel, Joshua Proulx, Cynthia Schutt Malhinha, Daniel Joseph Cramer, John D. Duce
  • Patent number: 9760018
    Abstract: Methods and inspection apparatus and computer program products for assessing a quality of reconstruction of a value of a parameter of interest of a structure, which may be applied for example in metrology of microscopic structures. It is important the reconstruction provides a value of a parameter of interest (e.g. a CD) of the structure which is accurate as the reconstructed value is used to monitor and/or control a lithographic process. This is a way of assessing a quality of reconstruction (803) of a value of a parameter of interest of a structure which does not require the use of a scanning electron microscope, by predicting (804) values of the parameter of interest of structures using reconstructed values of parameters of structures, and by comparing (805) the predicted values of the parameter of interest and the reconstructed values of the parameter of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Seyed Iman Mossavat, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Willem Jan Grootjans, Adriaan Johan Van Leest
  • Publication number: 20170256465
    Abstract: A method of determining overlay of a patterning process, the method including: illuminating a substrate with a radiation beam such that a beam spot on the substrate is filled with one or more physical instances of a unit cell, the unit cell having geometric symmetry at a nominal value of overlay; detecting primarily zeroth order radiation redirected by the one or more physical instances of the unit cell using a detector; and determining, by a hardware computer system, a non-nominal value of overlay of the unit cell from values of an optical characteristic of the detected radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Adriaan Johan VAN LEEST, Anagnostis TSIATMAS, Paul Christiaan HINNEN, Elliott Gerard McNAMARA, Alok VERMA, Thomas THEEUWES, Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER
  • Publication number: 20170255738
    Abstract: A method of configuring a parameter determination process, the method including: obtaining a mathematical model of a structure, the mathematical model configured to predict an optical response when illuminating the structure with a radiation beam and the structure having geometric symmetry at a nominal physical configuration; using, by a hardware computer system, the mathematical model to simulate a perturbation in the physical configuration of the structure of a certain amount to determine a corresponding change of the optical response in each of a plurality of pixels to obtain a plurality of pixel sensitivities; and based on the pixel sensitivities, determining a plurality of weights for combination with measured pixel optical characteristic values of the structure on a substrate to yield a value of a parameter associated with change in the physical configuration, each weight corresponding to a pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Adriaan Johan VAN LEEST, Anagnostis TSIATMAS, Paul Christiaan HINNEN, Elliott Gerard McNAMARA, Alok VERMA, Thomas THEEUWES, Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER
  • Publication number: 20170255112
    Abstract: A metrology target includes: a first structure arranged to be created by a first patterning process; and a second structure arranged to be created by a second patterning process, wherein the first structure and/or second structure is not used to create a functional aspect of a device pattern, and wherein the first and second structures together form one or more instances of a unit cell, the unit cell having geometric symmetry at a nominal physical configuration and wherein the unit cell has a feature that causes, at a different physical configuration than the nominal physical configuration due to a relative shift in pattern placement in the first patterning process, the second patterning process and/or another patterning process, an asymmetry in the unit cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Adriaan Johan VAN LEEST, Anagnostis TSIATMAS, Paul Christiaan HINNEN, Elliott Gerard McNAMARA, Alok VERMA, Thomas THEEUWES, Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER, Maria Isabel DE LA FUENTE VALENTIN, Koen VAN WITTEVEEN, Martijn Maria ZAAL, Shu-jin WANG
  • Publication number: 20170255737
    Abstract: A method of determining a parameter of a patterning process, the method including: obtaining a detected representation of radiation redirected by a structure having geometric symmetry at a nominal physical configuration, wherein the detected representation of the radiation was obtained by illuminating a substrate with a radiation beam such that a beam spot on the substrate was filled with the structure; and determining, by a hardware computer system, a value of the patterning process parameter based on optical characteristic values from an asymmetric optical characteristic distribution portion of the detected radiation representation with higher weight than another portion of the detected radiation representation, the asymmetric optical characteristic distribution arising from a different physical configuration of the structure than the nominal physical configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Adriaan Johan VAN LEEST, Anagnostis Tsiatmas, Paul Christiaan Hinnen, Elliott Gerard McNamara, Alok Verma, Thomas Theeuwes, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer
  • Publication number: 20170255736
    Abstract: A method of determining overlay of a patterning process, the method including: obtaining a detected representation of radiation redirected by one or more physical instances of a unit cell, wherein the unit cell has geometric symmetry at a nominal value of overlay and wherein the detected representation of the radiation was obtained by illuminating a substrate with a radiation beam such that a beam spot on the substrate was filled with the one or more physical instances of the unit cell; and determining, from optical characteristic values from the detected radiation representation, a value of a first overlay for the unit cell separately from a second overlay for the unit cell that is also obtainable from the same optical characteristic values, wherein the first overlay is in a different direction than the second overlay or between a different combination of parts of the unit cell than the second overlay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Adriaan Johan VAN LEEST, Anagnostis Tsiatmas, Paul Christiaan Hinnen, Elliott Gerard McNamara, Alok Verma, Thomas Theeuwes, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer
  • Publication number: 20170176869
    Abstract: A method including determining one or more statistical features from data obtained from a lithography process, a lithography apparatus, a substrate processed by the lithography process or the lithography apparatus, wherein determining the one or more statistical features does not include reconstructing a characteristic of the lithography process, of the lithography apparatus, or of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Remco Dirks, Seyed Iman Mossavat, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer
  • Publication number: 20170160074
    Abstract: A method including obtaining measurement results of a device manufacturing process or a product thereof, obtaining sets of one or more values of one or more parameters of a distribution by fitting the distribution against the measurement results, respectively, and obtaining, using a computer, a set of one or more values of one or more hyperparameters of a hyperdistribution by fitting the hyperdistribution against the sets of values of the parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Seyed Iman MOSSAVAT, Remco DIRKS, Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER
  • Publication number: 20170059999
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: 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: 20170010541
    Abstract: A method of determining edge placement error within a structure produced using a lithographic process, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a substrate comprising a first structure produced using the lithographic process, the first structure comprising first and second layers, each of the layers having first areas of electrically conducting material and second areas of non-electrically conducting material; (b) receiving a target signal indicative of a first target relative position which is indicative of a target position of edges between the first areas and the second areas of the first layer relative to edges between the first areas and second areas of the second layer in the first structure during said lithographic process; (c) detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the first structure with optical radiation to obtain a first signal; and (d) ascertaining an edge placement error parameter on the basis of the first signal and the first target relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Seyed Iman MOSSAVAT, Hugo Augustinus Joseph CRAMER, Maurits VAN DER SCHAAR
  • Patent number: 9436099
    Abstract: In order to determine whether an exposure apparatus is outputting the correct dose of radiation and its projection system is focusing the radiation correctly, a test pattern is used on a mask for printing a specific marker onto a substrate. This marker is then measured by an inspection apparatus, such as a scatterometer, to determine whether there are errors in focus and dose and other related properties. The test pattern is configured such that changes in focus and dose may be easily determined by measuring the properties of a pattern that is exposed using the mask. The test pattern may be a 2D pattern where physical or geometric properties, e.g., pitch, are different in each of the two dimensions. The test pattern may also be a one-dimensional pattern made up of an array of structures in one dimension, the structures being made up of at least one substructure, the substructures reacting differently to focus and dose and giving rise to an exposed pattern from which focus and dose may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Christian Marinus Leewis, Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Marcus Adrianus Van De Kerkhof, Johannes Anna Quaedackers, Christine Corinne Mattheus