Abstract: A method of producing a marker on a substrate includes projecting a patterned beam on a layer of resist disposed on a substrate in a lithographic apparatus to create a latent marker; and locally heating the substrate at the marker location in the lithographic apparatus to transform the latent marker into a detectable marker.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the relative position of a first and a second alignment mark on a substrate. The first alignment mark comprises a periodic structure having a first portion with a first periodicity (PE1) and an adjacent second portion with a second periodicity (PE2). The second alignment mark (11) comprises a periodic structure having a first portion with the second periodicity (PE2) and an adjacent second portion with the first periodicity (PE1). The first and second alignment marks are arranged such that the first portions are substantially located one over the other and the second portions are substantially located one over the other. The method further comprises generating a Moiré pattern from the alignment marks and determining the relative positions of the first and second alignment marks based on the periodicity of the Moiré pattern.

Abstract: A method of producing a marker on a substrate includes projecting a patterned beam on a layer of resist disposed on a substrate in a lithographic apparatus to create a latent marker; and locally heating the substrate at the marker location in the lithographic apparatus to transform the latent marker into a detectable marker.

Abstract: A method of producing a marker on a substrate includes projecting a patterned beam on a layer of resist disposed on a substrate in a lithographic apparatus to create a latent marker; and locally heating the substrate at the marker location in the lithographic apparatus to transform the latent marker into a detectable marker.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus equipped with an improved alignment system, is presented herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a radiation system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a support structure for supporting a patterning device that configures the projection beam according to a desired pattern, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and an alignment system. The alignment system includes a radiation source for illuminating at least one mark which is usable for alignment on a substrate and an imaging system for imaging light which has interacted with the at least one mark to generate alignment information.

Abstract: An off-axis alignment system in a lithographic projection apparatus uses broadband radiation to illuminate a phase grating on the wafer. The broadband radiation source may include fluorescent materials, e.g. Yag:Ce or ND:Yag crystals illuminated by excitation light.

Abstract: In a method of measuring, in a lithographic manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, overlay between a resist layer, in which a mask pattern is to be imaged, and a substrate, use is made of an alignment-measuring device forming part of the apparatus and of specific overlay marks in the substrate and resist layer. These marks have periodic structures with periods which cannot be resolved by the alignment device, but generate an interference pattern having a period corresponding to the period of a reference mark of the alignment device.

Abstract: For determining the alignment of a substrate with respect to a mask, a substrate alignment mark, having a periodic structure, and an additional alignment mark, having a periodic structure and provided in a resist layer on top of the substrate, are used. Upon illumination of these two marks, having a period which is considerably smaller than that of a reference mark, an interference pattern is generated, which has a period corresponding to that of the reference mark. By measuring the movement of the interference pattern with respect to the refernce mark, the much smaller mutual movement of the fine alignment marks can be measured. In this way, the resolution and accuracy of a conventional alignment device can be increased considerably.

Abstract: A method of producing a marker on a substrate includes projecting a patterned beam on a layer of resist disposed on a substrate in a lithographic apparatus to create a latent marker; and locally heating the substrate at the marker location in the lithographic apparatus to transform the latent marker into a detectable marker.

Abstract: For determing the alignment of a substrate with respect to a mask, a substrate alignment mark, having a periodic structure, and an additional alignment mark, having a periodic structure and provided in a resist layer (RL) on top of the substrate, are used. Upon illumination of these two marks, having a period which is considerably smaller than that of a reference amrk, an interference pattern (Pb) is generated, which has a period corresponding to that of the reference mark. By measuring the movement of the interfernece pattern with respect to the reference mark, the much smaller mutual movement of the fine alignment marks can be measured. In this way, the resolution and accuracy of a convenitonal alignment device can be increased considerably.

Abstract: In a method of measuring, in a lithographic manufacturing process using a lithographic projeciton apparatus, overlay between a resist layer, in which a mask pattern is to be imaged, and a substrate, use is made of an alignment-measuring device forming part of the apparatus and of specific overlay marks in the substrate and resist layer. These marks have periodic structures with periods which cannot be resolved by the alignment device, but generate an interfernece pattern having a period corresponding to the period of a reference mark of the alignment device.

Abstract: For determining the alignment of a substrate with respect to a mask, a substrate alignment mark having a periodic structure, and an additional alignment mark, having a periodic structure and provided in a resist layer (RL) on top of the substrate, are used. Upon illumination of these two marks, having a period which is considerably smaller than that of a reference mark, an interference pattern (Pb) is generated, which has a period corresponding to that of the reference mark. By measuring the movement of the interference pattern with respect to the reference mark, the much smaller mutual movement of the fine alignment marks can be measured. In this way, the resolution and accuracy of a conventional alignment device can be increased considerably.

Abstract: In a method of measuring, in a lithographic manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, overlay between a resist layer, in which a mask pattern is to be imaged, and a substrate, use is made of an alignment-measuring device forming part of the apparatus and of specific overlay marks in the substrate and resist layer. These marks have periodic structures with periods which cannot be resolved by the alignment device, but generate an interference pattern having a period corresponding to the period of a reference mark of the alignment device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the relative position of a first and a second alignment mark on a substrate. The first alignment mark comprises a periodic structure having a first portion with a first periodicity (PE1) and an adjacent second portion with a second periodicity (PE2). The second alignment mark (11) comprises a periodic structure having a first portion with the second periodicity (PE2) and an adjacent second portion with the first periodicity (PE1). The first and second alignment marks are arranged such that the first portions are substantially located one over the other and the second portions are substantially located one over the other. The method further comprises generating a Moiré pattern from the alignment marks and determining the relative positions of the first and second alignment marks based on the periodicity of the Moiré pattern.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus equipped with an improved alignment system, is presented herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a radiation system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a support structure for supporting a patterning device that configures the projection beam according to a desired pattern, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and an alignment system. The alignment system comprises a radiation source for illuminating at least one mark which is usable for alignment on a substrate and an imaging system for imaging light which has interacted with the at least one mark to generate alignment information.

Abstract: An off-axis alignment system in a lithographic projection apparatus uses broadband radiation to illuminate a phase grating on the wafer. The broadband radiation source may include fluorescent materials, e.g. Yag:Ce or ND:Yag crystals illuminated by excitation light.

Abstract: An off-axis alignment system in a lithographic projection apparatus uses broadband radiation to illuminate a phase grating on the wafer. The broadband radiation source may include fluorescent materials, e.g. Yag:Ce or ND:Yag crystals illuminated by excitation light.

Abstract: An off-axis alignment system in a lithographic projection apparatus uses broadband radiation to illuminate a phase grating on the wafer. The broadband radiation source may include fluorescent materials, e.g. Yag:Ce or ND:Yag crystals illuminated by excitation light.

Abstract: In a method of measuring, in a lithographic manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, overlay between a resist layer (RL), in which a mask pattern (C) is to be imaged, and a substrate (W), use is made of an alignment-measuring device (AS1, AS2) forming part of the apparatus and of specific overlay marks (P10, P11) in the substrate and resist layer. These marks have periodic structures with periods (PE10, PE11) which cannot be resolved by the alignment device, but generate an interference pattern (Pb) having a period (PEb) corresponding to the period of a reference mark (M1; M2) of the alignment device.

Abstract: For determining the alignment of a substrate (W) with respect to a mask (MA), a substrate alignment mark (P10), having a periodic structure, and an additional alignment mark (P11), having a periodic structure and provided in a resist layer (RL) on top of the substrate, are used. Upon illumination of these two marks, having a period (PE10; PE11) which is considerably smaller than that of a reference mark (M1; M2), an interference pattern (Pb) is generated, which has a period (PEb) corresponding to that of the reference mark. By measuring the movement of the interference pattern with respect to the reference mark, the much smaller mutual movement of the fine alignment marks can be measured. In this way, the resolution and accuracy of a conventional alignment device can be increased considerably.