Distortion Introducing Or Rectifying Patents (Class 355/52)
  • Patent number: 10205119
    Abstract: A laser packaging method and a manufacturing method of a display panel are provided. The laser packaging method includes placing a first substrate (2) on a platform (1), and arranging a glass frit in a packaging region of the first substrate (2); cell-assembling a second substrate (3) and the first substrate (2); and pre-heating the first substrate (2) and the second substrate (3) which are cell-assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiji Fujino, Wei Cui, Xiaohu Wang, Rui Hong
  • Patent number: 10181413
    Abstract: A laser crystallization apparatus includes a laser generator that generates a laser beam including a plurality of line beams that are parallel to each other. An optical system includes a plurality of lenses and mirrors, wherein the optical system optically converts the generated laser beam to a converted laser beam. A chamber includes a stage and a substrate disposed on the stage, wherein a laser-crystallized thin film is formed on the substrate when the substrate is irradiated by the converted laser beam. A line focus adjuster that adjusts a line focus and a final focus of the plurality of line beams passing through the optical system, wherein the substrate is irradiated by the plurality of line beams at the final focus of the plurality of line beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chung Hwan Lee, Hong Ro Lee
  • Patent number: 10168620
    Abstract: The illumination optical system for illuminating an illumination target surface with light from a light source is provided with a polarization converting member which converts a polarization state of incident light to form a pupil intensity distribution in a predetermined polarization state on an illumination pupil of the illumination optical system; and a phase modulating member which is arranged in the optical path on the illumination target surface side with respect to the polarization converting member and which transmits light from the pupil intensity distribution so as to convert linearly polarized light thereof polarized in a first direction, into required elliptically polarized light and maintain a polarization state of linearly polarized light polarized in a second direction (X-direction or Y-direction) obliquely intersecting with the first direction, in order to reduce influence of retardation caused by a subsequent optical system between the polarization converting member and the illumination targe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 10107910
    Abstract: An in-flight detection system includes a camera mounted to a platform aircraft configured to define a field of regard containing a target aircraft. A lidar system is mounted to the platform aircraft and is configured to continuously scan the field of regard defined by the camera. The lidar system determines position data between the platform aircraft and the target aircraft. A controller is operatively connected to the camera and the lidar system and is configured to activate the lidar system after the camera defines the field of regard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: James B. Johnson, Michael C. Marden, Ian P. Humphrey
  • Patent number: 10095120
    Abstract: A vibration-compensated optical system for a lithography apparatus includes an optical element, a carrying element, an actuator for actuating the optical element relative to the carrying element, a first elastic element which directly couples the optical element to the carrying element, a reaction mass, and a second elastic element. The actuator couples the optical element to the reaction mass. The second elastic element directly couples the reaction mass to the carrying element. For a mass (m1) of the optical element, a stiffness (k1) of the first elastic element, a mass (m2) of the reaction mass and a stiffness (k2) of the second elastic element the following holds true: m 1 m 2 = k 1 k 2 .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Yim-Bun Patrick Kwan, Tim Groothuijsen
  • Patent number: 10088756
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a support structure configured to be moved by a first scan distance during a single scanning operation when supporting a patterning device having a first extent in the scanning direction and to be moved by a second scan distance during a single scanning operation when supporting a patterning device having a second extent in the scanning N direction, and a substrate table configured to be moved by a third scan distance during a single scanning operation when the support structure supports a patterning device having the first extent in the scanning direction and to be moved by a fourth scan distance during a single scanning operation when the support structure supports a patterning device having the second extent in the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Sander Kerssemakers, Wilhelmus Petrus De Boeij, Gerben Frank De Lange, Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam, Petrus Franciscus Van Gils, Jelmer MattheĆ¼s Kamminga, Jan Jaap Kuit, Carolus Johannes Catharina Schoormans
  • Patent number: 10073359
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with illumination light via a projection optical system, and includes a stage disposed below the projection optical system and holds the substrate; an encoder system in which one of a grating section and a head is provided at the stage and the other of the grating section and the head is provided at a frame member to be disposed above the stage, on a lower end side of the projection optical system, and irradiates the grating section with a measurement beam via the head and measures positional information of the stage with a plurality of the heads that face the grating section; and a controller coupled to the encoder system, that controls a drive system based on positional information measured with the encoder system while compensating for measurement error of the encoder system related to measurement direction of the positional information by the heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 10067428
    Abstract: A device manufacturing method develops a substrate that has been exposed with illumination light via a projection optical system. The exposing includes holding the substrate with a stage below the projection optical system; in an encoder system in which one of a grating section and a head is provided at the stage and the other of the grating section and the head is provided at a frame member to be disposed above the stage, on a lower end side of the projection optical system, and which irradiates the grating section with a measurement beam via the head, measuring positional information of the stage with a plurality of the heads that face the grating section; moving the stage based on the positional information measured with the encoder system while compensating for a measurement error of the encoder system related to a measurement direction of the positional information by the heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 10061206
    Abstract: A projection lens images a pattern of a mask arranged in the region of an object plane of the projection lens into an image plane of the projection lens via electromagnetic radiation with a work wavelength ?<260 nm. The projection lens has a multiplicity of optical elements with optical surfaces. The projection lens also has a wavefront manipulation system for controllable influencing of the wavefront of the projection radiation travelling from the object plane to the image plane. The wavefront manipulation system has a manipulator having a manipulator element and an actuating device or reversibly changing an optical effect of the manipulator element on radiation of the projection beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Boris Bittner, Norbert Wabra, Sonja Schneider, Ricarda Schoemer
  • Patent number: 10048604
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lithography system. The lithography system includes a radiation source for providing radiation energy; a reticle stage configured to hold a reticle; an imaging lens module configured to direct the radiation energy onto a substrate to form an image of the reticle; and a leveling sensor configured to receive a leveling signal from an exposure field of the reticle secured on the reticle stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Li-Jui Chen
  • Patent number: 10025200
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes a deformable optical element for the correction of wavefront aberrations. Actuating units for the deformation of the optical element are in mechanical contact with the optical element by way of contact regions. The contact regions are arranged in a regular or irregular arrangement outside an optically active region of the optical element. There are contact regions lying closest to the optically active region and remote contact regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Pascal Marsollek, Johannes Lippert, Jasper Wesselingh, Sascha Bleidistel
  • Patent number: 10018918
    Abstract: A projection objective having a number of adjustable optical elements is optimized with respect to a number of aberrations by specifying a set of parameters describing imaging properties of the objective, each parameter in the set having an absolute value at each of a plurality of field points in an image plane of the projection objective. At least one of the optical elements is adjusted such that for each of the parameters in the set, the field maximum of its absolute value is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Emer
  • Patent number: 9939734
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a photolithography apparatus (100) and method for controlling relative image size (S1/S0) of a projected substrate pattern (W). A projection system (10) is arranged for projecting an image of a mask pattern (M) as the substrate pattern (W) onto a substrate (6), wherein the projection system (10) comprises an adjustment lens (13) moveable in a range (Xmin,Xmax) encompassing a central position (X0) for controlling a relative image size (S1/S0). The projection system (10) is arranged to project the mask pattern (M) onto the adjustment lens (13) such that, when the adjustment lens (13) is positioned at the central position (X0), an apparent mask pattern (M?) from a point of view of the adjustment lens (13) appears to be at a distance (2*F) from the adjustment lens (13) that is twice a focal length (F) of the adjustment lens (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: KULICKE & SOFFA LITEQ B.V.
    Inventor: Donald Charles Dilworth
  • Patent number: 9933704
    Abstract: A microlithography illumination optical system is used to guide illumination light from a primary light source to an object field. A mirror array of the illumination optical system has a plurality of individual mirrors, which can be tilted independently of one another by actuators and are connected to associated tilting actuators. A controller is used to activate the actuators. A raster module of the illumination optical system has a plurality of raster elements to produce a spatially distributed arrangement of secondary light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Patent number: 9933710
    Abstract: A projection exposure method for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate with at least one image of a pattern of a mask in a projection exposure apparatus includes using an anamorphic projection lens
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Andre, Daniel Golde, Toralf Gruner, Johannes Ruoff
  • Patent number: 9933706
    Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a spatial light modulator which varies an intensity distribution in a pupil surface. The modulator includes an array of mirrors that reflect impinging projection light into directions that depend on control signals applied to the mirrors. A prism, which directs the projection light towards the spatial light modulator, has a double pass surface on which the projection light impinges twice, namely a first time when leaving the prism and before it is reflected by the mirrors, and a second time when entering the prism and after it has been reflected by the mirrors. A pupil perturbation suppressing mechanism is provided that reduces reflections of projection light when it impinges the first time on the double pass surface, and/or prevents that light portions being a result of such reflections contribute to the intensity distribution in the pupil surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Deguenther, Damian Fiolka, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler
  • Patent number: 9927719
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method for overlay sampling. The method provides a number of fields over a semiconductor wafer surface. An inner subgroup of the number of fields includes fields in a central region of the wafer surface. An outer subgroup of the number of fields includes neighboring fields near a circumferential edge of the wafer surface. The method measures a first number of overlay conditions at a corresponding first number of overlay structures within a field of the inner subgroup. The method also measures a second number of overlay conditions at a corresponding second number of overlay structures within a field of the outer subgroup. The second number is greater than the first number. Based on the measured first number of overlay conditions and the measured second number of overlay conditions, the method determines an alignment condition for two or more layers on the semiconductor wafer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Yao Lee, Ying-Ying Wang
  • Patent number: 9919479
    Abstract: In a method for printing a three-dimensional (3D) parts with an additive manufacturing system, a developed layer of an electrically charged powder material is produced on a transfer medium using an electrophotographic (EP) engine. The transfer medium and the developed layer are fed in a feed direction. A position of the developed layer on the transfer medium is detected using a first sensor having a first output that indicates the position. A position of a moveable build platform is adjusted relative to the transfer medium to reduce one or more overlay errors between the developed layer and an intermediate build surface of a three-dimensional structure retained on the moveable build platform based on the first output. The developed layer is transferred to the intermediate build surface using a pressing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: James Baecker, J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Patent number: 9885964
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a compartment configured to receive the substrate table; a thermal conditioning unit arranged to receive a substrate to be exposed and thermally condition the substrate; and a transfer system for transferring a thermally conditioned substrate to the substrate table, wherein the substrate table and the thermal conditioning unit are arranged inside the compartment of the lithographic apparatus, at least during a transfer of the thermally conditioned substrate from the thermal conditioning unit to the substrate table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Steven Christiaan Westerlaken, Rob Jansen, Erik Vervoort
  • Patent number: 9829800
    Abstract: Aberrations of a projection lens for microlithography can be subdivided into two classes: a first class of aberrations, which are distinguished by virtue of the fact that their future size increases by a non-negligible value after a constant time duration, independently of their current size, and a second class of aberrations, which, after reaching a threshold, only increase by a negligible value after each further time duration. An adjustment method is proposed, which adjusts these two classes of aberrations in parallel in time with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Boris Bittner, Norbert Wabra, Martin von Hodenberg, Sonja Schneider, Ricarda Schoemer, Ruediger Mack
  • Patent number: 9823579
    Abstract: A method for improving imaging properties of an optical system and an optical system of this type having improved imaging properties are described. The optical system can have a plurality of optical elements. In some embodiments, an optical element is positioned and/or deformed by mechanical force action and by thermal action. In certain embodiments, one optical element is positioned and/or deformed by mechanical force action and another optical element is deformed by thermal action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Olaf Conradi
  • Patent number: 9804488
    Abstract: A system for the fabrication of patterned miniature structures, such integrated circuits, includes a continuous, flexible substrate that is transported by rollers to a series of processing stations. To ensure proper alignment amongst the various stations, the substrate is provided with at least one fiducial that is raised above its top surface a height that maximizes optical contrast when viewed interferometrically. At least one processing station includes an optical device that is capable of both interferometrically identifying the fiducial for alignment purposes and subsequently illuminating the substrate with a modifiable light pattern as part of a photolithographic process. Fiducials can also be used to identify gross geometric variances in the substrate caused by external factors, such as heat and moisture. In turn, a web adjustment element can be used to apply selective heat or tension to the substrate in order to correct such geometric variances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CARPE DIEM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: John S. Berg
  • Patent number: 9773298
    Abstract: A system and a method for processing multi-linear image data by measuring a relative oscillatory motion from a first-imaged array of the multi-linear optical array to a second-imaged array of the multi-linear optical array as a first function in time domain via image correlation; transforming the first function from the time domain to a second function in frequency domain; converting real and the imaginary parts of the second function to polar coordinates to generate a magnitude and a phase; correcting the polar coordinates from the second function in the frequency domain to generate a third function; converting the third function to rectangular coordinates to generate a fourth function in the frequency domain; and transforming the fourth function from the frequency domain to a fifth function in the time domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Jody D. Verret, Corey Collard, Erich Hefner
  • Patent number: 9766538
    Abstract: A pellicle frame and a pellicle made with it is proposed in which at least one pair of the side bars of the frame are made to have a deflection (bow) which has an amount or a distance of displacement measured at the middle point of the side bar accounting for 0.01 through 1% of the length of the respective side bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Sekihara
  • Patent number: 9760019
    Abstract: A method for controlling a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes: determining a wavefront error of the projection exposure apparatus; generating a travel vector, suitable for correcting the wavefront error, with travels for each zone of the optical manipulator; establishing a constraint parameter with respect to the travel for at least one zone of the optical manipulator; and checking the travels of the generated travel vector with respect to implementability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Boris Bittner, Holger Walter
  • Patent number: 9709791
    Abstract: Method and system for imaging tissue, including (i) causing a macroscopic image of a tissue surface to be displayed on a visual display; (ii) receiving a selection of at least one portion of the macroscopic image; (iii) causing a plurality of confocal images captured by a confocal imager at different depths in a portion of the tissue to be displayed; (iv) receiving a selection of at least one target depth image; and (v) for each selected target depth image, instructing the confocal imager to capture a plurality of additional images at different locations and at a common depth with the target depth image. A system for imaging tissue having a macroscopic display module; a first selection module; a confocal display module; a second selection module; and an instruction module for instructing a confocal imager to capture a plurality of images at different locations over a selected region of the tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: LUCID, INC.
    Inventor: Paul Hemmer
  • Patent number: 9709896
    Abstract: Illumination system for a lithographic projection exposure step-and-scan apparatus comprising a light source, a pupil shaping unit, a field defining unit, a first lens array, a first slit array, a second lens array, a third lens array, a second slit array, a fourth lens array, a condenser lens, and a scanning drive unit sequentially arranged along the light beam propagation direction. The illumination system reduces requirements on lens processing, slit scanning speed, and slit scanning precision, therefore may be implemented more easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Shanghai Institute of Optics And Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Aijun Zeng, Liqun Chen, Ruifang Fang, Huijie Huang
  • Patent number: 9688027
    Abstract: A method and system for printing a three-dimensional part, which includes rotating a transfer belt with a developed layer, scanning the developed layer on the rotating transfer belt, pressing the developed layer into contact with an intermediate build surface of the three-dimensional part retained on a moveable build platform, scanning the pressed layer on the three-dimensional part, comparing the scanned layers to detect an overlay error, and adjusting a position of the moveable build platform relative to the transfer belt to reduce the overlay error for a subsequent developed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Samuel Batchelder, Zeiter Farah
  • Patent number: 9690189
    Abstract: Provided are a mask blank substrate which has effectively and extremely high principal surface flatness while a reduction in the manufacturing throughput of the mask blank substrate is suppressed, a mask blank, and a transfer mask. Also provided are manufacturing methods therefor. A virtual reference surface that becomes an optically effective flat reference surface defined by a Zernike polynomial which is composed of only terms in which the order of a variable related to a radius is the second or lower order, and includes one or more terms in which the order of the variable related to the radius is the second order is set, and a mask blank substrate satisfying the condition that data (PV value) relating to the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the difference data between the reference surface and the measured shape of the mask blank substrate is one-eighth or less of an exposure wavelength (A) is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaru Tanabe
  • Patent number: 9632039
    Abstract: Metrology targets are formed on a substrate (W) by a lithographic process. A target (T) comprising one or more grating structures is illuminated with spatially coherent radiation under different conditions. Radiation (650) diffracted by from said target area interferes with reference radiation (652) interferes with to form an interference pattern at an image detector (623). One or more images of said interference pattern are captured. From the captured image(s) and from knowledge of the reference radiation a complex field of the collected scattered radiation at the detector. A synthetic radiometric image (814) of radiation diffracted by each grating is calculated from the complex field. From the synthetic radiometric images (814, 814?) of opposite portions of a diffractions spectrum of the grating, a measure of asymmetry in the grating is obtained. Using suitable targets, overlay and other performance parameters of the lithographic process can be calculated from the measured asymmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen, Nitesh Pandey, Stefan Michiel Witte, Kjeld Eikema
  • Patent number: 9599911
    Abstract: A temperature adjusting apparatus of a mask substrate according to an embodiment is used in a mask drawing apparatus drawing a desired pattern by irradiating a charged particle beam to a mask substrate after a temperature of the mask substrate is adjusted in advance. The temperature adjusting apparatus includes a supporting member supporting the mask substrate; and first and second temperature adjusting plates facing each other with sandwiching the supporting member, the plates having a plurality of first and second regions respectively, and each temperatures of the first and second regions being capable to be independently adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9594309
    Abstract: Provided is a method of characterizing photolithography lens quality. The method includes selecting an overlay pattern having a first feature with a first pitch and a second feature with a second pitch different than the first pitch, performing a photolithography simulation to determine a sensitivity coefficient associated with the overlay pattern, and providing a photomask having the overlay pattern thereon. The method also includes exposing, with a photolithography tool, a wafer with the photomask to form the overlay pattern on the wafer, measuring a relative pattern placement error of the overlay pattern formed on the wafer, and calculating a quality indicator for a lens in the photolithography tool using the relative pattern placement error and the sensitivity coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Guo-Tsai Huang, Chih-Ming Ke
  • Patent number: 9581813
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving the imaging properties of a micro lithography projection objective, wherein the projection objective has a plurality of lenses between an object plane and an image plane, a first lens of the plurality of lenses being assigned a first manipulator for actively deforming the lens, the first lens being deformed for at least partially correcting an aberration, at least one second lens of the plurality of lenses furthermore being assigned at least one second manipulator, and the second lens being deformed in addition to the first lens. Furthermore, a method is described for selecting at least one lens of a plurality of lenses of a projection objective as actively deformable element, and a projection objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf Conradi, Heiko Feldmann, Gerald Richter, Sascha Bleidistel, Andreas Frommeyer, Toralf Gruner, Wolfgang Hummel
  • Patent number: 9568844
    Abstract: A drive unit drives a wafer table in a Y-axis direction based on a measurement value of an encoder that measures position information of the wafer table in the Y-axis direction and based on known correction information in accordance with position information of the wafer table in a non-measurement direction (e.g. Z, ?z and ?x directions) that is measured by an interferometer at the time of the measurement by the encoder. That is, the wafer table (a movable body) is driven in the Y-axis direction based on the measurement value of the encoder that has been corrected by correction information for correcting a measurement error of the encoder that is caused by a relative displacement of a head and a scale in the non-measurement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 9563131
    Abstract: A method uses a lithographic apparatus to form an inspection target structure upon a substrate. The method comprises forming the periphery of the inspection target structure so as to provide a progressive optical contrast transition between the inspection target structure and its surrounding environment. This may be achieved by providing a progressive change in the optical index at the periphery of the target structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Richard Quintanilha
  • Patent number: 9563134
    Abstract: An optical system illuminating a surface to be illuminated includes a wavefront splitting type integrator configured to split the wavefront of incident light to form a plurality of light sources on the exit surface side, and an optical element whose surface is polished in a scanning direction using a polishing tool. The optical element is disposed between the wavefront splitting type integrator and the surface to be illuminated, and has a direction indicating portion indicating the scanning direction. The arrangement direction of the plurality of light sources in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical system is non-parallel to the scanning direction indicated by the direction indicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 9551926
    Abstract: The present invention provides a determination method of determining exposure conditions of an exposure apparatus including an illumination optical system which illuminates a mask, and a projection optical system which projects a pattern of the mask onto a substrate, the method including a step of setting an illumination parameter for a light intensity distribution formed on a pupil plane of the illumination optical system, and an aberration parameter for an aberration of the projection optical system, and a step of determining a value of the illumination parameter and a value of the aberration parameter so that an image performance of an optical image of the pattern of the mask satisfies an evaluation criterion set for a target pattern to be formed on an image plane of the projection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Gyoda, Koji Mikami, Kouichirou Tsujita
  • Patent number: 9529269
    Abstract: A field manipulator to provide high resolution control of position in the XY plane and/or focus control. The field manipulator includes a plate located between the patterning device and the substrate. Control of the XY position is provided by tilting of the plate, while control of the focus position may be provided by localized deformation of the plate. Both adjustments may be performed by one or more actuators that act upon one or more edges of the plate. In an embodiment, two substantially parallel plates are provided and focus control can be provided by changing the spacing between them. A liquid may be provided between the plates which may be temperature controlled to adjust the focus by changing the refractive index of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans, Erik Roelof Loopstra
  • Patent number: 9423698
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates an object with illumination light. The apparatus includes a birefringent member having different thicknesses of a birefringent material at different incidence positions such that illumination light incident on the birefringent member in a first linear polarization state having a single polarization direction is in a second linear polarization state on a pupil plane, the second linear polarization state having a polarization direction being substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naomasa Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 9389517
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus is equipped with an encoder system which measures positional information of a wafer stage by irradiating a measurement beam using four heads installed on the wafer stage on a scale plate which covers the movement range of the wafer stage except for the area right under a projection optical system. Placement distances of the heads here are each set to be larger than width of the opening of the scale plates, respectively. This allows the positional information of the wafer stage to be measured, by switching and using the three heads facing the scale plate out of the four heads according to the position of the wafer stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 9366973
    Abstract: A substrate support is provided for a lithographic apparatus. The support comprises a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate and a chuck for the substrate table. In operation, the substrate table is supported by the chuck and clamped thereto. The substrate support comprises a first set of burls on a surface of the support block for abutting against the substrate table during the clamping and a second set of burls on a surface of the substrate table for abutting against the support block during the clamping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: David Christopher Ockwell, Noud Jan Gilissen
  • Patent number: 9348235
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus projects an image of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system. The exposure apparatus includes: a prediction unit configured to predict an imaging characteristic fluctuation of the projection optical system which is caused by thermal action due to exposure, by using a model formula modeling the imaging characteristic fluctuation; and a correction unit configured to correct the imaging characteristic based on a prediction result obtained by the prediction unit. The model formula includes a composition of a plurality of functions modeling the imaging characteristic fluctuation and indicating a time dependency, each of the plurality of functions having an exposure-angle-of-view dependency and the exposure-angle-of-view dependencies of the plurality of functions being different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Hoshino
  • Patent number: 9316925
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the source symmetry of a photolithography system is provided. The method includes providing a first reticle; and providing a second reticle. The method also includes forming first bottom overlay alignment marks on a first wafer using the first reticle; and forming first top overlay alignment marks on the first bottom overlay alignment marks using the second reticle. Further, the method includes forming second bottom overlay alignment marks on a second wafer using the first reticle; and forming second top overlay alignment marks on the second bottom overlay alignment marks using the second reticle. Further, the method also include measuring a first overlay shift; measuring a second overlay shift; and obtaining an overlay shift caused by the source asymmetry based on the first overlay shift and the second overlay shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION
    Inventor: Boxiu Cai
  • Patent number: 9310695
    Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus including a projection device including an object whose at least one of a position, an attitude and a shape is regulatable, and configured to project light from a reticle onto a substrate, a regulating device configured to regulate the at least one of the position, the attitude and the shape of the object, and a controller configured to obtain, an amount of regulation of the object by the regulating device, the amount of regulation being used for regulating a first optical characteristic value of the projection device expressed by a square root of a weighted square sum of wavefront aberration coefficients of light projected by the projection device, and to control the regulating device based on the amount of regulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Youzou Fukagawa, Yoshimi Takano, Satoshi Kubo
  • Patent number: 9305884
    Abstract: An overlay mark applied to a LELE-type double patterning lithography (DPL) process including a first lithography step, a first etching step, a second lithography step and a second etching step in sequence is described. The overlay mark includes a first x-directional pattern and a first y-directional pattern of a previous layer, second x-directional and y-directional patterns of a current layer defined by the first lithography step, and third x-directional and y-directional patterns of the current layer defined by the second lithography step. The second x-directional patterns and the third x-directional patterns are arranged alternately beside the first x-directional pattern. The second y-directional patterns and the third y-directional patterns are arranged alternately beside the first y-directional pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Teng-Chin Kuo, Yi-Ting Chen
  • Patent number: 9304391
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus and an optical member wherein impurities can be prevented from infiltrating between microlens arrays and a substrate, and microlenses can be prevented from being scratched by the impurities and by getting abnormally close to the substrate. Microlens arrays in which pluralities of microlenses are formed are arranged above a transparent substrate, and the microlens arrays are bonded and the end surfaces to a mask. Alignment mark supports are bonded to the mask at both sides of the microlens arrays, and alignment marks are formed in the surfaces of the alignment mark supports that face the substrate. The spaces between the alignment mark supports and the substrate are smaller than the spaces between the microlens arrays and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: V TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michinobu Mizumura, Toshinari Arai
  • Patent number: 9304077
    Abstract: Ghost reflections in a catadioptric scatterometer objective are excluded from an angle-resolved spectrum measurement by using a partial pupil for illumination and for the measurement excluding the area of the pupil plane that has been illuminated. Ghost reflections are reflected back into same point in the pupil plane. The ghost reflections do not interfere with the signal in the non-illuminated area of the pupil plane. An illumination system provides a beam of electromagnetic radiation to illuminate a first area in an illumination pupil plane of the objective. The objective is arranged as to illuminate the substrate with the beam of electromagnetic radiation. The illumination pupil plane is the back projected image of the pupil plane of the objective and is also imaged into the measurement pupil plane at the back focal plane of the objective, via auxiliary optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Lucas Henricus Johannes Stevens, Arno Jan Bleeker
  • Patent number: 9298097
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography which includes an illumination system for illuminating a pattern, and a projection objective for imaging the pattern onto a light-sensitive substrate. The projection objective has a pupil plane with an obscuration. The illumination system generates light with an angular distribution having an illumination pole which extends over a range of polar angles and a range of azimuth angles and within which the light intensity is greater than an illumination pole minimum value. From the illumination pole toward large polar angles a dark zone is excluded within which the light intensity is less than the illumination pole minimum value, and which has in regions a form corresponding to the form of the obscuration of the pupil plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Bienert, Heiko Feldmann, Aksel Goehnermeier, Oliver Natt, Johannes Ruoff
  • Patent number: 9298102
    Abstract: A projection lens for imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane of the projection lens into an image plane of the projection lens via electromagnetic radiation having an operating wavelength ?<260 nm has a multiplicity of optical elements having optical surfaces which are arranged in a projection beam path between the object plane (OS) and the image plane. Provision is made of a wavefront manipulation system for dynamically influencing the wavefront of the projection radiation passing from the object plane to the image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Heiko Feldmann
  • Patent number: 9244367
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus is equipped with an encoder system which measures positional information of a wafer stage by irradiating a measurement beam using four heads installed on the wafer stage on a scale plate which covers the movement range of the wafer stage except for the area right under a projection optical system. Placement distances of the heads here are each set to be larger than width of the opening of the scale plates, respectively. This allows the positional information of the wafer stage to be measured, by switching and using the three heads facing the scale plate out of the four heads according to the position of the wafer stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki