26248results about "Photomechanical apparatus" patented technology

An alignment system uses a self-referencing interferometer that produces two overlapping and relatively rotated images of an alignment markers. Detectors detect intensities in a pupil plane where Fourier transforms of the images are caused to interfere. The positional information is derived from the phase difference between diffraction orders of the two images which manifests as intensity variations in the interfered orders. Asymmetry can also be measured by measuring intensities at two positions either side of a diffraction order.

While a wafer stage linearly moves in a Y-axis direction, a multipoint AF system detects surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points that are set at a predetermined distance in an X-axis direction and also a plurality of alignment systems that are arrayed in a line along the X-axis direction detect each of marks at positions different from one another on the wafer. That is, detection of surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points and detection of the marks at positions different from one another on the wafer are finished, only by the wafer stage (wafer) linearly passing through the array of the plurality of detection points of the multipoint AF system and the plurality of alignment systems, and therefore, the throughput can be improved, compared with the case where a detection operation of the marks and a detection operation of the surface position information (focus information) are independently performed.

For angular resolved spectrometry a radiation beam is used having an illumination profile having four quadrants is used. The first and third quadrants are illuminated whereas the second and fourth quadrants aren't illuminated. The resulting pupil plane is thus also divided into four quadrants with only the zeroth order diffraction pattern appearing in the first and third quadrants and only the first order diffraction pattern appearing in the second and third quadrants.

A first embodiment of the present invention pertains to a method of patterning a semiconductor device conductive feature while permitting easy removal of any residual masking layer which remains after completion of the etching process. A multi-layered masking structure is used which includes a layer of high-temperature organic-based masking material overlaid by either a patterned layer of inorganic masking material or by a layer of patterned high-temperature imageable organic masking material. The inorganic masking material is used to transfer a pattern to the high-temperature organic-based masking material and is then removed. The high-temperature organic-based masking material is used to transfer the pattern and then may be removed if desired. This method is also useful in the pattern etching of aluminum, even though aluminum can be etched at lower temperatures. A second embodiment of the present invention pertains to a specialized etch chemistry useful in the patterning of organic polymeric layers such as low k dielectrics, or other organic polymeric interfacial layers. This etch chemistry is useful for mask opening during the etch of a conductive layer or is useful in etching damascene structures where a metal fill layer is applied over the surface of a patterned organic-based dielectric layer. The etch chemistry provides for the use of etchant plasma species which minimize oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine content.

A lithographic apparatus includes a displacement measuring system configured to measure the position of a substrate table in at least three degrees of freedom. The displacement measuring system includes a first x-sensor configured to measure the position of the substrate table in a first direction and a first and a second y-sensor configured to measure the position of the substrate table in a second direction. Said displacement measuring system further comprises a second x-sensor. The first and second x-sensor and first and second y-sensors are encoder type sensors configured to measure the position of each of the sensors with respect to at least one grid plate. The displacement measuring system is configured to selectively use, depending on the position of the substrate table, three of the first and second x-sensors and the first and second y-sensors to determine the position of the substrate table in three degrees of freedom.

Methods are disclosed for measuring target structures formed by a lithographic process on a substrate. A grating or other structure within the target is smaller than an illumination spot and field of view of a measurement optical system. The position of an image of the component structure varies between measurements, and a first type of correction is applied to reduce the influence on the measured intensities, caused by differences in the optical path to and from different positions. A plurality of structures may be imaged simultaneously within the field of view of the optical system, and each corrected for its respective position. The measurements may comprise first and second images of the same target under different modes of illumination and/or imaging, for example in a dark field metrology application. A second type of correction may be applied to reduce the influence of asymmetry between the first and second modes of illumination or imaging, for example to permit a more accurate overly measurement in a semiconductor device manufacturing process.

Provided is an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing method. The method includes receiving a design layout of an IC, the design layout having a main feature; performing a process correction to the main feature thereby generating a modified main feature; using a computer, generating a simulated contour of the modified main feature, the simulated contour having a plurality of points; generating a plurality of assistant data in computer readable format, wherein each assistant data includes at least one process performance factor associated with one of the points; and keeping the simulated contour and the assistant data for use by a further process stage, such as mask making, mask inspection, mask repairing, wafer direct writing, wafer inspection, and wafer repairing.

The present invention is directed to methods for patterning a substrate by imprint lithography. An imprint lithography method includes placing a curable liquid on a substrate. A template may be contacted with the curable liquid. Surface forces at the interface of the curable liquid and the template cause the curable liquid to gather in an area defined by a lower surface of the template. Alternately, the curable liquid may fill one or more relatively shallow recesses in the template and the area under the template lower surface. Activating light is applied to the curable liquid to form a patterned layer on the substrate.

A method and an apparatus for removing polymer from a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus utilized to remove polymer from a substrate includes a processing chamber having a chamber wall and a chamber lid defining a process volume, a substrate support assembly disposed in the processing chamber, a remote plasma source coupled to the processing chamber through an outlet port formed through the processing chamber, the outlet port having an opening pointing toward an periphery region of a substrate disposed on the substrate support assembly, and a substrate supporting surface of the substrate support assembly that substantially electrically floats the substrate disposed thereon relative to the substrate support assembly.

Method and apparatus for etching a metal layer disposed on a substrate, such as a photolithographic reticle, are provided. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a photolithographic reticle including positioning the reticle in a first orientation on a reticle support in a processing chamber, wherein the reticle comprises a metal photomask layer formed on an optically transparent substrate, and a patterned resist material deposited on the metal photomask layer, etching the metal photomask layer in the first orientation, positioning the reticle in at least a second orientation, and etching the metal photomask layer in the at least second orientation.

A method for forming a contact hole of a semiconductor device according to the present invention forms a contact hole which is defined as a new contact hole region (a second contact hole region), between spacers as well as a contact hole defined within the spacer (a first contact hole region) by a spacer patterning technology (SPT). The present invention with this method can help to form a fine contact hole as a double patterning is used, even with one mask.