Metrology apparatus for measuring a structure formed on a substrate by a lithographic process, lithographic system, and method of measuring a structure formed on a substrate by a lithographic process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10067426-B2
Application number	US-201715683126-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2017
Priority date	Aug 23, 2016
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

Metrology apparatus and methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, a metrology apparatus comprises an optical system that illuminates a structure with measurement radiation and detects the measurement radiation scattered by the structure. The optical system comprises an array of lenses that focuses the scattered measurement radiation onto a sensor. A dispersive element directs scattered measurement radiation in each of a plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A metrology apparatus for measuring a structure formed on a substrate by a lithographic process, the metrology apparatus comprising:
an optical system configured to illuminate the structure with measurement radiation and detect the measurement radiation scattered by the structure, the optical system comprising:
an array of lenses configured to focus the scattered measurement radiation onto a sensor; and
a dispersive element configured to direct scattered measurement radiation in each of a plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses.

2. The metrology apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array of lenses is located in a plane that pupil plane images of the structure are formed.

3. The metrology apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a filter system configured to prevent scattered measurement radiation from being incident on the array of lenses in such a way that a pupil plane image overlaps any two of the lenses in the array of lenses.

4. The metrology apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the filter system comprises an array of bandpass filters aligned with the array of lenses.

5. The metrology apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a diameter of pupil plane images formed at the array of lenses is 25%-50% of the diameter of each lens of the array of lenses.

6. The metrology apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment actuator configured to adjust a position, an orientation, or a position and orientation, of either or both of the array of lenses and the dispersive element, in order to selectively switch from a first alignment state to a second alignment state, wherein:
in the first alignment state scattered measurement radiation in each of a first plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands is directed exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses; and
in the second alignment state scattered measurement radiation in each of a second plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands is directed exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses, the first plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands being different than the second plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands.

7. The metrology apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the alignment actuator is configured to adjust an orientation of the dispersive element by rotating the dispersive element.

8. The metrology apparatus of claim 6 , comprising:
a filter system configured to prevent scattered measurement radiation from being incident on the array of lenses in such a way that a pupil plane image overlaps any two or more of the lenses in the array of lenses; and
a filter system actuator configured to modify operation of the filter system in response to a switch from the first alignment state to the second alignment state by the alignment actuator.

9. The metrology apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the modification of operation of the filter system comprises changing an alignment of an array of bandpass filters relative to the array of lenses.

10. The metrology apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the modification of operation of the filter system comprises replacing a first array of bandpass filters with a second array of bandpass filters.

11. The metrology apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an optical wedge element configured to spatially separate radiation originating from different diffraction orders in the scattered measurement radiation, such that radiation from different diffraction orders is detected in different respective non-overlapping regions on the sensor.

12. The metrology apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a radiation source configured to illuminate the structure with measurement radiation comprising the plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands and not comprising any wavelength band in between any pair of the plurality of the non-overlapping wavelength bands that would cause a pupil plane image to overlap any two of the lenses in the array of lenses.

13. A lithographic system comprising:
a lithographic apparatus configured to perform a lithographic process; and
the metrology apparatus measuring a structure formed on a substrate by the lithographic process, the metrology apparatus comprising:
an optical system configured to illuminate the structure with measurement radiation and detect the measurement radiation scattered by the structure, the optical system comprising:
an array of lenses configured to focus the scattered measurement radiation onto a sensor; and
a dispersive element configured to direct scattered measurement radiation in each of a plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses, wherein:

the lithographic apparatus is arranged to use the result of a measurement by the metrology apparatus of a structure formed by the lithographic process when performing a subsequent lithographic process.

14. A method of measuring a structure formed on a substrate by a lithographic process, comprising:
illuminating the structure with measurement radiation comprising at least a plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands;
spectrally dispersing the measurement radiation, using a dispersive element, after scattering of the measurement radiation by the structure in order to direct scattered measurement radiation from each of the plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands exclusively onto a different respective lens of an array of lenses; and
detecting radiation from each lens of the array of lenses onto respective portions of a sensor.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
adjusting a position, an orientation, or a position and orientation, of either or both of the array of lenses and the dispersive element, in order to selectively switch from a first alignment state to a second alignment state, wherein:
in the first alignment state, scattered measurement radiation in each of a first plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands is directed exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses; and
in the second alignment state, scattered measurement radiation in each of a second plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands is directed exclusively onto a different respective lens of the array of lenses, the first plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands being different to the second plurality of non-overlapping wavelength bands.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
preventing, using a filter system, scattered measurement from radiation being incident on the array of lenses in such a way that a pupil plane image overlaps any two of the lenses in the array of lenses; and
modifying operation of the filter system in response to the switch from the first alignment state to the second alignment state.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the modification of operation of the filter system comprises changing an alignment of an array of bandpass filters relative to the array of lenses.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the modification of operation of the filter system comprises replacing a first array of bandpass filters with a second array of bandpass filters.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising spatially separating radiation originating from different diffraction orders in the scattered measurement radiation, such that radiation from different diffraction orders is detected in different non-overlapping regions on the sensor.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the structure is ill

Assignees

• Asml Netherlands Bv

Inventors

• Pandey Nitesh

Classifications

• G03F7/70633 Primary

  Overlay, i.e. relative alignment between patterns printed by separate exposures in different layers, or in the same layer in multiple exposures or stitching · CPC title

• G03F7/70625

  Dimensions, e.g. line width, critical dimension [CD], profile, sidewall angle or edge roughness · CPC title

• G01J1/0488

  with spectral filtering · CPC title

• G03F7/70191

  Optical correction elements, filters or phase plates for controlling intensity, wavelength, polarisation, phase or the like · CPC title

• G01N21/9505

  Wafer internal defects, e.g. microcracks · CPC title