Method for generating a mathematical model for positioning individual mirrors of a facet mirror in an optical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12164102-B2
Application number	US-202117524080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2021
Priority date	May 13, 2019
Publication date	Dec 10, 2024
Grant date	Dec 10, 2024

Abstract

A method for generating a mathematical model (MM) for positioning individual mirrors ( 204, 204 ′) of a facet mirror ( 200 ) in an optical system ( 500 ), e.g. in a lithography apparatus ( 100 A, 100 B). The method includes: a) providing (S 701 ) target positions (SP) of the individual mirrors ( 204, 204 ′) with an adjustment unit ( 502 ), b) capturing (S 702 ) actual measurement positions (MI) of the individual mirrors ( 204, 204 ′) with a measuring device ( 508 ), which is embodied as an interferometer, deflectometer and/or camera, and c) generating (S 705 ) a mathematical model (MM) for positioning the individual mirrors ( 204, 204 ′) based on the captured actual measurement positions (MI) and the target positions (SP). In step c), a difference (EA) is formed (S 703 ) between a respective actual measurement position (MI) and a respective target position (SP) and the mathematical model (MM) is generated (S 705 ) based on the difference (EA) formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for an optical system, the optical system comprising:
a facet mirror with individual mirrors,
actuators which are configured to position the individual mirrors in accordance with manipulated variables,
sensors which are configured to capture sensor actual positions of the individual mirrors,
an adjustment unit which is configured to provide intended positions of the individual mirrors, and
a controller unit which is configured to provide the manipulated variables in accordance with the provided intended positions and the captured sensor actual positions, and
the method comprising:
a) providing the intended positions of the individual mirrors with the adjustment unit,
b) capturing measurement actual positions of the individual mirrors with a measuring device,
c) generating a mathematical model for positioning the individual mirrors in accordance with the captured measurement actual positions and the intended positions,
wherein a difference between a respective measurement actual position and a respective intended position is formed in said step c) and the mathematical model is generated in accordance with the difference formed, and
d) positioning the individual mirrors of the facet mirror in accordance with the mathematical model.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring device comprises at least one of an interferometer, a deflectometer and a camera.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises at least two components, and wherein said step c) comprises inputting an interaction between the at least two components into the mathematical model.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the interaction is crosstalk.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least two components comprise at least one of: two sensors, two actuators, one actuator and one sensor, and electrical and/or optical connections or components of the sensors or actuators.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a plurality of respective types of the individual mirrors, and wherein said step c) comprises inputting properties of only the individual mirrors of the same respective type into the mathematical model and/or properties of actuators and/or sensors assigned to the individual mirrors of the same respective type.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the properties include an orientation of and/or a distance of the individual mirrors of the same respective type or of the actuators and/or the sensors assigned to the individual mirrors of the same respective type.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said step c) comprises generating the mathematical model iteratively.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said step c) comprises generating the mathematical model through a numerical process.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the numerical process comprises a method of least squares.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring device captures the measurement actual positions optically.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor actual positions, the measurement actual positions and the intended positions are relative angular positions of the individual mirrors.

13. A method for an optical system, the optical system comprising:
a facet mirror with individual mirrors,
actuators which are configured to position the individual mirrors in accordance with manipulated variables,
sensors which are configured to capture sensor actual positions of the individual mirrors,
an adjustment unit which is configured to provide intended positions of the individual mirrors, and
a controller unit which is configured to provide the manipulated variables in accordance with the provided intended positions, the captured sensor actual positions and a mathematical model,
the method comprising:
a) providing the intended positions of the individual mirrors with the adjustment unit,
b) capturing the sensor actual positions of the individual mirrors with the sensors,
c) providing the manipulated variables in accordance with the provided intended positions, the captured sensor actual positions and the mathematical model with the control unit, and
d) positioning the individual mirrors of the facet mirror in accordance with the mathematical model.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the intended positions provided by the adjustment unit are calibrated with the mathematical model to provide calibrated intended positions, and wherein the controller unit provides the manipulated variables in accordance with the calibrated intended positions and the captured sensor actual positions.

15. An optical system, comprising:
a facet mirror with individual mirrors,
actuators which are configured to position the individual mirrors in accordance with manipulated variables,
sensors which are configured to capture sensor actual positions of the individual mirrors,
an adjustment unit which is configured to provide intended positions of the individual mirrors, and
a controller unit which is configured to provide the manipulated variables in accordance with the provided intended positions, the captured sensor actual positions and a mathematical model, wherein the mathematical model is generated as according to the method claimed in claim 1 .

16. A lithography apparatus, comprising an optical system as claimed in claim 15 .

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Kretzschmar Norman
• Mueller Ulrich
• Holz Markus

Classifications

• G03F7/7085

  Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load · CPC title

• G03F7/705

  Modelling or simulating from physical phenomena up to complete wafer processes or whole workflow in wafer productions · CPC title

• G03F7/70141 Primary

  Illumination system adjustment, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of illumination system · CPC title

• G03F7/70075 Primary

  Homogenization of illumination intensity in the mask plane by using an integrator, e.g. fly's eye lens, facet mirror or glass rod, by using a diffusing optical element or by beam deflection · CPC title

• G02B27/0012

  Optical design, e.g. procedures, algorithms, optimisation routines · CPC title