Method and system for determining initial contact control values for shaping partial fields and method and system for shaping partial fields

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12235587-B2
Application number	US-202318127074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2023
Priority date	Mar 28, 2023
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A system and method for shaping a film on a partial field which may include determining a set of initial contact control values based on: a superset of calibration data; a desired initial contact point; and a partial field shape description. The system and Method may also include imprinting the partial field with the set of initial contact control values.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of imprinting a partial field comprising:
determining a set of initial contact control values using an initial contact point model for predicting a potential initial contact point based on:
a superset of calibration data;
a desired initial contact point; and
a partial field shape description;

wherein the initial contact point model is one of:
a linear regression for predicting the potential initial contact point based on potential initial contact control values;
a state-vector regression for predicting the potential initial contact point based on potential initial contact control values; and
a neural network regression for predicting the potential initial contact point based on potential initial contact control values; and

imprinting the partial field with the set of initial contact control values.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of initial contact control values comprises:
a template cavity pressure applied to a portion of a template during initial contact of the template with formable material on a substrate;
a substrate pressure applied to a portion of the substrate during initial contact of the template with formable material on the substrate; and
a tilt of the template relative to the substrate during initial contact of the template with formable material on the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , each element of the superset of calibration data is a set that includes:
a test set of initial contact control values;
a measured initial contact point; and
a test partial field shape description.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the calibration data, wherein generating the calibration data comprises:
imprinting a plurality of test partial fields each test partial field among the plurality of partial fields having:
a measured initial contact point of the each test partial field;
a test partial field shape description; and
the set of initial contact control values of the each test partial field.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving an image of a template initially contacting formable material on a substrate;
measuring interference fringes in the image; and
estimating a center of the interference fringes as the measured initial contact point.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the partial field shape description comprises:
an azimuthal position of the partial field; and
an area of the partial field.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the partial field shape description further comprises a partial field category that is based on a shape of the partial field.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the set of initial contact control values comprises:
identifying a subset of the superset of calibration data that surround the partial field shape description and the desired initial contact point;
selecting a first potential set of initial contact control values within a control value range defined by the subset of the superset of calibration data; and
predicting the potential initial contact point using the initial contact point model and the first potential set of initial contact control values.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining of the set of initial contact control values further comprises:
estimating a first potential contact point difference between the potential initial contact point and the desired initial contact point; and
setting the first potential set of initial control values as the set of initial contact control values in a case wherein the first potential contact point difference in within a contact threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of the set of initial contact control values further comprises:
recursively selecting a new potential set of initial contact control values within the control value range defined by the subset of the superset of calibration data;
recursively predicting a new potential initial contact point using the initial contact point model and the new potential set of initial contact control values;
recursively estimating a new potential contact point difference between the new potential initial contact point and the desired initial contact point;
wherein the recursively selecting, recursively predicting, and recursively estimating are recursively performed until the new potential contact point difference is within the contact threshold; and
setting the new potential set of initial control values as the set of initial contact control values once the first potential contact point difference in within the contact threshold.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the set of initial contact control values comprises:
identifying a subset of the superset of calibration data that surround the partial field shape description and the desired initial contact point;
selecting a plurality of potential sets of initial contact control values within a control value range defined by the subset of the superset of calibration data;
predicting a plurality of potential initial contact points using the initial contact point model and the plurality of potential sets of initial contact control values;
estimating a plurality of potential contact point differences between the plurality of potential initial contact points and the desired initial contact point;
selecting a potential contact point difference from among the plurality of potential contact point differences that has a smallest absolute value; and
setting the first potential set of initial control values as the set of initial contact control values.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the partial field shape description includes an area of the partial field that is less than 30% of a full field area.

13. A method of shaping a film on a substrate in a plurality of fields, wherein a subset of fields among the plurality of fields that are categorized as the partial field are shaped using the method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
adjusting, after the initial contact, the control conditions so that the template contacts all of the formable material in the particular field with the template;
exposing the formable material under the template to actinic radiation after the template and the substrate are substantially parallel to each other; and
separating the template from the formable material.

14. A method of manufacturing an article, from a substrate on which a film was shaped according to the method of claim 13 , further comprising:
processing the substrate; and
forming the article from the processed substrate.

15. A system comprising:
one or more memory; and
one or more processors configured to:
determine a set of initial contact control values using an initial contact point model for predicting a potential initial contact point based on:
a superset of calibration data;
a desired initial contact point; and
a partial field shape description;

wherein the initial contact point model is one of:
a linear regression for predicting the potential initial contact point based on potential initial contact control values;
a state-vector regression for predicting the potential initial contact point based on potential initial contact control values; and
a neural network regression for predicting the potential initial contact point based on potential initial contact control values; and

send instructions for a shaping system to contact the formable material in the partial field with the set of initial contact control values.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ironside Daniel
• Simpson Logan L

Classifications

• G03F9/7042

  Alignment for lithographic apparatus using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping or imprinting (non-exposure lithographic processes per se G03F7/0002) · CPC title

• G03F7/70516 Primary

  Calibration of components of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. light sources, addressable masks or detectors · CPC title

• G03F7/0002 Primary

  Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping · CPC title