公开(公告)号：US20240419088A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-19

申请号：US18719902

申请日：2022-11-25

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Akshay Dipakkumar HARLALKA ,  Muthukumaran LOGANATHAN ,  Eric Scott SLOAN ,  Bill CHANG ,  Santiago E. DEL PUERTO ,  Daniel Nathan BURBANK ,  Brandon Adam EVANS ,  Venkata Siva Chaithanya CHILLARA ,  Joseph George WIHBEY, III

IPC: G03F7/00

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer programs for providing a force opposed to inertial forces present on a patterning device during imaging operations of a photolithographic system include a means for providing coarse positioning of a pusher in combination with a short-stroke actuator and pushing tip configured to engage an edge of the patterning device. In an embodiment, the coarse positioning is provided by providing a guide along which the short-stroke actuator may be translated, and a locking mechanism is configured to selectively hold the actuator in place relative to the patterning device. In an embodiment, the coarse positioning is provided by a long-stroke actuator, for example an eccentric linear drive actuator.

公开(公告)号：US20240411230A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-12

申请号：US18700780

申请日：2022-09-15

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Benjamin Cunnegonda Henricus SMEETS ,  Bram peter Johan LINSSEN ,  Willem Arie ROOS ,  Mark Johannes Hermanus FRENCKEN

IPC: G03F7/00

Abstract: A fluid extraction system for a lithographic apparatus, the fluid extraction system configured to extract fluid that a fluid handling system, including a fluid handling structure, is arranged to supply along a flow path that includes a gap between an edge of a substrate and an edge of a surrounding structure of the substrate; and a controller arranged to control the flow rate of the fluid in the flow path in dependence on one or more selected from: a property of the substrate, a property of the fluid handling system, a property of the fluid handling structure, a property of the fluid extraction system, and/or the separation between the fluid handling structure and the fluid extraction system.

公开(公告)号：US12164125B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-10

申请号：US17600420

申请日：2020-03-06

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Han-Kwang Nienhuys ,  Sietse Thijmen Van Der Post

IPC: G02B5/18

Abstract: A grating is provided on a mirror for specularly reflecting and diffracting a grazing-incidence beam of radiation and has a periodic structure with a grating period comprising first (ridge) and second (trench) substructures either side of a sidewall 806 facing the incident beam 800. The ridge is configured to specularly reflect the beam from the flat top 808 of the ridge into a specularly reflected beam 810 in a zeroth-order direction β′=β. The grating is configured with fixed or varying pitch to diffract the beam from the grating periods in one or more non-zero-diffraction-order direction β′≠β. The shape of the trench may be is described by structural parameters top width and depth that define the aspect ratio of the trench. The shape is determined such that any rays (and optionally diffraction) of the beam that reflect once from the trench floor in the zeroth-order direction are obscured by the sidewall.

公开(公告)号：US20240402622A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-05

申请号：US18699654

申请日：2022-10-27

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Johannes Petrus Martinus Bernardus VERMEULEN ,  Johannes Adrianus Leonardus DE GOEIJ ,  René Wilhelmus Antonius Hubertus LEENAARS ,  Bas JANSEN ,  Ron Geeraard Catharina DE BRUIJN

IPC: G03F7/00 ,  F16F1/377 ,  F16F1/44

Abstract: A coupling having a variable stiffness is disclosed. The coupling includes: a deformable component and a support being movably arranged with respect to each other, wherein the deformable component includes a viscoelastic material, wherein the support has a recess configured to receive the deformable component, wherein the deformable component is configured to deform in volumetric deformation when, in use, a force is applied to the deformable component, and wherein a shape of the deformable component and a shape of the support are configured such that the variable stiffness gradually increases as a function of an amount of the force. A stage apparatus may have the coupling.

公开(公告)号：US12158706B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

申请号：US17624901

申请日：2020-06-04

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Marcus Adrianus Van de Kerkhof ,  Manish Ranjan

IPC: G03F7/00

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a substrate stage for supporting a structure in a compartment, the compartment having a compartment surface facing a top surface of the substrate in at least one operational configuration; and a soft coating on the compartment surface for capturing particles. A heat shield or component thereof for a lithographic apparatus, the heat shield or component thereof including a soft coating on at least one surface for capturing particles and a lithographic apparatus including such a heat shield.

公开(公告)号：US12158704B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

申请号：US17533947

申请日：2021-11-23

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Abraham Alexander Soethoudt ,  Thomas Poiesz

IPC: G03F7/00 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: A method including: generating a first force to attract a substrate holder to a support surface, the holder including a body having opposing first and second body surfaces, first burls at the first body surface, wherein each first burl has a distal end to support a substrate, and second burls at the second body surface to support the substrate holder on the support surface through contact with distal ends of the second burls; generating a second force to attract the substrate to the substrate holder; and controlling the first force and/or second force in a release step to deform the body between the second burls such as to create a gap between the distal ends of a first subset of the plurality of first burls and the substrate and such that the substrate is supported on distal ends of a second subset of the plurality of first burls.

公开(公告)号：US12158435B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

申请号：US17634588

申请日：2020-07-14

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Nitesh Pandey ,  Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen ,  Kaustuve Bhattacharyya ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef

IPC: G01J3/36 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G03F7/00

Abstract: An illumination and detection apparatus for a metrology tool, and associated method. The apparatus includes an illumination arrangement operable to produce measurement illumination having a plurality of discrete wavelength bands and having a spectrum having no more than a single peak within each wavelength band. The detection arrangement includes a detection beamsplitter to split scattered radiation into a plurality of channels, each channel corresponding to a different one of the wavelength bands; and at least one detector for separate detection of each channel.

公开(公告)号：US20240385541A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-21

申请号：US18790520

申请日：2024-07-31

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH ,  ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Wilbert KRUITHOF ,  Parham YAGHOOBI ,  John LEO

IPC: G03F7/00

Abstract: A lithography system for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation includes a housing (25) with an interior (24) containing a residual gas (27), and at least one gas-binding component (29) which is arranged in the interior (24) and has a gas-binding material for binding contaminating substances (28). The gas-binding component (29) has at least one flow duct (33) having at least one surface with the gas-binding material, with a gas flow of the residual gas (27) in the flow duct (33) having a Knudsen number of between 0.01 and 5, preferably between 0.01 and 0.5, in particular between 0.01 and 0.3, and with a casing (26) which encapsulates a beam path of the EUV lithography system (1) being arranged in the interior (24) of the housing (25). The casing (26) preferably has an opening (37) with a maintenance shaft (36) in which the gas-binding component (29) is arranged.

公开(公告)号：US20240385530A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-21

申请号：US18565494

申请日：2022-05-29

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Jiao HUANG ,  Jinze Wang ,  Yan YAN ,  Yongfa FAN ,  Liang Liu ,  Mu FENG

IPC: G03F7/00

Abstract: Etch bias is determined based on a curvature of a contour in a substrate pattern. The etch bias is configured to be used to enhance an accuracy of a semiconductor patterning process relative to prior patterning processes. In some embodiments, a representation of the substrate pattern is received, which includes the contour in the substrate pattern. The curvature of the contour of the substrate pattern is determined and inputted to a simulation model. The simulation model includes a correlation between etch biases and curvatures of contours. The etch bias for the contour in the substrate pattern is outputted by the simulation model based on the curvature.

公开(公告)号：US20240377756A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-14

申请号：US18749556

申请日：2024-06-20

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Wim Tjibbo TEL ,  Yichen ZHANG ,  Sarathi ROY

IPC: G03F7/00 ,  G06F17/18 ,  G06F18/24

Abstract: A method for generating metrology sampling scheme for a patterning process, the method including: obtaining a parameter map of a parameter of a patterning process for a substrate; decomposing the parameter map to generate a fingerprint specific to an apparatus of the patterning process and/or a combination of apparatuses of the patterning process; and based on the fingerprint, generating a metrology sampling scheme for a subsequent substrate at the apparatus of the patterning process and/or the combination of apparatuses of the patterning process, wherein the sampling scheme is configured to distribute sampling points on the subsequent substrate so as to improve a metrology sampling density.