Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for deriving corrections, method and apparatus for determining a property of a structure, device manufacturing method

US11243470B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
0References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 21, 2017
Grant dateFeb 8, 2022
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 21, 2037

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70941
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical system delivers illuminating radiation and collects radiation after interaction with a target structure on a substrate. A measurement intensity profile is used to calculate a measurement of the property of the structure. The optical system may include a solid immersion lens. In a method, the optical system is controlled to obtain a first intensity profile using a first illumination profile and a second intensity profile using a second illumination profile. The profiles are used to derive a correction for mitigating the effect of, e.g., ghost reflections. Using, e.g., half-moon illumination profiles in different orientations, the method can measure ghost reflections even where a solid immersion lens would cause total internal reflection. The optical system may include a contaminant detection system to control a movement based on received scattered detection radiation. The optical system may include an optical component having a dielectric coating to enhance evanescent wave interaction.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.