OPTICAL ARRANGEMENT AND LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS
20220004107 · 2022-01-06
Inventors
Cpc classification
G03F7/70116
PHYSICS
G03F7/7085
PHYSICS
G03F7/70075
PHYSICS
G02B5/0816
PHYSICS
G01S17/32
PHYSICS
International classification
Abstract
An optical arrangement for a lithography apparatus has a microsystem with a mirror array. A respective mirror of the mirror array is set up to reflect working light of the lithography apparatus on its front side and also a measuring beam on its rear side. One or more radiation sources, which are provided outside the microsystem, are set up to provide the respective measuring beam. One or more sensor units are set up to sense a tilting angle of a respective mirror in dependence on the respectively reflected measuring beam.
Claims
1. An optical arrangement, comprising: a microsystem comprising a mirror array, the mirror array comprising a plurality of mirrors, a mirror of the plurality of mirrors comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side being configured to reflect working light of a lithography apparatus, the second side being configured to reflect a measuring beam; a radiation source outside the microsystem, the radiation source configured to provide the measuring beam; and a sensor unit configured to sense a tilting angle of the mirror depending on the measuring beam reflected from the second side of the mirror.
2. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein: the optical arrangement comprises a plurality of microsystems, a plurality of radiation sources and a plurality of sensor units; and for each microsystem, the microsystem comprises a plurality of mirrors, a mirror of the plurality of mirrors comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the mirror having a respective radiation source and a respective sensor unit configured so that the respective radiation source provides a measuring beam to the second side of the mirror and the respective sensor unit senses a tilting angle of the mirror depending on the measuring beam reflected from the second side of the mirror.
3. The optical arrangement of claim 2, further comprising a substrate supporting the plurality of microsystems.
4. The optical arrangement of claim 3, wherein a facet mirror comprises the substrate and the plurality of microsystems.
5. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the microsystem comprises a substrate, and the mirror is tiltably mounted to the substrate.
6. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the microsystem comprises an integrated optical unit configured to guide the measuring beam to the mirror.
7. The optical arrangement of claim 6, wherein the integrated optical unit is configured to guide: i) guide the reflected measuring beam to the sensor unit; or ii) a signal generated depending on the reflected measuring beam to the sensor unit.
8. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the microsystem comprises an integrated circuit, and the integrated circuit comprises the sensor unit.
9. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is outside the microsystem.
10. The optical arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of filters assigned to the mirror, wherein: the radiation source is configured to vary the measuring beam at a wavelength which varies over time; for each filter, the filter is configured to allow: i) the reflected measuring beam to pass through to the sensor unit only in a wavelength pass-band; or ii) a signal generated from the reflected measuring beam to pass through to the sensor unit only in the wavelength pass-band; and each filter has a wavelength pass-band that is different from a wavelength pass-band of each of the other filters.
11. The optical arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a light guide and a demultiplexer, wherein: the microsystem comprises a multiplexer configured to multiplex the reflected measuring beam or a signal generated from the reflected measuring beam onto a light guide; and the demultiplexer is configured to demultiplex the measuring beam or a signal multiplexed onto the light guide.
12. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is configured to sense the tilting angle of the mirror depending on a deflection of the reflected measuring beam with respect to the measuring beam provided to the mirror by the radiation source.
13. The optical arrangement of claim 12, wherein the microsystem comprises a first substrate comprising multiple light-entry regions and a second substrate comprising the sensor unit, and the multiple light-entry regions are configured to guide the reflected measuring beam to the sensor unit.
14. The optical arrangement of claim 13, wherein the multiple light-entry regions comprise filters with different wavelength pass-bands.
15. The optical arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is configured to sense the tilting angle of the mirror with the aid of a distance measurement depending on the measuring beam provided to the mirror and the measuring beam reflected from the mirror.
16. The optical arrangement of claim 15, wherein the sensor units is configured to perform the distance measurement according to an FMCW-LIDAR method.
17. An apparatus, comprising: an optical arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a lithography apparatus.
18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: an illumination system comprising the optical arrangement; and a projection system.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is an EUV lithography apparatus.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is a DUV lithography apparatus.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0079] Identical elements or elements having an identical function have been provided with the same reference signs in the figures, unless indicated to the contrary. It should also be noted that the illustrations in the figures are not necessarily true to scale.
[0080]
[0081] The EUV lithography apparatus 100A has an EUV radiation source 106A. A plasma source (or a synchrotron), which emits radiation 108A in the EUV range (extreme ultraviolet range), that is to say for example in the wavelength range of 5 nm to 20 nm, may for example be provided as the EUV radiation source 106A. In the beam-shaping and illumination system 102, the EUV radiation 108A is focused and the desired operating wavelength is filtered out from the EUV radiation 108A. The EUV radiation 108A generated by the EUV radiation source 106A has a relatively low transmissivity through air, for which reason the beam-guiding spaces in the beam-shaping and illumination system 102 and in the projection system 104 are evacuated.
[0082] The beam-shaping and illumination system 102 illustrated in
[0083] The projection system 104 (also referred to as a projection lens) has six mirrors M1 to M6 for imaging the photomask 120 onto the wafer 124. In this case, individual mirrors M1 to M6 of the projection system 104 may be arranged symmetrically in relation to an optical axis 126 of the projection system 104. It should be noted that the number of mirrors M1 to M6 of the EUV lithography apparatus 100A is not restricted to the number shown. A greater or lesser number of mirrors M1 to M6 may also be provided. Furthermore, the mirrors M1 to M6 are generally curved at their front side for beam shaping.
[0084]
[0085] The DUV lithography apparatus 100B has a DUV radiation source 106B. For example, an ArF excimer laser that emits radiation 108B in the DUV range at 193 nm, for example, may be provided as the DUV radiation source 106B.
[0086] The beam-shaping and illumination system 102 illustrated in
[0087] The projection system 104 has multiple lens elements 128 and/or mirrors 130 for imaging the photomask 120 onto the wafer 124. In this case, individual lens elements 128 and/or mirrors 130 of the projection system 104 may be arranged symmetrically in relation to an optical axis 126 of the projection system 104. It should be noted that the number of lens elements 128 and mirrors 130 of the DUV lithography apparatus 100B is not restricted to the number shown. A greater or lesser number of lens elements 128 and/or mirrors 130 can also be provided. Furthermore, the mirrors 130 are generally curved at their front side for beam shaping.
[0088] An air gap between the last lens element 128 and the wafer 124 can be replaced by a liquid medium 132 having a refractive index of >1. The liquid medium 132 may be for example high-purity water. Such a set-up is also referred to as immersion lithography and has an increased photolithographic resolution. The medium 132 can also be referred to as an immersion liquid.
[0089]
[0090] The optical arrangement 200 includes one or more microsystems 202, only one of which is shown in the exemplary embodiment. The microsystem 202 includes a mirror array 204 with a multiplicity of mirrors 206. The mirrors 206 are illustrated in
[0091] The mirrors 206 are arranged in the manner of an array, that is to say in one plane, which may be flat or curved (even multiply curved). The mirrors 206 may be arranged in rows and columns, for example in such a way that they occupy a square area. For example, 32 ×32 or 64×64 mirrors 206 per microsystem 200 may be provided. A microsystem 202 formed in such a way may also be referred to as a “brick”. The mirror surface 208 (hereinafter also the “front side”) of a respective mirror 216 may for example be smaller than or equal to 5, 1 or 0.5 mm.sup.2. On the front side 208 or surface of the front side 208, a respective mirror 206 reflects part of the working light 108A, 108B during an exposure process in the lithography apparatus 100A, 100B. Several hundred of the microsystems 202 may be combined to form a unit, for example a facet mirror 118 (see
[0092] Furthermore, the microsystem 202 includes a two-dimensional monolithic substrate 210. “Monolithic” means that it is produced as a one-piece or monocrystalline component. According to the first exemplary embodiment, the substrate 210 is produced from semiconductor material, for example silicon.
[0093] The mirror array 204 is arranged on the substrate 210. In this case, a respective mirror 206 is tiltably mounted on the substrate 210 with the aid of a mounting 212. For example, the mounting 212 may have one or more flexures. The tilting may be performed about two mutually perpendicular axes x, y. The plane defined by the axes x, y can be oriented parallel to the main plane of extent (corresponding to the plane of the paper in
[0094] One or more actuators 214 are provided for tilting a respective mirror 206 about the axes x, y. A respective actuator 214 may be made up of two combs 216, 218, wherein one comb 216 is arranged on the substrate 210 and the other comb 218 is arranged on a rear side 220 of the mirror 206, for example a surface 219 of the rear side 220 of the mirror 206. The combs 216, 218 engage in one another. The depth of engagement is determined by the electrical charge of the combs 216, 218. The relationship of the respective depth of engagement and the geometrical arrangement of the actuators 214 on the rear side 220 of the mirror 206 produces the tilting angle a about the x axis and a tilting angle (not shown) about the y axis. The actuators 214 are accordingly formed capacitively. However, other types of activation, for example with the aid of Lorentz actuators, are also conceivable.
[0095] The substrate 210 has multiple radiation sources 222, optionally one radiation source 222 per mirror 206. The radiation sources 222 are formed for example as LEDs. Each radiation source 222 generates a measuring beam 224. The measuring beam 224 may include light in the visible spectrum or near-infrared spectrum. Downstream of the radiation source 222 there may be an optical unit 226, for example a lens element, which modifies the measuring beam 224. In the present case, the modified measuring beam 224 impinges on a portion 228 of the mounting 212 and is reflected by it. The portion 228 is securely connected to the surface 219 of the rear side 220 of the mirror 206, and therefore exactly follows its tilting. The reflected measuring beam is denoted by 224′. The reflection of the measuring beam 224 on the portion 228 of the mounting 212 has the effect that an indirect reflection of the measuring beam 224 takes place on the rear side 220 of the mirror 206.
[0096] Multiple sensor units 230 are arranged around the respective radiation source 222. The sensor units 230 may be formed as photodiodes. Depending on the sensor unit 230 on which the measuring beam 224′ impinges, its deflection, and consequently the tilting angle a of the mirror 206, can be deduced. If the measuring beam 224′ has a finite extent, for example a Gaussian profile, the tilting angles of the mirror 206 can be determined on the basis of the ratios of the components of the measuring beam 224′ entering the sensor units 230, as already explained above (centroid).
[0097] For example, four sensor units 230 may be provided, arranged in quadrants around the radiation source 222. More accurate sensing of the deflection of the measuring beam 224′, and consequently of the tilting angle a, can be achieved if an imaging CCD or CMOS chip with a multiplicity of sensor units 230, for example several hundred or several thousand, is used.
[0098] The determination of the tilting angle a may be performed with the aid of a microprocessor 232. The microprocessor 232 may be assigned memory (not shown), such as ROM,
[0099] RAM, EEPROM or flash memories. The microprocessor 232 controls the mirrors 206 in dependence on setpoint tilting angles and actual tilting angles. The microprocessor receives the setpoint tilting angles from a central control unit of the lithography apparatus 100A, 100B. The microprocessor 232 is connected for signaling purposes to the sensor units 230. The microprocessor 232 calculates the actual tilting angles from the sensor signals provided by the sensor units, which generate them in dependence on the centroid of the reflected measuring beam 224′.
[0100] As shown, the microprocessor 232 together with the memory may also be arranged on the substrate 210.
[0101] All of the components of the microsystem 202 (apart from the substrate 210 itself), that is to say the mirrors 206, the mountings 212, the actuators 214, the radiation source 222, the sensor units 230 and/or the microprocessor 232 together with the memory, can be produced by microsystem technology. This involves using methods of semiconductor production, such as for instance etching and spark erosion, and using thin-film technologies (for example sputtering). The stated single components have in each case a size (maximum edge length) of between 0.001 and 5 mm or smaller.
[0102] Furthermore, in the case of this first exemplary embodiment, the semiconductor material of the substrate 210 serves as carrier material for an integrated circuit 234, which includes the radiation sources 222, sensor units 230 and possibly combs 216 of the actuators 214 and/or the microprocessor 232 together with memory as an integrated component part.
[0103] The following exemplary embodiments are in each case based on the respectively previous one, unless indicated to the contrary.
[0104]
[0105] In an alternative embodiment that is not shown, the integrated optical unit 302 has multiple light guides 304. These respectively connect some of the light-exit regions 306 to a respective port 309.
[0106] The light-exit regions 306 are respectively connected in a light-guiding manner to the light guide 304, which provides light L at these regions. Downstream of each of the light-exit regions 306 there may be for example a lens element 314, which provides the measuring beam 224 and directs it onto the portion 228 of the mounting 212. The measuring beam 224′ reflected at the portion 228 falls onto one of the light-entry regions 307, in dependence on the tilting angle a. According to the exemplary embodiment, four light-entry regions 307 are provided, arranged in quadrants around the light-exit region 306 or its lens element 314. More accurate sensing of the deflection of the measuring beam 224, and consequently the tilting angle a, can be achieved if a greater number of light-entry regions 307 are used, for example several hundred or several thousand.
[0107] Provided under the first substrate 300 is the—in this case second—substrate 210. Here—in contrast to the first exemplary embodiment—the integrated circuit 210 has no radiation source 222. The sensor units 230 are connected in a light-guiding manner to the light-entry regions 307 of the first substrate 300. Furthermore, the microprocessor 232 is connected in signaling terms with the aid of electrical vertical interconnect accesses 316 (also known as vias) through the first substrate 210 to the actuators 214, or the amplifiers (not shown) upstream of them. In dependence on the amounts of light that arrive at the sensor units 230, the microprocessor 232 determines the tilting angle a of a respective mirror 206 (Gaussian intensity distribution and centroid determination, as explained above). In the same way as in the case of the exemplary embodiment according to
[0108] In an embodiment that is not shown, a single substrate could be provided, having both the integrated optical unit 302 and the integrated circuit 234.
[0109] In the case of a second exemplary embodiment, it is sufficient if there is only one radiation source 310 per microsystem 202. Or else one radiation source 310 may be provided, supplying multiple microsystems 202 with light. This case is illustrated in
[0110]
[0111] This includes for example a facet mirror 118 (also see
[0112] Each mirror module 400 or all of the mirror modules 400 is/are supplied with light L by a single radiation source 310. As in the exemplary embodiment shown in
[0113] The light L generated by the radiation source 310 is passed with the aid of an interface 406 (VFT—Vacuum Feedthrough) from outside to inside the vacuum region 402. Using light guide 408, the light L is distributed among the microsystems 202. There may be provided precisely one channel 410 (for example in the form of a fibre-optic cable), which connects the interface 406 in a light-guiding manner to all of the microsystems 202 or some of the microsystems 202 of the facet mirror 118 or of the mirror modules 400 or of a respective mirror module 400.
[0114] Also in the case of an exemplary embodiment according to
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[0116] The radiation source 310 generates light L, and consequently the measuring beam 224, at a time-variable wavelength (also referred to as a “chirp”).
[0117] Upstream of each of the light-entry regions 307 there is another optical filter 308. Correspondingly, four filters 308-1 to 308-4, 308-5 to 308-n (where “n” is the total number of filters 308 per microsystem 202) etc. per light-exit region 306 or lens element 314-1, 314-2, 314-m (where “m” is the total number of light-exit regions 306 or lens elements 314 per microsystem 202) or mirrors 206-1, 206-k (where“k” is the total number of mirrors 206 per microsystem 202) are provided here, differing in each case with regard to their wavelength pass-band. The wavelength pass-bands are shown in
[0118] The actual wavelength λ.sub.act of the light L at a respective point in time t is known. For this purpose, the radiation source 310 may have the construction shown in
[0119] The evaluation electronics 706 integrate the change of the wavelength λ of the light L over time that is measured with the aid of the photodiode 704. With λ.sub.0 at a specific point in time as a reference, the evaluation electronics can output the actual wavelength λ.sub.act at each point in time t. The actual wavelengthe λ.sub.act is provided for the microprocessor 232 (see
[0120] If the microprocessor 232 then receives an (electrical) signal from the sensor units 230 (see
[0121] Depending on the available bandwidth of the light L and the wavelength pass-bands W.sub.308-1 to W.sub.308-n of the filters 308-1 to 308-n, it may be provided that the summated wavelength pass-bands W.sub.308-1 to W.sub.308-4, W.sub.308-5 to W.sub.308-8 etc. of a respective mirror 206-1, 206-k cover the entire available bandwidth of the light L. This may be the case for example if a large number of sensor units 307 together with assigned filters are available per mirror 206 or the wavelength pass-bands are very wide. In this case, the microprocessor 232 uses additional information, allowing an assignment of the signals received from the sensor units 230 to a respective mirror 206. This may be performed for example by the signals for a respective mirror 206 being transmitted to the microprocessor 232 on different channels (one for each mirror 206).
[0122] According to a further variant, it may be provided that the wavelength pass-bands W.sub.308-1 to W.sub.308-n summated over a microsystem 202 cover the entire available bandwidth of the light L (as illustrated in
[0123] Finally, it is conceivable that only the wavelength pass-bands W.sub.308-1 to W.sub.308-m (where M is the total number of different wavelength pass-bands in a respective module 400 or in the facet mirror 118) summated over a module 400 or the facet mirror 118 (see
[0124]
[0125] In the case of the exemplary embodiment according to
[0126] The microsystems 202 have the construction described below in
[0127] The microsystem 202 has the substrate 300 described in
[0128] In addition to the components described in relation to
[0129] As shown by
[0130] The control and evaluation unit 810 is also connected for signaling purposes to the radiation source 310. From this, the control and evaluation unit 810 receives the actual wavelength λ.sub.act of the light L emitted at a respective point in time t. Consequently, the control and evaluation unit 810 can deduce the actual tilting angle α.sub.act of a respective mirror 206 from the detection of signal strengths at the sensor unit 804 over a time period, which for example includes four of the wavelength pass-bands W.sub.308-1 to W.sub.308-n, with the aid of a corresponding centroid calculation (see above). Therefore, the information concerning the actual tilting angle α.sub.act of a respective mirror 206 on the channel 802 is transmitted to the control and evaluation unit 810 in a multiplexing process (for example on the basis of the time-dependent wavelength of the light L and the filters 308-1 to 308-n). With the aid of the information concerning the actual wavelength λ.sub.act from the radiation source 310, the information concerning the actual tilting angle α.sub.act is assigned again to a respective mirror 206 via the control and evaluation unit 810 and is thereby demultiplexed.
[0131] It may also be provided that the control and evaluation unit 810 controls the tunable radiation source 310 for generating the light L at a setpoint wavelength λ.sub.set. Finally, the control and evaluation unit 810 may be set up to activate the actuators 214 for setting the setpoint tilting angle α.sub.set of a respective mirror 206. The setpoint tilting angle α.sub.set may likewise be provided for a respective actuator 214 via a waveguide (not shown).
[0132] The components 804, 806, 808 and 810 are all arranged outside the vacuum region 402. The functions provided by the components 804, 806, 808 and 810 may also be provided by a different circuit; the one shown here is given purely by way of example. For example, parts of the evaluation unit 810 may not be implemented in a digital form but in an analog form.
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[0134] The construction corresponds to that from
[0135] The reflected measuring beam 224′ is coupled by way of the light-exit and light-entry region 1002 back into the light guide 304 or a further light guide 900 (the light returned in the light guide is denoted by L′) and is optically overlaid with the light L in the sensor unit 1200 (see
[0136] This FMCW-LIDAR method is illustrated in
[0137] If three or more of the light-exit and light-entry regions 1002 per mirror 206 are provided (here in the example four), the tilting angle a can be determined exactly.
[0138] Apart from the different way of sensing of the tilting angle a of a respective mirror 206 described above, the exemplary embodiments described above apply correspondingly to the exemplary embodiment according to
[0139] The exemplary embodiment according to
[0140] Although the present disclosure has been described on the basis of exemplary embodiments, it is modifiable in diverse ways.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0141] 100A EUV lithography apparatus
[0142] 100B DUV lithography apparatus
[0143] 102 Beam-shaping and illumination system
[0144] 104 Projection system
[0145] 106A EUV radiation source
[0146] 106B DUV radiation source
[0147] 108A EUV radiation
[0148] 108B DUV radiation
[0149] 110 Mirror
[0150] 112 Mirror
[0151] 114 Mirror
[0152] 116 Mirror
[0153] 118 Mirror/facet mirror
[0154] 120 Photomask
[0155] 122 Mirror
[0156] 124 Wafer
[0157] 126 Optical axis
[0158] 128 Lens element
[0159] 130 Mirror
[0160] 132 Medium
[0161] 200 Arrangement
[0162] 202 Microsystem
[0163] 204 Mirror array
[0164] 206 Mirror
[0165] 208 Front side
[0166] 210 Substrate
[0167] 212 Mounting
[0168] 214 Actuator
[0169] 216 Comb
[0170] 218 Comb
[0171] 219 Surface
[0172] 220 Rear side
[0173] 222 Radiation source
[0174] 224 Measurement radiation
[0175] 224′ Reflected measuring beam
[0176] 226 Optical unit
[0177] 228 Portion
[0178] 230 Sensor unit
[0179] 232 Microprocessor
[0180] 234 Circuit
[0181] 300 Substrate
[0182] 302 Optical unit
[0183] 304 Light guide
[0184] 306 Light-exit region
[0185] 307 Light-entry region
[0186] 308 Filter
[0187] 309 Port
[0188] 310 Radiation source
[0189] 312 Fiber-optic cable
[0190] 314 Lens element
[0191] 316 Vertical interconnect access
[0192] 400 Mirror module
[0193] 402 Vacuum region
[0194] 404 Housing
[0195] 406 Interface
[0196] 408 Light guide
[0197] 410 Channel
[0198] 700 Laser
[0199] 704 Photodiode
[0200] 706 Evaluation electronics
[0201] 708 Optical filter
[0202] 710 Photodiode
[0203] 800 Interface
[0204] 802 Channel
[0205] 804 Sensor unit
[0206] 806 Amplifier
[0207] 808 Analog-to-digital converter
[0208] 810 Control and evaluation unit
[0209] 900 Light guide
[0210] 902 Port
[0211] 1000 Substrate
[0212] 1002 Light-exit and light-entry region
[0213] 1004 Peripheral region
[0214] 1200 Sensor unit
[0215] 1202 Connection
[0216] A Distance
[0217] L Light
[0218] L′ Light
[0219] M1 Mirror
[0220] M2 Mirror
[0221] M3 Mirror
[0222] M4 Mirror
[0223] M5 Mirror
[0224] M6 Mirror
[0225] W Wavelength pass-band
[0226] t Time
[0227] x Axis
[0228] y Axis
[0229] α Tilt angle
[0230] λ Wavelength