IP Library Granted Patent US 7,880,872
Granted Patent B2
US 7,880,872 · App. 12/576,030 · Granted Feb 1, 2011

Interferometric analysis method for the manufacture of nano-scale devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,880,872
App. No.
12/576,030
Granted
Feb 1, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention features a method to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The method includes sensing relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.

Claims (32)

1. A method, comprising:

collecting multiple alignment data for a first substrate and a second substrate from phase information using moiré based alignment marks disposed on the first substrate and the second substrate; and

wherein moiré images are captured by diffracted light from the marks on the first substrate and the second substrate; and

wherein all imaging microscopes used in the alignment process are positioned outside of a beam path from a UV source and focused through the first substrate to the second substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is positioned at a first distance to the imaging microscope and the second substrate is positioned at a second distance to the imaging microscope, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filling a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate with gas or imprinting fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining relative spatial parameters between the first substrate and the second substrate using multiple alignment data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the spatial parameters include alignment, magnification and distortion parameters.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising imprinting a pattern in a fluid deposited on the second substrate.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pattern is imprinted using a UV source and a beam path of the UV source is directed through the first substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is an imprint lithography template.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second substrate is a wafer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moiré based alignment marks are disposed on each of the two substrates and a normal distance between at least one moiré based alignment mark positioned on the first substrate and at least one moiré based alignment mark positioned on the second substrate changes from 100 microns to less than 10 nm.

11. A method, comprising:

positioning a first substrate in superimposition with a second substrate;

positioning a UV source in superimposition with the first substrate; and,

determining, by multiple image capturing units, relative spatial parameters between the first substrate and the second substrate, determining the relative spatial parameters including capturing moiré images diffracted into oblique vectors normal to axes of measuring data;

wherein the multiple image capturing units are positioned outside of the UV beam.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first substrate is positioned at a first distance to the image capturing units and the second substrate is positioned at a second distance to the image capturing units, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising filling a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate with gas or imprinting fluid.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the relative spatial parameters include alignment, magnification and distortion parameters.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising imprinting a pattern in a fluid deposited on the second substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pattern is imprinted using the UV source.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first substrate is an imprint lithography template.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second substrate is a wafer.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein each image capturing unit includes a source of illumination and a detector, with the source of illumination directing energy along a path to impinge on the first substrate creating a first order diffraction energy and the detector configured to sense the first order diffraction energy propagating along the path.

20. A method comprising:

positioning a first substrate in superimposition with a second substrate;

positioning a UV source in superimposition with the first substrate; and,

determining, by multiple image capturing units, relative spatial parameters between the first substrate and the second substrate, determining the relative spatial parameters including capturing moiré images diffracted into oblique vectors normal to axes of measuring data, each image capturing unit including a source of illumination and a detector, with the source of illumination directing energy along a path to impinge on the first substrate creating a first order diffraction energy and the detector configured to sense the first order diffraction energy propagating along the path;

wherein the moiré images are captured by diffracted light from a mark on the first substrate and the second substrate; and,

wherein the multiple image capturing units are positioned outside of the UV beam.

Assignments (11)
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050967/0138 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 22, 2019
From: MAGIC LEAP, INC.; MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.; MENTOR ACQUISITION ONE, LLC
To: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050138/0287 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT OF JOINT PATENT OWNERSHIP Recorded Apr 27, 2015
From: CANON NANOTECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 035507/0559 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 30, 2014
From: MII NEWCO, INC.
To: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033449/0684 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CANON NANOTECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033400/0184 →
ASSIGNMENT OF JOINT OWNERSHIP Recorded Jul 15, 2014
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: MII NEWCO, INC.
Reel/Frame 033329/0280 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR AND ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 033161 FRAME 0705. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2014
From: CANON INC.
To: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033227/0398 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2014
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CANON INC.
Reel/Frame 033161/0705 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE FROM AN "ASSIGNMENT" TO "SECURITY AGREEMENT" PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026842 FRAME 0929. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT SUBMITTED WAS A "SECURITY AGREEMENT". Recorded Aug 13, 2013
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CANON INC.
Reel/Frame 031003/0031 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 4, 2012
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: NAVY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE
Reel/Frame 027992/0806 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2011
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CANON INC.
Reel/Frame 026842/0929 →