IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,291,921
Granted Patent B2
US 9,291,921 · App. 13/478,363 · Granted Mar 22, 2016

Detection apparatus, exposure apparatus, device fabrication method and filter to reduce a difference between detected intensity values of lights having different wavelength ranges

Inventor: Hironori Maeda (Utsunomiya, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G03F9/7088G03F9/7065G03F9/7069
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,291,921
App. No.
13/478,363
Granted
Mar 22, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a detection apparatus which detects an object to be detected, the apparatus including an illumination system configured to illuminate the object with light containing a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range, a detector configured to detect light from the object illuminated by the illumination system, and an optical member configured to set a transmittance for light in the first wavelength range and a transmittance for light in the second wavelength range to be different from each other, thereby reducing a difference between an intensity value of the light which has the first wavelength range and is detected by the detector and an intensity value of the light which has the second wavelength range and is detected by the detector.

Claims (89)

1. A detection apparatus which detects an object to be detected, the apparatus comprising:

an illumination system configured to illuminate the object with light containing a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range;

a detector configured to detect light from the object illuminated by the illumination system; and

an optical member configured to set a transmittance for light in the first wavelength range and a transmittance for light in the second wavelength range to be different from each other, thereby reducing a difference between an intensity value of the light which has the first wavelength range and is detected by the detector and an intensity value of the light which has the second wavelength range and is detected by the detector,

wherein

the detection apparatus has, as operation modes, a detection mode in which the detection apparatus detects the object, and a preparation mode in which the detection apparatus makes preparations to detect the object,

in the preparation mode,

the illumination system illuminates the object with light in each of a plurality of divided wavelength ranges obtained by dividing a wavelength range including the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range, and

the detector detects the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges from the object,

the optical member includes a plurality of optical elements which have different transmittances and are exchangeably placed in an optical path of the light, and

the detection apparatus further comprises a control unit configured to obtain an intensity ratio in the wavelength range from an intensity value of the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges detected by the detector, select an optical element, which reduces the difference, from the plurality of optical elements based on the intensity ratio, and place the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit selects an optical element, which has a transmittance that reduces the difference to zero, from the plurality of optical elements based on the intensity ratio, and places the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit includes a storage unit configured to store a correspondence between the intensity ratio and the optical element having the transmittance that reduces the difference to zero, selects the optical element from the plurality of optical elements based on the correspondence stored in the storage unit, and places the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

4. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate;

a stage configured to hold the substrate;

a detection apparatus configured to detect, as an object to be detected, a mark formed on the substrate; and

a control unit configured to control a position of the stage based on the detection result obtained by the detection apparatus;

wherein the detection apparatus includes:

an illumination system configured to illuminate the object with light containing a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range;

a detector configured to detect light from the object illuminated by the illumination system; and

an optical member configured to set a transmittance for light in the first wavelength range and a transmittance for light in the second wavelength range to be different from each other, thereby reducing a difference between an intensity value of the light which has the first wavelength range and is detected by the detector and an intensity value of the light which has the second wavelength range and is detected by the detector,

the detection apparatus has, as operation modes, a detection mode in which the detection apparatus detects the object, and a preparation mode in which the detection apparatus makes preparations to detect the object,

in the preparation mode,

the illumination system illuminates the object with light in each of a plurality of divided wavelength ranges obtained by dividing a wavelength range including the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range, and

the detector detects the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges from the object,

the optical member includes a plurality of optical elements which have different transmittances and are exchangeably placed in an optical path of the light, and

the detection apparatus further comprises a control unit configured to obtain an intensity ratio in the wavelength range from an intensity value of the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges detected by the detector, select an optical element, which reduces the difference, from the plurality of optical elements based on the intensity ratio, and place the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

5. A device fabrication method comprising steps of:

exposing a substrate using an exposure apparatus; and

performing a development process for the substrate exposed,

wherein the exposure apparatus includes:

a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto the substrate;

a stage configured to hold the substrate;

a detection apparatus configured to detect a mark formed on the substrate; and

a control unit configured to control a position of the stage based on the detection result obtained by the detection apparatus,

wherein the detection apparatus includes:

an illumination system configured to illuminate the mark with light containing a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range;

a detector configured to detect light from the mark illuminated by the illumination system; and

an optical member configured to set a transmittance for light in the first wavelength range and a transmittance for light in the second wavelength range to be different from each other, thereby reducing a difference between an intensity value of the light which has the first wavelength range and is detected by the detector and an intensity value of the light which has the second wavelength range and is detected by the detector,

the detection apparatus has, as operation modes, a detection mode in which the detection apparatus detects the mark, and a preparation mode in which the detection apparatus makes preparations to detect the mark,

in the preparation mode,

the illumination system illuminates the mark with light in each of a plurality of divided wavelength ranges obtained by dividing a wavelength range including the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range, and

the detector detects the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges from the mark,

the optical member includes a plurality of optical elements which have different transmittances and are exchangeably placed in an optical path of the light, and

the detection apparatus further comprises a control unit configured to obtain an intensity ratio in the wavelength range from an intensity value of the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges detected by the detector, select an optical element, which reduces the difference, from the plurality of optical elements based on the intensity ratio, and place the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

6. A detection apparatus which detects an object to be detected formed on a back surface of a substrate, using infrared light, the apparatus comprising:

an illumination system configured to illuminate the object with infrared light containing a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range longer than the first wavelength range;

an image sensor configured to detect the infrared light from the object illuminated by the illumination system, the image sensor has a sensitivity to visible light, the infrared light in the first wavelength range and the infrared light in the second wavelength range, the sensitivity to the infrared light in the second wavelength range is smaller than the sensitivity to the infrared light in the first wavelength range; and

an optical unit configured to reduce an intensity difference between an intensity value of the infrared light in the first wavelength range detected by the image sensor and an intensity value of the infrared light in the second wavelength range detected by the image sensor, which is generated by a difference of the sensitivity of the image sensor,

wherein the optical unit is an optical member configured to set a transmittance for the infrared light in the first wavelength range and a transmittance for the infrared light in the second wavelength range to be different from each other, thereby reducing the intensity difference or a light source apparatus configured to set an amount of the infrared light in the first wavelength range which enters the illumination system and an amount of the infrared light in the second wavelength range which enters the illumination system to be different from each other, thereby reducing the intensity difference.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the transmittance for the infrared light in the second wavelength range of the optical member is higher than the transmittance for the infrared light in the first wavelength range of the optical member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the optical member has a transmittance that reduces the intensity difference to zero.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the detection apparatus has, as operation modes, a detection mode in which the detection apparatus detects the object, and a preparation mode in which the detection apparatus makes preparations to detect the object,

in the preparation mode,

the illumination system illuminates the object with light in each of a plurality of divided wavelength ranges obtained by dividing a wavelength range including the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range, and

the image sensor detects the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges from the object,

the optical member includes a plurality of optical elements which have different transmittances and are exchangeably placed in an optical path of the light, and

the detection apparatus further comprises a control unit configured to obtain an intensity ratio in the wavelength range from an intensity value of the light in each of the plurality of divided wavelength ranges detected by the image sensor, select an optical element, which reduce the intensity difference, from the plurality of optical elements based on the intensity ratio, and place the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit selects an optical element, which has a transmittance that reduces the intensity difference to zero, from the plurality of optical elements based on the intensity ratio, and places the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit includes a storage unit configured to store a correspondence between the intensity ratio and the optical element having the transmittance that reduces the intensity difference to zero, selects the optical element from the plurality of optical elements based on the correspondence stored in the storage unit, and places the selected optical element in the optical path in the detection mode.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the optical member is placed in an optical path of the illumination system.

13. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising an imaging system configured to form an image of the object using light from the object,

wherein the optical member is placed in an optical path of the imaging system.

14. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the optical member has a transmittance that reduces the intensity difference to a value less than or equal to a predetermined value.

15. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate;

a stage configured to hold the substrate;

a detection apparatus configured to detect an object to be detected formed on a back surface of a substrate, using infrared light; and

a control unit configured to control a position of the stage based on the detection result obtained by the detection apparatus;

wherein the detection apparatus includes:

an illumination system configured to illuminate the object with infrared light containing a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range longer than the first wavelength range;

an image sensor configured to detect the infrared light from the object illuminated by the illumination system, the image sensor has a sensitivity to visible light, the infrared light in the first wavelength range and the infrared light in the second wavelength range, the sensitivity to the infrared light in the second wavelength range is smaller than the sensitivity to the infrared light in the first wavelength range; and

an optical unit configured to reduce an intensity difference between an intensity value of the infrared light in the first wavelength range detected by the image sensor and an intensity value of the infrared light in the second wavelength range detected by the image sensor, which is generated by a difference of the sensitivity of the image sensor,

wherein the optical unit is an optical member configured to set a transmittance for the infrared light in the first wavelength range and a transmittance for the infrared light in the second wavelength range to be different from each other, thereby reducing the intensity difference or a light source apparatus configured to set an amount of the infrared light in the first wavelength range which enters the illumination system and an amount of the infrared light in the second wavelength range which enters the illumination system to be different from each other, thereby reducing the intensity difference.

16. A device fabrication method comprising steps of:

exposing a substrate using an exposure apparatus; and

performing a development process for the substrate exposed,

wherein the exposure apparatus includes:

a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate;

a stage configured to hold the substrate;

a detection apparatus configured to detect an object to be detected formed on a back surface of a substrate, using infrared light; and

a control unit configured to control a position of the stage based on the detection result obtained by the detection apparatus,

the detection apparatus includes:

an illumination system configured to illuminate the object with infrared light containing a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range longer than the first wavelength range;

an image sensor configured to detect the infrared light from the object illuminated by the illumination system, the image sensor has a sensitivity to visible light, the infrared light in the first wavelength range and the infrared light in the second wavelength range, the sensitivity to the infrared light in the second wavelength range is smaller than the sensitivity to the infrared light in the first wavelength range; and

an optical unit configured to reduce an intensity difference between an intensity value of the infrared light in the first wavelength range detected by the image sensor and an intensity value of the infrared light in the second wavelength range detected by the image sensor, which is generated by a difference of the sensitivity of the image sensor,

wherein the optical unit is an optical member configured to set a transmittance for the infrared light in the first wavelength range and a transmittance for the infrared light in the second wavelength range to be different from each other, thereby reducing the intensity difference or a light source apparatus configured to set an amount of the infrared light in the first wavelength range which enters the illumination system and an amount of the infrared light in the second wavelength range which enters the illumination system to be different from each other, thereby reducing the intensity difference.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2012
From: MAEDA, HIRONORI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 029024/0339 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-123586 · Jun 1, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120307226A1 · Dec 6, 2012