System and method for improvement of alignment and overlay for microlithography

1. A method for determining deformation parameters that a patterned device would undergo to minimize dimensional variations between a recorded pattern thereon and a reference pattern, said method comprising:

comparing spatial variations between features of said recorded pattern with respect to corresponding features of said reference pattern;

generating distortion vectors from location differences between said features in said recorded pattern and said corresponding features of said reference pattern; and

determining directly opposing deformation force pairs from said distortion vectors to apply to said patterned device to attenuate said dimensional variations, with said force pairs having predetermined constraints.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said constraints include omission of tensile forces among said deformation force pairs.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said constraints include omission of high magnitude forces that would compromise a structural integrity of said patterned device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining further includes ascertaining a constrained force vector and with said deformation force pairs being determined as a function of said constrained force vector.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining further includes minimizing a magnitude of a maximum absolute value of an overlay error.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining further includes ascertaining pairs of said deformational forces to apply to said patterned device further including applying said pairs of deformational forces to said patterned device with each force of said pair having the same magnitude and a direction, with the direction of one of said pair of forces being opposite to the direction associated with the remaining force of said pair of forces.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein comparing further includes comparing overlay features on said patterned device with respect to corresponding overlay features associated with computer data employed to write said pattern on said patterned device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining further includes minimizing the magnitude of the maximum absolute value of overlay error and identifying a global minimum.

9. A method for determining deformation parameters that a patterned device would undergo to minimize dimensional variations between a recorded pattern thereon and a reference pattern, said method comprising:

comparing spatial variations between features of said recorded pattern with respect to corresponding features of said reference pattern wherein determining further includes ascertaining compressive deformational forces to apply to said patterned device to attenuate said dimensional variations.

10. A method for determining deformation parameters that a patterned device would undergo to minimize dimensional variations between a recorded pattern thereon and a reference pattern, said method comprising:

comparing spatial variations between features of said recorded pattern with respect to corresponding features of said reference pattern;

generating distortion vectors from location differences between said features of said recorded pattern and said corresponding features of said reference pattern; and

determining directly opposing deformation force pairs from said distortion vectors to apply to said patterned device to attenuate said dimensional variations, with all of said deformation force pairs being compression forces to apply to said patterned device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein determining further includes determining said deformation force pairs such that all of said deformation force pairs have a magnitude associated therewith that is below a predetermined threshold.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein determining further includes minimizing the magnitude of the maximum absolute value of overlay error.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein determining further includes ascertaining pairs of said deformational forces to apply to said patterned device further including applying said pairs of deformational forces to said patterned device with each force of said pair having the same magnitude and a direction, with the direction of one of said pair of forces being opposite to the direction associated with the remaining force of said pair of forces.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein comparing further includes comparing overlay features on said patterned device with respect to corresponding overlay features associated with computer data employed to write said pattern on said patterned device.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein determining further includes minimizing the magnitude of the maximum absolute value of overlay error and identifying a global minimum.

16. A system for determining deformation parameters that a patterned device would undergo to minimize dimensional variations between a recorded pattern thereon and a reference pattern, said method comprising:

means for comparing spatial variations between features of said recorded pattern with respect to corresponding features of said reference pattern;

means for generating distortion vectors from location differences between said features of said recorded pattern and said corresponding features of said reference pattern; and

means for determining directly opposing deformation force pairs from said distortion vectors to apply to said patterned device to attenuate said dimensional variations, with said force pairs having predetermined constraints.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein means for determining further includes means for determining said deformation force pairs such that all of said deformation force pairs have a magnitude associated therewith that is below a predetermined threshold.

18. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein means for determining further includes means for minimizing the magnitude of the maximum absolute value of overlay error.

19. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein determining further includes means for ascertaining pairs of said deformational forces to apply to said patterned device further including means for applying said pairs of deformational forces to said patterned device with each force of said pair having the same magnitude and a direction, with the direction of one of said pair of forces being opposite to the direction associated with the remaining force of said pair of forces.

20. A method for determining deformation parameters that, when applied to a patterned device, minimize dimensional variations between a recorded pattern thereon and a reference pattern, the method comprising:

generating differences in measured locations of feature points on the recorded pattern and corresponding feature points on the reference pattern;

generating distortion vectors from the differences in the measured locations of the feature points on the recorded pattern and the corresponding feature points on the reference pattern;

generating a compliance matrix from a spatial and material characteristic model of the patterned device by applying simulated force pairs to a model of the patterned device and determining a relationship between registered movements of the feature points on the recorded pattern on the model of the patterned device and the applied simulated force pairs, wherein the applied simulated force pairs meet predetermined magnitude and directional constraints; and

generating, from the compliance matrix and the measured location of the feature points on the recorded pattern, directly opposing force pairs that minimize dimensional variations between the recorded pattern thereon and the reference pattern when applied to the patterned device, wherein the force pairs meet the predetermined magnitude and directional constraints.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising generating signals to apply to actuators configured to engage the patterned device to thereby generate the force pairs.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the magnitude and directional constraints include a zero resultant summation of forces in orthogonal planar axes of the patterned device and a zero resultant summation of moments about an axis orthogonal to both the planar axes.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the material characteristic model includes a Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of a material from which the patterned device is made.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the spatial characteristics include a finite element model of the patterned device.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the relationship between registered movements of the feature points on the recorded pattern on the model of the patterned device and the applied simulated force pairs is a linear relationship.

26. The method of claim 20 , further comprising applying the force pairs to the patterned device.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the four pairs are applied to the patterned device through actuators engaged with the pattern device.