IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,564,761
Granted Patent B2
US 8,564,761 · App. 12/393,767 · Granted Oct 22, 2013

Surface shape measuring apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

Inventors: Wataru Yamaguchi (Utsunomiya, JP); Takahiro Matsumoto (Utsunomiya, JP); Hideki Ina (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,564,761
App. No.
12/393,767
Granted
Oct 22, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surface shape measuring apparatus includes an illumination system and a light receiving system. The illumination system splits wide-band light from a light source into measurement light and reference light, illuminates the measurement light to obliquely enter a surface of the film, and illuminates the reference light to obliquely enter a reference mirror. The light receiving system combines the measurement light reflected by the surface of the film and the reference light reflected by the reference mirror with each other and introduces the combined light to a photoelectric conversion element. An incident angle of the measurement light upon the surface of the film and an incident angle of the reference light upon the reference mirror are each larger than the Brewster's angle. S-polarized light and p-polarized light included in the measurement light entering a surface of the substrate have equal intensity on the photoelectric conversion element.

Claims (33)

1. A surface shape measuring apparatus configured to measure a surface shape of a film formed on a substrate, the apparatus including:

an illumination system arranged to split wide-band light from a light source into measurement light and reference light, the measurement light being illuminated to obliquely enter a surface on the substrate, the reference light being illuminated to obliquely enter a reference mirror;

a light receiving system arranged to combine the measurement light reflected by the surface on the substrate and the reference light reflected by the reference mirror with each other and to introduce the combined light to a photoelectric conversion element; and

a processing unit configured to calculate the surface shape of the film based on an interference signal detected by the photoelectric conversion element,

wherein an incident angle of the measurement light upon the surface of the film and an incident angle of the reference light upon the reference mirror are each larger than the Brewster's angle,

wherein the illumination system includes a first polarizer allowing passage of linearly polarized light in a predetermined direction, which is included in the wide-band light from the light source,

wherein the light receiving system includes a second polarizer allowing passage of linearly polarized light in the predetermined direction, which is included in the measurement light reflected by the surface of the film and the reference light reflected by the reference mirror,

wherein the linearly polarized light in the predetermined direction having passed the first polarizer enters the surface on the substrate as the measurement light and the reference mirror as the reference light,

wherein the linearly polarized light in the predetermined direction having passed the first polarizer includes an s-polarized light component and a p-polarized light component in entering the surface on the substrate and in entering the reference mirror,

wherein a polarization direction of linearly polarized light reflected by an interface between the film and the substrate is different from the predetermined direction, and

wherein the linearly polarized light reflected by an interface between the film and the substrate is removed by the second polarizer.

2. The surface shape measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a direction of the linearly polarized light which enters each of the surface on the substrate as the measurement light and the reference mirror as the reference light is a direction of +45° to an incident plane in entering each of the surface on the substrate and the reference mirror or a direction of −45° to the incident plane.

3. An exposure apparatus configured to expose a substrate through a pattern on an original, the exposure apparatus including a surface shape measuring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the surface shape measuring apparatus is configured to measure a surface shape of a film formed on the substrate.

4. A device manufacturing method including:

exposing a substrate by using the exposure apparatus of claim 3 ; and

developing the exposed substrate.

5. A surface shape measuring apparatus configured to measure a surface shape of a film formed on a substrate, the apparatus including:

an illumination system arranged to split wide-band light from a light source into measurement light and reference light, the measurement light being illuminated to obliquely enter a surface on the substrate, the reference light being illuminated to obliquely enter a reference mirror;

a light receiving system arranged to combine the measurement light reflected by the surface on the substrate and the reference light reflected by the reference mirror with each other and to introduce the combined light to a photoelectric conversion element; and

a processing unit configured to calculate the surface shape of the film based on an interference signal detected by the photoelectric conversion element,

wherein an incident angle of the measurement light upon the surface of the film and an incident angle of the reference light upon the reference mirror are each larger than the Brewster's angle,

wherein the illumination system includes a first polarizer allowing passage of linearly polarized light in a predetermined direction, which is included in the wide-band light from the light source, and a first wavelength plate converting the linearly polarized light having passed through the first polarizer into circular polarized light, wherein the light receiving system includes a second wavelength plate converting the circular polarized light of the measurement light reflected by the surface of the film, light reflected by an interface between the film and the substrate, and the reference light reflected by the reference mirror into linearly polarized light, and

wherein the circular polarized light from first wavelength plate enters the surface on the substrate as the measurement light and the reference mirror as the reference light,

wherein a polarization direction of linearly polarized light from the second wavelength plate, which is light reflected by an interface between the film and the substrate is different from a polarization direction of linearly polarized reference light from the second wavelength plate.

6. The surface shape measuring apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the light receiving system includes a second polarizer allowing passage of the linearly polarized light in the predetermined direction, which is included in light having passed through the second wavelength plate,

wherein linearly polarized light from the second wavelength plate, which is light reflected by an interface between the film and the substrate is removed by the second polarizer.

7. The surface shape measuring apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the first wavelength plate is a λ/4-plate.

8. An exposure apparatus configured to expose a substrate through a pattern on an original, the exposure apparatus including a surface shape measuring apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the surface shape measuring apparatus is configured to measure a surface shape of a film formed on the substrate.

9. A device manufacturing method including:

exposing a substrate by using the exposure apparatus of claim 8 ; and

developing the exposed substrate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2009
From: YAMAGUCHI, WATARU; MATSUMOTO, TAKAHIRO; INA, HIDEKI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 022396/0342 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2008-048176 · Feb 28, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090219499A1 · Sep 3, 2009