Metrology method, target and substrate

1. A method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, the method comprising:

illuminating a measurement spot on a diffraction measurement target on a substrate with radiation, wherein:

the diffraction measurement target comprises at least a first sub-target, at least a second sub-target and at least a third sub-target,

the first sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a first layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at a third layer of the substrate,

the second sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a second layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at the third layer of the substrate,

the third sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at the first, second, or third layer of the substrate, wherein the first, second, and third layers are different layers of the substrate,

the first, second and third sub-targets each have a different design,

at least two of the sub-targets are respectively designed for determination of a different lithographic process parameter, and

the measurement spot covers at one time at least part of each of the periodic structures of the first, second and third sub-targets; and

detecting radiation scattered by the at least two sub-targets to obtain for that target a measurement representing the different parameters of the lithographic process.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the third sub-target is designed for determination of exposure focus, exposure dose, and/or optical aberrations.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the different parameters of the lithographic process comprises overlay.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second periodic structure of the second sub-target at least partly overlays the first periodic structure of the second sub-target and the second periodic structure of the first sub-target at least partly overlays the first periodic structure of the first sub-target.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the illuminating comprising illuminating the measurement spot on the diffraction measurement target that covers at least periodic structures exposed in different exposure fields.

6. A diffraction measurement target, on a substrate, comprising:

at least a first sub-target, at least a second sub-target and at least third sub-target, wherein:

the first sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a first layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at a third layer of the substrate,

the second sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a second layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at the third layer of the substrate,

the third sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at the first, second, or third layer of the substrate, wherein the first, second, and third layers are different layers of the substrate,

the first, second and third sub-targets each have a different design,

at least two of the sub-targets are respectively designed for determination of a different lithographic process parameter,

the second periodic structure of the second sub-target at least partly overlays the first periodic structure of the second sub-target and the second periodic structure of the first sub-target at least partly overlays the first periodic structure of the first sub-target.

7. The target of claim 6 , wherein at least part of each of the periodic structures of the first, second and third sub-targets is within a contiguous area of less than or equal to 400 μm 2 .

8. A method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, the method comprising:

illuminating, at a same time, at least a first sub-target, at least a second sub-target, and at least a third sub-target of a diffraction measurement target on a substrate with radiation,

wherein the first sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a first layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at a third layer of the substrate,

wherein the second sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a second layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at the third layer of the substrate,

wherein the third sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at the first, second, or third layer of the substrate, wherein the first, second, and third layers are different layers of the substrate, and

wherein the third sub-target is designed for determination of a correction of the parameter of the lithographic process for which the first sub-target is designed for determination; and

detecting radiation scattered by the at least first, second, and third sub-targets to obtain for that target a measurement representing the parameter of the lithographic process and the correction of the parameter of the lithographic process.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the illuminating comprises illuminating a measurement spot on the diffraction measurement target that covers at one time at least part of each of the periodic structures of the first, second, and third sub-targets.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the illuminating comprising illuminating the measurement spot on the diffraction measurement target that covers at least periodic structures exposed in different exposure fields.

11. A diffraction measurement target on a substrate, comprising:

at least a first sub-target, at least a second sub-target, and at least a third sub-target, wherein:

the first sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a first layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at a third layer of the substrate,

the second sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a second layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at the third layer of the substrate,

the third sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at the first, second, or third layer of the substrate, wherein the first, second, and third layers are different layers of the substrate, and

the third sub-target is designed for determination of a correction of a lithographic process parameter for which the first sub-target is designed for determination, and

at least part of each of the periodic structures of the first and second sub-targets is within a contiguous area of less than or equal to 1000 μm 2 on the substrate.

12. A method of measuring a parameter of a lithographic process, the method comprising:

illuminating at least a first sub-target of a diffraction measurement target on a substrate with radiation,

wherein a first periodic structure of the first sub-target is at a first layer on the substrate and a second periodic structure of the first sub-target is at a third layer on the substrate,

wherein the diffraction measurement target further comprises a first periodic structure of at least a second sub-target at a second layer and a second periodic structure of the second sub-target at the third layer on the substrate, and

wherein the first and second sub-targets are respectively designed for determination of a different lithographic process parameter;

detecting radiation scattered by at least the first sub-target to obtain a measurement representing its designed lithographic process parameter;

illuminating at least the second sub-target and a third sub-target of the diffraction measurement target on the substrate with radiation, wherein a periodic structure of the third sub-target is at one of the first, second, or third layer, the first, second, and third layers being different layers on the substrate, and wherein the second and third sub-targets are respectively designed for determination of a different lithographic process parameter; and

detecting radiation scattered by at least the second and third sub-targets to obtain a measurement representing respective different lithographic process parameters.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third sub-target is designed for determination of exposure focus, exposure dose, and/or optical aberrations.

14. A diffraction measurement target comprising:

at least a first sub-target, a second sub-target and a third sub-target that, wherein:

the first sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a first layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at a third layer of the substrate,

the second sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a second layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at the third layer of the substrate,

the third sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at the first, second, or third layer of the substrate, wherein the first, second, and third layers are different layers of the substrate, and

the first and second sub-targets are respectively designed for determination of a lithographic process parameter and the third sub-target is designed for determination of a different lithographic process parameter.

15. The target of claim 14 , wherein the first and third sub-targets are designed for determination of exposure focus, exposure dose, and/or optical aberrations.

16. A method of manufacturing devices wherein a device pattern is applied to a series of substrates using a lithographic process, the method comprising:

inspecting at least a diffraction measurement target formed as part of or beside the device pattern on at least one of the series of substrates by illuminating a measurement spot on the diffraction measurement target on the at least one of the series of substrates with radiation, wherein:

the diffraction measurement target comprises at least a first sub-target, at least a second sub-target and at least third sub-target,

the first sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a first layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at a third layer of the substrate,

the second sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at a second layer of the substrate and a second periodic structure at the third layer of the substrate,

wherein the third sub-target comprises a first periodic structure at the first, second, or third layer of the substrate, wherein the first, second, and third layers are different layers of the substrate, and

the first, second and third sub-targets each have a different design,

at least two of the sub-targets are respectively designed for determination of a different lithographic process parameter, and

the measurement spot covers at one time at least part of each of the periodic structures of the first, second and third sub-targets;

detecting radiation scattered by the at least two sub-targets to obtain for that target a measurement representing the different parameters of the lithographic process; and

controlling subsequent steps of the lithographic process.