IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,619,164
Granted Patent B2
US 12,619,164 · App. 18/639,905 · Granted May 5, 2026

Metrology method and apparatus, computer program and lithographic system

Inventors: Alexandru Onose (Eindhoven, NL); Remco Dirks (Deurne, NL); Roger Hubertus Elisabeth Clementine Bosch (Mierlo, NL); Sander Silvester Adelgondus Marie Jacobs (Eindhoven, NL); Frank Jaco Buijnsters (Eindhoven, NL); Siebe Tjerk De Zwart (Valkenswaard, NL); Artur Palha Da Silva Clerigo (Eindhoven, NL); Nick Verheul (Den Bosch, NL)
Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
G03F7/706841G03F7/705G03F7/70625G03F7/70633G06F30/27G03F7/70616
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,619,164
App. No.
18/639,905
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, computer program and associated apparatuses for metrology. The method includes determining a reconstruction recipe describing at least nominal values for use in a reconstruction of a parameterization describing a target. The method includes obtaining first measurement data relating to measurements of a plurality of targets on at least one substrate, the measurement data relating to one or more acquisition settings and performing an optimization by minimizing a cost function which minimizes differences between the first measurement data and simulated measurement data based on a reconstructed parameterization for each of the plurality of targets. A constraint on the cost function is imposed based on a hierarchical prior. Also disclosed is a hybrid model method comprising obtaining a coarse model operable to provide simulated coarse data; and training a data driven model to correct the simulated coarse data so as to determine simulated data for use in reconstruction.

Claims (32)

1 . A method of constructing a hybrid model for providing simulated data for use in parameter reconstruction of a structure, the method comprising:

obtaining a coarse model operable to provide simulated coarse data; and

training, by a hardware computer, a data driven model so as to determine the simulated data, the data driven model configured to produce a same type of data as the simulated coarse data and the same type of data is a corrected version of the simulated coarse data.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the simulated coarse data comprises simulated coarse reflectivity data.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data driven model is configured to determine corrections to combine with the simulated coarse data.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data driven model is configured to derive the simulated data from the simulated coarse data.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the data driven model is a machine learned neural network model.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hybrid model is a machine learned neural network model and comprises a bottleneck layer having fewer nodes than one or more preceding layers.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the bottleneck layer and the one or more one or more preceding layers together learn a mapping to a restricted parameter space with respect to an input parameterization.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the hybrid model comprises one or more of the preceding layers, the preceding layers comprising decorrelation layers, or

the restricted parameter space represents a minimum sufficient statistic for the combination of all parameters of the input parameterization, or

the hybrid model comprises one or more modeling layers subsequent to the bottleneck layer, which models the simulated data from the restricted parameter space.

9 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising training an additional model which is operable to invert and/or re-map a mapping which the bottleneck layer induces; and

using the additional model to determine a correlation metric for describing a correlation between a parameter and one or more other parameters.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the training step comprises performing iterations of:

determining parameter value estimates for the coarse model based on measurement data and the simulated data; and

updating the data driven model using the determined parameter value estimates such that the measurement data and the simulated data are a better match.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the measurement data comprises intensity data relating to a plurality of targets.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising using the hybrid model in a parameter reconstruction of a structure in a metrology operation.

13 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a computer system, configured to cause the computer system to at least:

obtain a coarse model operable to provide simulated coarse data; and

train a data driven model so as to determine simulated data for use in parameter reconstruction of a structure by a hybrid model, the data driven model configured to produce a same type of data as the simulated coarse data and the same type of data is a corrected version of the simulated coarse data.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the simulated coarse data comprises simulated coarse reflectivity data.

15 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the data driven model is configured to determine corrections to combine with the simulated coarse data.

16 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the data driven model is configured to derive the simulated data from the simulated coarse data.

17 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein at least the data driven model is a machine learned neural network model.

18 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the hybrid model is a machine learned neural network model and comprises a bottleneck layer having fewer nodes than one or more preceding layers.

19 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer system to train the data driven model are further configured to cause the computer system to perform iterations of:

determination of parameter value estimates for the coarse model based on measurement data and the simulated data; and

updates of the data driven model using the determined parameter value estimates such that the measurement data and the simulated data are a better match.

20 . The computer program product of claim 13 , further configured to cause the computer system to use the hybrid model in a parameter reconstruction of a structure in a metrology operation.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2024
From: ONOSE, ALEXANDRU; DIRKS, REMCO; BOSCH, ROGER HUBERTUS ELISABETH CLEMENTINE; JACOBS, SANDER SILVESTER ADELGONDUS MARIE; BUIJNSTERS, FRANK JACO; DE ZWART, SIEBE TJERK; PALHA DA SILVA CLERIGO, ARTUR
To: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 067262/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2024
From: ONOSE, ALEXANDRU; DIRKS, REMCO; BOSCH, ROBERT HUBERTUS ELISABETH CLEMENTINE; JACOBS, SANDER SILVESTER ADELGONDUS MARIE; BUIJNSTERS, FRANK JACO; DE ZWART, SIEBE TJERK; PALHA DA SILVA CLERIGO, ARTUR
To: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 067262/0782 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2024
From: ONOSE, ALEXANDRU; DIRKS, REMCO; BOSCH, ROBERT HUBERTUS ELISABETH CLEMENTINE; JACOBS, SANDER SILVESTER ADELGONDUS MARIE; BUIJNSTERS, FRANK JACO; DE ZWART, SIEBE TJERK; PALHA DA SILVA CLERIGO, ARTUR; VERHEUL, NICK
To: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 067263/0562 →
Priority Claims (2)
EP 19162808 · Mar 14, 2019 · regional
EP 19178432 · Jun 5, 2019 · regional
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17436947
Related Publication 20240385531A1 · Nov 21, 2024
References Cited (32)
US 9939250B2 · Pisarenco et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9977340B2 · Aben et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10261427B2 · Zeng et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10627213B2 · Mossavat et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10733744B2 · Ha · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11170072B2 · Mos · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11269260B2 · Carl · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11436496B2 · Shamir · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20080018874A1 · Dusa et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20110295555A1 · Meessen · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120123748A1 · Aben et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20160273906A1 · Pisarenco et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160313653A1 · Mink et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160325504A1 · Mossavat et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170160074A1 · Mossavat et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180330511A1 · Ha et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20200082041A1 · Albert · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20220092240A1 · Chi · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 102918464 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 107771271 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
DE 102018213127A1 · 2020 [cited by examiner]
TW I5165742 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
TW 201706723 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011151121 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016177548 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017093011 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020074162 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in corresponding PCT Patent Application No. PCT/EP2020/054967, dated May 18, 2020. [cited by applicant]
“Accurate and Fast Training of Neutral Networks for Library Application for in-Device Metrology”, Research Disclosure, No. 645011 (Nov. 29, 2017). [cited by applicant]
Taiwanese Office Action issued in corresponding Taiwanese Patent Application No. 109108129, dated Dec. 22, 2020. [cited by applicant]
Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 202080020911.4, dated Jan. 15, 2024. [cited by applicant]
Taiwanese Office Action issued in corresponding Taiwanese Patent Application No. 110126232, dated Apr. 20, 2022. [cited by applicant]