Method for determining lithographic focus and exposure

1. A method for determining optical aberrations of a photolithographic system, the method comprising:

correlating values of a first set of two or more shape parameters with values of a first set of one or more process parameters to produce dependencies, the values of the first set of two or more shape parameters being determined via scatterometry measurement techniques;

determining values of a second set of two or more shape parameters associated with multiple structures in a lithographic field via scatterometry measurement techniques;

determining values of a second set of one or more process parameters associated with forming the multiple structures by comparing the second set of two or more shape parameters with the correlated dependencies;

determining optical aberrations from lithographic process parameters determined for multiple scatterometry measurement sites in the lithographic field; and

using the determined optical aberrations to determine corrections to one or more optical elements of the photolithographic system in order to optimize the photolithographic system and to minimize negative effects of the optical aberrations.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the process parameters correspond to focus, numerical aperture, illumination, or coherence.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the shape parameter information is interpreted from two or more different scatterometry measurement sites and wherein the scatterometry sites differ in shape, pitch, mask construction, position or orientation.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to accept or reject a lithographic system for qualification.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to determine optimum settings of the photolithographic system so as to minimize the negative effects of the optical aberrations.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the corrections to the one or more optical elements of the photolithography system include corrections to a lens configuration including lens orientation or clocking.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the corrections to the one or more optical elements of the photolithography system include corrections to a lens design.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the corrections to the one or more optical elements of the photolithography system include corrections to a lens manufacturing process.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the corrections to the one or more optical elements of the photolithography system include a mask design including feature orientation or mask feature parameters.

10. A method for determining optical aberrations of a photolithographic system, the method comprising:

correlating values of a first set of two or more shape parameters with a first set of focus values to produce dependencies, the values of the first set of two or more shape parameters being determined via scatterometry measurement techniques;

determining values of a second set of two or more shape parameters associated with multiple structures in a lithographic field via scatterometry measurement techniques;

determining a second set of focus values associated with forming the multiple structures at multiple locations in the lithographic field by comparing the second set of two or more shape parameters with the correlated dependencies, the second set of focus values being used to form focal plane deviations in the lithographic field; and

determining the optical aberrations of the photolithographic system from the focal plane deviations, wherein the determined optical aberrations are useful for correcting one or more optical elements of the photolithographic system.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the shape parameter information is interpreted from two or more different scatterometry measurement sites and wherein the scatterometry sites differ in shape, pitch, mask construction, position or orientation.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to accept or reject a lithographic system for qualification.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to determine optimum settings of the photolithographic system so as to minimize the negative effects of the optical aberrations.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to determine corrections to a lens configuration including lens orientation or clocking in order to optimize the photolithographic system and to minimize the negative effects of the optical aberrations.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to determine corrections to a lens design in order to optimize the photolithographic system and to minimize negative effects of the optical aberrations.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to determine corrections to a lens manufacturing process to optimize the photolithographic system and to minimize negative effects of the optical aberrations.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the determined optical aberrations are used to determine a mask design including feature orientation or mask feature parameters so as to minimize negative effects of the optical aberrations.

18. A method for determining optical aberrations of a photolithographic system, the method comprising:

correlating values of a first set of two or more shape parameters with focus values of the photolithographic system values of a first set of one or more process parameters to produce dependencies, the values of the first set of two or more shape parameters being determined via scatterometry measurement techniques;

determining values of a second set of two or more shape parameters associated with multiple structures in a lithographic field via scatterometry measurement techniques;

determining the focus values associated with forming the multiple structures at multiple locations in the lithographic field by comparing the second set of two or more shape parameters with the correlated dependencies; and

determining and the optical aberrations from the focal plane deviations determined for multiple scatterometry measurement sites in the lithographic field, wherein the determined optical aberrations are useful for correcting one or more optical elements of the photolithographic system.