A kind of alignment system
Technical field
The present invention relates to field of lithography, relate in particular to the alignment system using in lithographic equipment.
Background technology
Lithographic equipment of the prior art, is mainly used in the manufacture of integrated circuit (IC) or other microdevice.By lithographic equipment, the multilayer mask with different mask patterns is imaged on successively on the silicon chip that is coated with photoresist under accurately aiming at, for example semi-conductor silicon chip or LCD plate.Lithographic equipment is divided into two classes substantially, one class is stepping lithographic equipment, mask pattern single exposure is imaged on an exposure area of silicon chip, silicon chip moves with respect to mask subsequently, next exposure area is moved to mask pattern and projection objective below, again by mask pattern exposure in another exposure area of silicon chip, repeat this process until on silicon chip all exposure areas all have the picture of mask pattern.Another kind of is step-scan lithographic equipment, and in said process, mask pattern is not single exposure imaging, but by the scanning mobile imaging of projection light field.In mask pattern imaging process, mask and wafer moves with respect to optical projection system and projected light beam simultaneously.
Step crucial in lithographic equipment is that mask and wafer is aimed at.After exposing on silicon chip, ground floor mask pattern removes from device, at silicon chip, carry out after relevant PROCESS FOR TREATMENT, carry out the exposure of second layer mask pattern, but for guarantee second layer mask pattern and subsequently the picture of mask pattern with respect to the accurate location of exposed mask pattern image on silicon chip, mask and silicon chip accurately need to be aimed at.The IC device of being manufactured by photoetching technique needs multiexposure, multiple exposure in silicon chip, to form multilayer circuit, for this reason, requires configuration alignment system in lithographic equipment, realizes the accurate aligning of mask and silicon chip.When characteristic dimension requires more hour, the requirement of alignment precision and consequent requirement to alignment precision are become to stricter.
The alignment system of lithographic equipment, its major function is before alignment exposure, to realize mask one silicon chip to aim at, measure the coordinate (XW of silicon chip in coordinate system of machine, YW, Φ WZ), and the coordinate (XR of mask in coordinate system of machine, YR, Φ RZ), and calculate mask with respect to the position of silicon chip, to meet the requirement of alignment precision.Prior art has two kinds of alignment scheme.A kind of is the TTL technique of alignment that sees through camera lens, the alignment mark of the periodic phase optical grating construction that laser lighting arranges on silicon chip, diffraction light or scattered light by the collected silicon chip alignment mark of the projection objective of lithographic equipment irradiate in mask alignment mark, and this alignment mark can be amplitude or phase grating.After mask mark, detector is set, when scanning silicon chip under projection objective, surveys the light intensity that sees through mask mark, the maximal value of detector output represents correct aligned position.The position measurement that this aligned position is the laser interferometer that moves for monitoring wafer platform position provides zero reference.Another kind is OA off-axis alignment technology, is positioned at the reference mark of datum plate on a plurality of alignment marks on silicon chip and silicon wafer stage by off-axis alignment systematic survey, realizes that silicon chip is aimed at and silicon wafer stage aligning; On silicon wafer stage, the reference mark of datum plate is aimed at mask alignment mark, realizes mask registration; Can obtain the position relationship of mask and silicon chip thus, realize mask and silicon chip and aim at.
At present, most the adopted alignment so of lithographic equipment is grating alignment.Grating alignment refers to that Uniform Illumination light beam irradiates, on grating alignment mark, diffraction occurs, and the emergent light after diffraction carries the full detail about alignment mark structure.Senior diffraction light scatters from phase alignment grating with wide-angle, by spatial filter, filter after zero order light, gather diffraction light ± 1 order diffraction light, or the raising along with CD requirement, gather multi-level diffraction light (comprising senior) in picture plane interference imaging simultaneously, through photodetector and signal, process, determine centering adjustment position.
A kind of situation of prior art is (referring to Chinese invention patent, publication number: CN1506768A, denomination of invention: for alignment system and the method for etching system), the ATHENA off-axis alignment system of a kind of 4f system architecture that Holland ASML company adopts, this alignment system adopts ruddiness, green glow two-source illumination at the Lights section; And adopt voussoir array or wedge group to realize the overlapping and coherent imaging of alignment mark multi-level diffraction light, and in image planes, imaging space is separated; The registration signal of ruddiness and green glow is come separated by a polarization beam splitter prism; By surveying alignment mark picture, see through the transmitted light intensity with reference to grating, obtain the registration signal of sinusoidal output.
This alignment system is by surveying the aligned position error that (comprising diffraction light senior time), multilevel diffraction light caused to reduce alignment mark asymmetrical deformation of alignment mark.The concrete positive and negative level time hot spot correspondence that adopts voussoir array or wedge group to realize alignment mark multi-level diffraction light is overlapping, coherent imaging, and the grating grating images at different levels that the deviation of diffraction light light beams at different levels by voussoir array or wedge group makes alignment mark aim at for x direction are simultaneously arranged in picture in the y-direction in image planes; The grating grating images at different levels of aiming at for y direction are arranged in picture in the x-direction in image planes, and while having avoided alignment mark grating image scanning at different levels correspondence with reference to grating, different cycles grating image scans one with reference to the situation of grating, the cross-interference issue of effective address signal simultaneously.But while using voussoir array, face type and the angle of wedge coherence request of two voussoirs that the positive and negative same stages of birefringence is inferior are very high; And the requirement of the processing and manufacturing of wedge group, assembling and adjustment is also very high, the specific implementation engineering difficulty of getting up is larger, costs dearly.
Summary of the invention
The alignment methods that the object of the present invention is to provide a kind of simple alignment system and be easy to realize.
Alignment system of the present invention, comprising:
Light source module, provides alignment system required alignment, and described alignment at least has two directions of propagation;
Optical stripe forms device, receives the alignment of above-mentioned different directions, forms the first optical stripe;
Optical module, receives the first optical stripe, forms to have the cycle identical with following alignment mark and the second optical stripe of direction, and receives described the second optical stripe and be irradiated to following to the diffracted beam forming after fiducial mark mark;
Alignment mark, has certain cycle, at least to both direction, arranges, and it can receive the second optical stripe, and makes it that diffraction occur;
Photodetector, is arranged on optical module and optical stripe and forms between device, receives and measure the intensity of above-mentioned diffracted beam, and the phase information that utilizes light intensity to change reflection is determined aligned position.
Wherein, described optical module is the lens arrangement with telecentric beam path.
Wherein, described photodetector is arranged on the frequency plane of described lens arrangement.
Wherein, described optical stripe formation device is semi-transparent semi-reflecting flat board or amplitude grating.
Wherein, described semi-transparent semi-reflecting slab-thickness and angle of inclination meet following formula
Wherein d was the second optical stripe cycle, and f is optical module focal length, and λ is illuminating bundle wavelength, and N is the refractive index of half-reflection and half-transmission flat board, and h is half-reflection and half-transmission slab-thickness, and θ is the angle of inclination of the dull and stereotyped illuminating bundle place relatively of half-reflection and half-transmission plane.
Wherein, described alignment has two orthogonal directions of propagation.
Wherein, described alignment mark has at least one group of orthogonal phase grating, after being irradiated on alignment mark, optical stripe forms diffracted beam on mutually perpendicular both direction, in the process of alignment mark and alignment system relative motion, utilize detector array to measure the intensity of the diffracted beam on orthogonal both direction, the phase information that utilizes light intensity to change reflection is determined aligned position, is aligned position when light intensity is maximum.
Wherein, described diffracted beam has an above order of diffraction time, each order of diffraction time corresponding at least two identical sweep signals, and these two sweep signals are corrected mutually, merge the sweep signal forming after a rectification.
The alignment system that the present invention proposes, has simplified alignment system, and has changed aligning implementation method.
Accompanying drawing explanation
Figure 1 shows that the structural representation having used according to the lithographic equipment of alignment system of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows that the alignment system structural representation according to first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 3 shows that the alignment system structural representation according to second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 4 shows that the amplitude grating structural representation in the alignment system of second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 5 shows that the alignment system detector array schematic diagram used of first, second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6 shows that the alignment system alignment mark structure schematic diagram used of first, second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 7 shows that sweep signal that first, second embodiment of the present invention the obtains shape schematic diagram after over-fitting.
Embodiment
Below, describe in detail according to a preferred embodiment of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings.For convenience of description and highlight the present invention, in accompanying drawing, omitted existing associated components in prior art, and by the description of omitting these well-known components.
Figure 1 shows that the structural representation having used according to the lithographic equipment of alignment system of the present invention.The formation of lithographic equipment comprises: for the illuminator 1 of exposing light beam is provided; For supporting mask holder and the mask platform 3 of mask 2, on mask 2, there are mask pattern and the alignment mark RM with periodic structure; For the mask pattern on mask 2 being projected to the projection optical system 4 of silicon chip 6; For supporting silicon chip support and the silicon wafer stage 7 of silicon chip 6, on silicon wafer stage 7, there is the datum plate 8 that is carved with reference mark FM, on silicon chip 6, there is the alignment mark of periodicity optical structure; Off-axis alignment system 5 for mask and silicon chip aligning; For catoptron 10,16 and the laser interferometer 11,15 of mask platform 3 and silicon wafer stage 7 position measurements, and the servo-drive system 13 of the mask platform 3 of being controlled by master control system 12 and silicon wafer stage 7 displacements and drive system 9,14.
Wherein, illuminator 1 comprises a light source, one make the to throw light on lens combination of homogenising, catoptron, a condenser (all not shown in figure).As a light source cell, can adopt KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248nm), ArF excimer laser (wavelength 193nm), F2 laser instrument (wavelength 157nm), Kr2 laser instrument (wavelength 146nm), Ar2 laser instrument (wavelength 126nm) or use ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp (g-line, i-line) etc.The exposing light beam IL of illuminator 1 uniform irradiation is radiated on mask 2, includes the mark RM of mask pattern and periodic structure, for mask registration on mask 2.Mask platform 3 can be mobile in the X-Y plane perpendicular to illuminator optical axis (overlapping with the optical axis AX of projection objective) through drive system 14, and move with specific sweep velocity in predetermined direction of scanning (being parallel to X-direction).The position of mask platform 3 in plane of motion recorded by Doppler's two-frequency laser interferometer 15 precisions by the catoptron 16 being positioned in mask platform 3.The positional information of mask platform 3 sends to master control system 12 by laser interferometer 15 through servo-drive system 13, and master control system 12 drives mask platform 3 according to the positional information of mask platform 3 by drive system 14.
Projection optical system 4 (projection objective) is positioned at mask platform 3 belows shown in Fig. 1, and its optical axis AX is parallel to Z-direction.Owing to adopting double telecentric structure and thering is predetermined scale down if 1/5 or 1/4 refraction type or refractive and reflective optical system are as projection optical system, so during mask pattern on the exposing light beam illuminating mask 2 of illuminator 1 transmitting, circuit mask pattern is being coated with through projection optical system the image that on the silicon chip 6 of photoresist, one-tenth dwindles.
Silicon wafer stage 7 is positioned at the below of projection optical system 4, is provided with a silicon chip support (not shown) on silicon wafer stage 7, and silicon chip 6 is fixed on support.Silicon wafer stage 7 through drive system 9 drive can be in direction of scanning (directions X) and perpendicular to direction of scanning (Y-direction) upper motion, make the zones of different of silicon chip 6 to be positioned in exposure light field, and carry out step-scan operation.The position of silicon wafer stage 7 in X-Y plane recorded by Doppler's two-frequency laser interferometer 11 precisions by a catoptron 10 being positioned on silicon wafer stage, the positional information of silicon wafer stage 7 sends to master control system 12 through servo-drive system 13, and master control system 12 is controlled the motion of silicon wafer stage 7 by drive system 9 according to positional information (or velocity information).
Silicon chip 6 is provided with the alignment mark of periodic structure, has the datum plate 8 that comprises reference mark FM on silicon wafer stage 7, and alignment system 5 by silicon chip alignment mark and reference mark FM, realizes silicon chip 6 alignings respectively and silicon wafer stage 7 is aimed at.In addition, a coaxial alignment unit (not shown) is aimed at the reference mark FM of datum plate on silicon wafer stage 8 with mask alignment mark RM, realize mask registration.The alignment information of alignment system 5 is transferred to master control system 12 together in conjunction with the alignment information of coaxial alignment unit, and after data processing, drive system 9 drives silicon wafer stage 7 to move the aligning of realizing mask and silicon chip 6.
Figure 2 shows that according to the structural representation of the first embodiment of alignment system of the present invention.This alignment system provides alignment light source by light source module wherein, alignment light source need to be from both direction incident, between it, have certain angle, it need to be specific embodiment (not shown in FIG.) from two mutually perpendicular direction incidents that alignment light source is take in the present invention.Alignment system structure mainly comprises: alignment 201, and semi-transparent semi-reflecting dull and stereotyped 202, photodetector fixed sturcture 203, photodetector 204, diffracted beam collecting lens group 205, alignment mark 206.
Alignment system principle is: the alignment 201 of light source module output (comprises orthogonal both direction incident, not shown in FIG.) enter semi-transparent semi-reflecting flat board (optical stripe formation device) 202, form the first optical stripe, via optical module, after being illustrated as diffracted beam collecting lens group (telecentric beam path) 205, obtain second optical stripe identical with direction with 206 cycles of alignment mark, after irradiating alignment mark 206, described the second optical stripe on orthogonal both direction, produces diffraction (drawing the 1-7 order diffraction light in direction in figure), in alignment mark (work stage datum plate or silicon chip) and alignment system relative motion process, utilize the photodetector array on photodetector 204 to measure the diffracted beam light intensity on orthogonal both direction, particularly, described photodetector 204 is arranged on the frequency plane of diffracted beam collecting lens group (telecentric beam path) 205.Semi-transparent semi-reflecting slab-thickness and angle of inclination are designed according to alignment mark cycle size, can be the combinations at several thickness and pitch angle, and to produce the optical stripe of different cycles and direction, semi-transparent semi-reflecting slab-thickness and angle of inclination meet following formula
Wherein d was the second optical stripe cycle, and f is optical module focal length, and λ is illuminating bundle wavelength, and N is the refractive index of half-reflection and half-transmission flat board, and h is half-reflection and half-transmission slab-thickness, and θ is the angle of inclination of the dull and stereotyped illuminating bundle place relatively of half-reflection and half-transmission plane.For example, when the interference fringe that need to the generation cycle be 8um, the dull and stereotyped angle of inclination of half-reflection and half-transmission is 45 degree, and the dull and stereotyped refractive index of half-reflection and half-transmission is 1.5, and thickness is 4mm (corresponding lens combination focal length is 80mm, and incident wavelength is 633nm).
Figure 3 shows that according to the structural representation of the second embodiment of alignment system of the present invention.Different from the first embodiment alignment system structure used shown in Fig. 2, in this programme, it is amplitude grating 302 that described optical stripe forms device, utilizes amplitude grating 302 to produce optical stripe, and its concrete structure as shown in Figure 4.By level, the amplitude grating 401,402 to two groups of different cycles forms with the vertical amplitude grating 403,404 to two groups of different cycles amplitude grating 302.The level that produces respectively to optical stripe with vertical to optical stripe.
Fig. 5 is the detector array schematic diagram of the alignment system of first, second embodiment of the present invention, 501 is the fixing framework of photodetector, 502 is photodetector array, be divided into level to arranging to both direction with vertical, difference alignment mark both direction diffracted beam+1 ,+3 ,+5 ,+7 grades,-1 ,-3 ,-5 ,-7 level positions, be placed on optical system frequency plane position.
Fig. 6 is the alignment mark structure schematic diagram of the alignment system of first, second embodiment of the present invention, and the phase grating 601,602 that is respectively for example 17.6um, 16um by level to two groups of cycles is respectively for example phase grating 603,604 of 17.6um, 16um to two groups of cycles and forms with vertical.
Fig. 7 is the sweep signal of first, second embodiment of the present invention shape schematic diagram after over-fitting, and the alignment mark cycle is to be 8.8um, cycle to be to be 8um, cycle to be to be 8.3um, cycle to be to be 8.5um, cycle to be that 7 order diffraction photoscanning signal-respective signal cycles of 16um grating are 8.7um in 5 order diffraction photoscanning signal-respective signal cycles of 16um grating in 3 order diffraction photoscanning signal-respective signal cycles of 16um grating in 1 order diffraction photoscanning signal-respective signal cycle of 16um grating in 1 order diffraction photoscanning signal-respective signal cycle of 17.6um grating respectively.While obtaining in one-period light intensity maximal value after carrying out matching, represent to aim at.It should be noted that, each photoscanning signal is mutually corrected and is obtained by positive and negative two the photoscanning signals of correspondence.
According in alignment system of the present invention, the alignment that makes light source outgoing is vertically most preferred embodiment of the present invention mutually, but, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, between alignment, can have different angles, the size of this angle is mutually corresponding with the angle between phase grating on alignment mark.
Described in this instructions is several preferred embodiment of the present invention, and above embodiment is only in order to illustrate technical scheme of the present invention but not limitation of the present invention.All those skilled in the art, all should be within the scope of the present invention under this invention's idea by the available technical scheme of logical analysis, reasoning, or a limited experiment.