ASML Holding

About: ASML Holding is a company organization based out in Veldhoven, Netherlands. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Substrate (printing) & Extreme ultraviolet lithography. The organization has 5170 authors who have published 5078 publications receiving 59255 citations. The organization is also known as: ASM Lithography & ASML.

Method and apparatus for fast aerial image simulation

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for simulating an aerial image projected from an optical system, wherein the optical system includes a pupil and a mask. In general, the method comprises the steps of obtaining parameters for the optical system, calculating a kernel based on an orthogonal pupil projection of the parameters of the optical system onto a basis set, obtaining parameters of the mask, calculating a vector based on an orthogonal mask projection of the parameters of the mask onto a basis set, calculating a field intensity distribution using the kernel and the vector, and obtaining aerial image data from the field intensity distribution.

Method of uniformly coating a substrate

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for coating a substrate with a polymer solution to produce a film of uniform thickness, includes mounting the substrate inside an enclosed housing and passing a control gas, which may be a solvent vapor-bearing gas into the housing through an inlet. The polymer solution is deposited onto the surface of the substrate in the housing and the substrate is then spun. The control gas and any solvent vapor and particulate contaminants suspended in the control gas are exhausted from the housing through an outlet and the solvent vapor concentration is controlled by controlling the temperature of the housing and the solvent from which the solvent vapor-bearing gas is produced. Instead the concentration can be controlled by mixing gases having different solvent concentrations. The humidity of the gas may also be controlled.

Lithographic apparatus and method for optimizing an illumination source using photolithographic simulations

Abstract: A method for optimizing the illumination conditions of a lithographic apparatus by computer simulation, the lithographic apparatus including an illuminator and a projection system, includes defining a lithographic pattern to be printed on the substrate, selecting a simulation model, selecting a grid of source points in a pupil plane of the illuminator, calculating separate responses for individual source points, each of the responses representing a result of a single or series of simulations using the simulation model, and adjusting an illumination arrangement based on analysis of accumulated results of the separate calculations.

Lithographic projection apparatus, a grating module, a sensor module, a method of measuring wave front aberrations

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus including an illumination system; a support structure for holding a mask; a substrate table for holding a substrate; a projection system for projecting a pattern onto a target portion of the substrate; and an interferometric measurement system for measuring wave front aberrations of the projection system, characterized in that the interferometric measurement system including: a grating, featuring a grating pattern in a grating plane, said grating being movable into and out of the projection beam, such that the grating plane is substantially coincident with said object plane; a pinhole, featuring a pinhole pattern in a pinhole plane and arranged in a pinhole plate, said pinhole being movable into and out of the projection beam, such that the pinhole plane is substantially coincident with a plane downstream of the projection system and optically conjugate to said object plane, and a detector with a detector surface substantially coincident with a detection plane, said detection plane located downstream of the pinhole at a location where a spatial distribution of the electric field amplitude of the projection beam is substantially a Fourier transformation of a spatial distribution of the electric field amplitude of the projection beam in the pinhole plane.

Balanced positioning system for use in lithographic apparatus

Abstract: A balanced positioning apparatus comprises a balance mass which is supported so as to be moveable in the three degrees of freedom, such as X and Y translation and rotation about the Z-axis. Drive forces in these degrees of freedom act directly between the positioning body and the balance mass. Reaction forces arising from positioning movements result in corresponding movement of the balance mass and all reaction force are kept within the balanced positioning system. The balance mass may be a rectangular balance frame having the stators of two linear motors forming the uprights of an H-drive mounted on opposite sides. The cross-piece of the H-drive spans the frame and the positioned object is positioned within the central opening of the frame.