US 12,248,254 B2
Universal metrology file, protocol, and process for maskless lithography systems
Tamer Coskun, San Jose, CA (US); Jang Fung Chen, Cupertino, CA (US); and Douglas Joseph Van Den Broeke, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/754,072
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/055135
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/071472, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0382171 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 30/30 (2020.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/70508 (2013.01) [G03F 7/70291 (2013.01); G03F 7/70616 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
creating a design file and a universal metrology file (UMF) file with a virtual mask device of a lithography environment, wherein:
the lithography environment comprises a controller operable to be connected to the virtual mask device, a metrology device, and a maskless lithography device; and
the UMF file is readable by each of the controller, the virtual mask device, the metrology device, and the maskless lithography device;
transmitting the design file to the maskless lithography device and transmitting the UMF file to the metrology device;
performing a lithography process comprising patterning a first substrate based on the design file with the maskless lithography device and transferring the first substrate patterned by the maskless lithography device to the metrology device;
performing one or more metrology processes with the metrology device according to instructions of the UMF file and populating the UMF file with metrology measurements;
performing a first portion of one or more applications with the metrology device according to instructions of the UMF file and compiling at least one of a correction model and a calibration offset data in the UMF file;
transmitting the UMF file to at least one of the virtual mask device and the maskless lithography device; and
updating the design file with at least one of the virtual mask device and the maskless lithography device.