US 12,259,664 B2
Method of designing an alignment mark
Jigang Ma, Veldhoven (NL); and Hua Li, Eindhoven (NL)
Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 17/640,899
Filed by ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Aug. 17, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/073007
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 7, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/052695, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19198332 (EP), filed on Sep. 19, 2019; and application No. 19204856 (EP), filed on Oct. 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0334505 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 23/544 (2006.01); G03F 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 9/708 (2013.01) [G03F 9/7084 (2013.01); H01L 23/544 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of designing an alignment mark for on a substrate, the alignment mark comprising at least one trench to be etched into the substrate, the method comprising:
obtaining a relation between an extent of height variation across a surface of a probationary layer deposited on a probationary mark having a probationary mark trench of a probationary depth, and a thickness of the probationary layer, wherein the probationary mark is representative of the alignment mark and wherein the probationary layer is representative of a process layer to be deposited on the alignment mark;
determining a desired extent of height variation across the surface of the probationary layer deposited on the probationary mark, the height variation at the desired extent to enable to determine by an alignment system, from the height variation across the surface of the probationary layer on the probationary mark, a position of the probationary mark; and
configuring, by a hardware computer system, the alignment mark by determining a desired depth of the at least one trench of the alignment mark using the relation, the desired extent of height variation and a pre-defined thickness of the process layer to be deposited on the alignment mark.