US 12,007,701 B2
Determining a mark layout across a patterning device or substrate
Pavel Smal, Eindhoven (NL); Inez Marlena Sochal, Tilburg (NL); and Gautam Sarma, Eindhoven (NL)
Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 17/294,503
Filed by ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Oct. 21, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/078529
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 17, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/108861, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18208217 (EP), filed on Nov. 26, 2018; and application No. 19171485 (EP), filed on Apr. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0011683 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G03F 9/00 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 9/7046 (2013.01) [G03F 7/70625 (2013.01); G03F 7/70633 (2013.01); G03F 7/70683 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for determining a layout of mark positions across a patterning device or substrate, the method comprising:
obtaining a computer model configured to model data associated with measurements performed on the patterning device or substrate at one or more mark positions;
obtaining an initial mark layout comprising initial mark positions;
reducing the initial mark layout by removal of one or more mark positions to obtain a plurality of reduced mark layouts, each reduced mark layout obtained by removal of a different mark position from the initial mark layout;
determining a model uncertainty metric associated with usage of the computer model for each reduced mark layout out of the plurality of reduced mark layouts; and
selecting one or more reduced mark layouts based on the model uncertainty metric associated with the plurality of reduced mark layouts.