CN119987164B - Energy calibration method and device for photoetching machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for energy calibration of a lithography machine. The method comprises: using a temperature sensor to measure a temperature parameter during a lithography process; obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter based on a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model being a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and performing energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

Description

Energy calibration method and device for photolithography machine

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to an energy calibration method and device for a lithography machine.

Background Art

Photolithography is one of the most critical steps in the semiconductor manufacturing process, determining the technological level of the entire integrated circuit manufacturing process. The state of a photolithography machine is not static. For example, as the machine operates, key components age, causing dynamic changes in the machine's state. Alternatively, the machine may crash or shut down for maintenance, causing dynamic changes in the machine's state. These changes can cause the machine's state to shift dynamically. The exposure energy of the photolithography machine during photolithography directly affects the size of the critical dimension (CD). This CD size affects the actual pattern size in subsequent processes such as pattern transfer, leading to process instability and reduced product yield. Therefore, energy calibration methods are necessary to precisely control the exposure energy of the photolithography machine.

Summary of the Invention

In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide an energy calibration method and device for a lithography machine.

To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present disclosure is implemented as follows:

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an energy calibration method for a lithography machine, the method comprising: using a temperature sensor to measure and obtain temperature parameters in the lithography process; obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and energy calibrating the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

In some embodiments, temperature parameters in the lithography process are measured using a temperature sensor, including: first temperature parameters and second temperature parameters in the lithography process are measured using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine.

In some embodiments, a first temperature parameter of the lithography process is measured using a first temperature sensor, including: using the first temperature sensor to measure the first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the lithography process, and obtaining the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature based on the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter.

In some embodiments, measuring a second temperature parameter during the photolithography process using a second temperature sensor includes: measuring a second temperature of the lens during the photolithography process using the second temperature sensor, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

In some embodiments, the energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter is obtained according to a preset relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter, including: obtaining a first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the relationship model.

In some embodiments, before using a temperature sensor to measure the temperature parameters in the lithography process, the method further includes: obtaining sample temperature parameters of the mask and/or lens in the lithography machine at different temperatures; and constructing a preset relationship model based on the sample temperature parameters.

In some embodiments, the preset relationship model is: ;in, is a coefficient related to the material of the mask or a coefficient related to the material of the lens, is the temperature parameter, is the volume of the mask or the lens at room temperature, is the surface area of the light mask or the lens at room temperature, is the energy conversion coefficient.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an energy calibration device for a lithography machine, comprising: a temperature sensor for measuring temperature parameters during the lithography process; a calculation module for obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and a calibration module for energy calibrating the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

In some embodiments, the temperature sensor includes: a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine; the first temperature sensor is used to measure the first temperature parameter in the lithography process; the second temperature sensor is used to measure the second temperature parameter in the lithography process.

In some embodiments, the first temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature based on the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter.

In some embodiments, the second temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the second temperature of the lens during the photolithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

In some embodiments, the calculation module is further configured to obtain a first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the preset relationship model.

The disclosed embodiments provide a method and apparatus for energy calibration of a lithography machine. The method comprises: using a temperature sensor to measure a temperature parameter during the lithography process; obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter based on a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model being a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and performing energy calibration of the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient. In the disclosed embodiments, the energy variation during the lithography process is characterized based on the temperature parameter, thereby enabling energy calibration of the lithography machine based on the temperature parameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the steps of an energy calibration method for a lithography machine provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a lithography machine provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of an energy calibration device for a lithography machine provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG4 is a hardware structure diagram of an energy calibration device for a lithography machine provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features known in the art are not described to avoid confusion with the present disclosure; that is, all features of actual embodiments are not described herein, nor are well-known functions and structures described in detail.

In the drawings, the sizes of layers, regions, elements and their relative sizes may be exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals denote like elements throughout.

It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on, adjacent to, connected to, or coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, adjacent to, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on, directly adjacent to, directly connected to, or directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and/or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or part from another element, component, region, layer, or part. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure, the first element, component, region, layer, or part discussed below may be represented as a second element, component, region, layer, or part. However, when the second element, component, region, layer, or part is discussed, it does not necessarily mean that the first element, component, region, layer, or part exists in the present disclosure.

Spatially relative terms such as "under," "beneath," "below," "under," "above," "above," etc., may be used herein for convenience of description to describe the relationship of an element or feature shown in the figures to other elements or features. It should be understood that in addition to the orientations shown in the figures, the spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, then the elements or features described as "under the other elements" or "under it" or "under it" will be oriented as "on" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary terms "under" and "under" may include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be oriented otherwise (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations) and the spatial descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

The purpose of the terms used herein is only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. When used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising" and/or "comprising", when used in this specification, determine the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and/or groups. When used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.

In order to fully understand the present disclosure, detailed steps and detailed structures will be presented in the following description to illustrate the technical solution of the present disclosure. The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below. However, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present disclosure may also have other implementation methods.

During product manufacturing, process quality stability is a key evaluation metric for equipment and processes, determining whether certain equipment or processes can enter mass production. For example, during photolithography, the stability of exposure energy affects the lithography results at different locations on the same wafer, as well as the lithography results across different wafers. Therefore, high process stability requirements are placed on photolithography machines to ensure controllable dimensions at different locations on the same wafer, and to ensure consistent dimensions across different wafers using the same photolithography parameters.

During wafer exposure, the lithography machine provides the required exposure energy (output energy). The energy sensor on the lithography machine can feedback control this exposure energy. The spot sensor above the wafer chuck that carries the wafer is used to detect the exposure energy (input energy) received by the wafer and feedback it. From this, the energy conversion factor (ESCF) between input energy and output energy can be obtained. At the same time, for lithography machines with twin chucks, each chuck also has an energy calibration sensor (Energy Sensor Calibration, ESCAL) to transmit output energy data to the spot sensor on the first chuck of the twin chucks to ensure consistent energy on each chuck.

As the size of core components continues to shrink, with core structure dimensions approaching tens or even a few nanometers, the requirements for manufacturing process stability are becoming increasingly stringent. Consequently, energy calibration of lithography machines during operation has become a pressing issue.

In this regard, the following implementation methods are proposed.

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the steps of an energy calibration method for a lithography machine provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG1 , the energy calibration method includes the following steps:

Step S101: using a temperature sensor to measure and obtain temperature parameters during the photolithography process.

Step S102: obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter.

Step S103: performing energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

In the disclosed embodiment, the energy change in the lithography process is characterized based on the temperature parameter, so that the energy of the lithography machine can be calibrated based on the temperature parameter.

A photolithography machine primarily consists of three parts: an illumination optical module, a mask module, and a wafer module. The optical module includes a light source module (source), an illumination module, and a projection lens module (projection lens). The light source module can be simplified to a laser that emits deep ultraviolet (DUV) or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. The mask module includes a reticle handler and a reticle stage. The reticle handler is responsible for transferring the mask from the reticle box to the reticle stage. The reticle stage is responsible for carrying and rapidly moving the mask back and forth. The wafer module includes a wafer handler and a wafer stage. The wafer handler is responsible for transferring the wafer from the photoresist coater to the wafer stage, and the wafer stage is responsible for carrying the wafer and accurately positioning it for exposure. The projection objective lens module includes a plurality of lenses and is used for projecting the image of the mask in the mask module onto the surface of the wafer in the wafer module.

In some embodiments, the temperature sensor includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor may be disposed adjacent to a mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor may be disposed adjacent to a lens in the lithography machine. The term "adjacent arrangement" herein may refer to a closely adjacent arrangement.

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lithography machine provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be noted that FIG2 is a simplified schematic diagram of the structure of the lithography machine, and FIG2 only illustrates the mask carrier 210, the projection lens module 220 and the wafer carrier 230 in the lithography machine. As shown in FIG2 , the first temperature sensor is arranged at a position N1 below the mask carrier 210, and the first temperature sensor can be a retractable temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor is arranged in the first accommodating portion and can move relative to the first accommodating portion, and the first temperature sensor has a first position and a second position relative to the first accommodating portion; wherein, in the first position state, at least part of the body of the first temperature sensor extends into the position below the mask carrier to measure the temperature of the mask on the mask carrier; in the second position state, the first temperature sensor is housed in the first accommodating portion. Similarly, the second temperature sensor is arranged at a position N2 below the lowest lens in the projection objective lens module 220, and the second temperature sensor can be a retractable temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor has a first position and a second position relative to the second accommodating portion; wherein, in the first position state, at least part of the body of the second temperature sensor extends into the position below the lowest lens in the projection objective lens module to measure the temperature of the lowest lens in the projection objective lens module; in the second position state, the second temperature sensor is received in the second accommodating portion.

It should be noted that N1 and N2 shown in Figure 2 are only an exemplary illustration. The first temperature sensor can also be set at other positions that are close to the mask carrier 210 and can measure the temperature parameters of the mask. The second temperature sensor and the projection objective module 220 can also be set at other positions that are close to the projection objective module 220 and can measure the temperature parameters of the lowermost lens in the projection objective module 220. N1 and N2 shown in Figure 2 are not used to limit the setting positions of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor in the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, step S101 includes: using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor to measure and obtain a first temperature parameter and a second temperature parameter in a photolithography process.

In some embodiments, the first temperature sensor measures the first temperature parameter during reticle stage alignment. During a photolithography process, a reticle stage alignment step is performed before exposure of each lot. Specifically, an X-axis motion device and/or a Y-axis motion device are used to align the diagonal center of the actual pattern area to be exposed on the reticle on the reticle stage with the center of the lithography machine lens.

In some embodiments, the second temperature sensor measures the second temperature parameter during a wafer lot correction process. During a photolithography process, wafer lot correction is performed on each lot before exposure.

In some embodiments, step S101 includes: measuring a first temperature T ₁ of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process using a first temperature sensor, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient β ₁ of the mask at the first temperature T ₁ based on the first temperature T ₁ and the volume V ₁ of the mask; the first temperature T ₁ and the thermal expansion coefficient β ₁ of the mask at the first temperature T ₁ constitute the first temperature parameter. Here, the volume V ₁ of the mask is the volume of the mask at the first temperature T ₁ .

In some embodiments, the volume V _M of the mask can be measured at room temperature T _0. Since the volume change of the mask at different temperatures satisfies the formula ΔV=V _M ×β×ΔT, the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask can be obtained by the following formula: β= In other embodiments, the volume of the mask may also be calculated by measuring the area and thickness of the mask.

In some embodiments, step S101 includes: measuring a second temperature T ₂ of the lens during the photolithography process using a second temperature sensor, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient β ₂ of the lens at the second temperature T 2 based on the second temperature T ₂ and the volume V ₂ of the lens; the second temperature T ₂ and the thermal expansion coefficient β ₂ of the lens at the second temperature T ₂ constitute the second temperature parameter. Here, the volume V ₂ of the lens is the volume of the lens at the second temperature T ₂ .

In some embodiments, the volume V _L of the lens can be measured at room temperature T _0. Since the volume change of the lens at different temperatures satisfies the formula ΔV=V _L ×β×ΔT, the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens can be obtained by the following formula: β= In other embodiments, the volume of the lens may also be calculated by measuring the area and thickness of the lens.

In some embodiments, when the lithography machine performs a continuous process (including a continuous process with mask replacement), a discontinuous process, a high-energy process layer process, or a low-energy process layer process, the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor will respectively measure the first temperature parameter and the second temperature parameter before each batch lot is exposed.

In some embodiments, step S102 includes: obtaining a first energy conversion coefficient ESCF ₁ corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient ESCF ₂ corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the relationship model.

In some embodiments, the preset relationship model is: ;in, is a coefficient related to the material of the mask or a coefficient related to the material of the lens, is the temperature parameter, is the volume of the mask or lens at room temperature, is the surface area of the mask or lens at room temperature, is the energy conversion coefficient.

In some embodiments, μ is a coefficient in the function of the relationship between the distance that light energy penetrates an object and the reflectivity. Generally, the value range of μ is usually between 0.30 and 1.70. The value of μ is determined by the material of the mask or lens. Specifically, the corresponding value of μ can be obtained by querying the material properties of the mask or lens.

here, and These are parameters of the mask or lens that can be obtained through measurement. ESCF ₀ at room temperature T ₀ can be calculated based on the preset relationship model. During the photolithography process of each lot, ESCF 1 at the first temperature T ₁ can be obtained by substituting the first temperature T ₁ and the thermal expansion coefficient β ₁ into _the preset relationship model. Specifically, , where μ ₁ is a coefficient related to the material of the mask, V _M is the volume of the mask at room temperature T ₀ , is the change from temperature T ₀ to T ₁ , S ₁ is the surface area of the mask at room temperature T ₀ ; based on bringing the second temperature T ₂ and the thermal expansion coefficient β ₂ into the preset relationship model, the ESCF ₂ at the second temperature T ₂ can be obtained. Specifically, , where μ ₂ is a coefficient related to the material of the lens, V _L is the volume of the lens at room temperature T ₀ , is the change from temperature T ₀ to T ₂ , and S ₂ is the surface area of the lens at room temperature T ₀ .

In the disclosed embodiment, ESCF ₀ is measured and calculated at room temperature T _0. When calibrating the ESCF on a lithography machine, T ₀ is used as the reference temperature and ESCF ₀ as the reference energy conversion coefficient to ensure that the energy conversion coefficient ESCF varies minimally before and after each calibration. This reduces energy baseline jumps caused by ESCF updates, which affect the critical dimension (CD) of the lithography process and the R2R (Run to Run, using information obtained from previous operations to control subsequent production) feedback system.

In some embodiments, before step S101, the energy calibration method further includes: obtaining sample temperature parameters of the mask and/or lens in the lithography machine at different temperatures; and constructing a preset relationship model based on the sample temperature parameters.

In some embodiments, first sample temperature parameters of the mask at different temperatures are obtained by a first temperature sensor, second sample temperature parameters of the lens at different temperatures are obtained by a second temperature sensor, and a preset relationship model is constructed based on the first sample temperature parameters and the second sample temperature parameters.

In some embodiments, the first sample temperature parameters include but are not limited to the volume, thermal expansion coefficient, and surface area of the mask at different temperatures. The second sample temperature parameters include but are not limited to the volume, thermal expansion coefficient, and surface area of the lens at different temperatures.

In a specific example, based on the first sample temperature parameter, the second sample temperature parameter, the measurement data and the fault detection system (FDC) parameters, the FDC parameters include the energy conversion coefficient ESCF, and a preset relationship model is established with the energy conversion coefficient ESCF as the dependent variable and the temperature parameter as the independent variable.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, ;in, To calibrate the energy conversion coefficient, is the energy conversion coefficient of the previous batch of lot, = is the energy conversion coefficient for the current lot. The calibration energy conversion coefficient can be calculated based on the energy conversion coefficients for the previous lot and the current lot. The lithography machine can then be energy calibrated based on the calibration energy conversion coefficient.

In some embodiments, for a dual-carrier lithography machine, an energy conversion factor (ECCF) between parameters output by a point sensor and parameters output by an energy calibration sensor is also involved.

In the disclosed embodiment, ECCF ₀ at room temperature T ₀ is measured and calculated. When calibrating the ECCF on a lithography machine, T ₀ is used as the reference temperature and ECCF ₀ as the reference energy conversion coefficient to ensure that the energy conversion coefficient ECCF changes minimally before and after each calibration. This reduces energy baseline jumps caused by the update of the energy conversion coefficient ECCF, which affect the critical dimension CD and R2R feedback system of the lithography.

In a specific example, based on the first sample temperature parameter, the second sample temperature parameter, measurement data and fault detection control (FDC) parameters, the FDC parameters include the energy conversion coefficient ECCF, and a preset relationship model is established with the energy conversion coefficient ECCF as the dependent variable and the temperature parameter as the independent variable.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, ;in, To calibrate the energy conversion coefficient, is the energy conversion coefficient of the previous batch of lot, = is the energy conversion coefficient for the current lot. The calibration energy conversion coefficient can be calculated based on the energy conversion coefficients for the previous lot and the current lot. The lithography machine can then be energy calibrated based on the calibration energy conversion coefficient.

In the disclosed embodiments, more factors that affect the energy attenuation of the lithography machine (such as temperature parameters) are introduced, and a preset relationship model is established to perform energy calibration of the lithography machine. This can filter out unrealistic energy changes, thereby achieving more accurate energy calibration.

In the disclosed embodiment, more temperature parameters that affect the energy attenuation of the lithography machine are introduced, so that the energy conversion coefficient changes more smoothly, the baseline mutation is reduced, and the ECCF calibration period is extended.

In some embodiments, the energy calibration method further includes: using an energy sensor to measure energy parameters in the photolithography process; the energy sensor is set in the illumination module, and the energy sensor is used to measure the energy of the output light of the light source in the photolithography machine.

In some embodiments, energy calibration of the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient includes: energy calibration of the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient and the energy parameter.

In some embodiments, an energy conversion coefficient (ESCF ₃ ) between input and output energy can be calculated based on the energy parameter and the exposure energy detected by the point sensor. A calibration energy conversion coefficient can also be calculated based on the energy conversion coefficient ESCF ₃ and the energy conversion coefficient of the current lot. The lithography machine can be energy calibrated based on the calibration energy conversion coefficient.

In the disclosed embodiment, the energy conversion coefficient obtained based on the temperature parameter and the preset relationship model is used as a new FDC parameter for detection and control, changing from bilateral FDC limit control to unilateral FDC limit control, which is more conducive to setting accurate target values (Target) and specification limits (SPEC limits). Setting corresponding FDC alarms (alarms) and error limits (error limits) based on the critical dimension specification limits (CDSPEC) of the process layer (layer) can effectively prevent the critical dimension CD of the product from exceeding the control limit (Out of control, OOC) and exceeding the specification limit (Out of specification, OOS), thereby more specifically setting abnormal behavior countermeasures (Out of Control Action Plan, OCAP) and improving the stability of the critical dimension CD of the inline (Inline) lots.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, since the energy conversion coefficient obtained based on the temperature parameter and the preset relationship model is used as a new FDC parameter for detection and control, the FDC card control anomaly and processing are more accurate, and abnormal points can be detected and whether they are real mutations or false mutations can be confirmed in a timely manner.

The energy calibration method for the lithography machine provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure can effectively improve the energy stability of the lithography machine, reduce energy mutations that are not real mutations, improve the stability of the product's critical dimension CD, and improve process capabilities.

It should be noted that although the steps of the energy calibration method for a lithography machine disclosed herein are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in this specific order, or that all steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additionally or alternatively, certain steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and/or a single step may be broken down into multiple steps.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an energy calibration device for a lithography machine. Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an energy calibration device for a lithography machine provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, the energy calibration device 300 for a lithography machine includes: a temperature sensor 310 for measuring a temperature parameter during the lithography process; a calculation module 320 for obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter based on a preset relationship model; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter; and a calibration module 330 for performing energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 310 includes: a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the mask carrier in the lithography machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the lens in the lithography machine; the first temperature sensor is used to measure the first temperature parameter in the lithography process; the second temperature sensor is used to measure the second temperature parameter in the lithography process.

In some embodiments, the first temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the first temperature of the mask on the mask carrier during the photolithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature based on the first temperature and the volume of the mask; the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the mask at the first temperature constitute the first temperature parameter.

In some embodiments, the second temperature sensor is specifically used to measure the second temperature of the lens during the photolithography process, and obtain the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature based on the second temperature and the volume of the lens; the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature constitute the second temperature parameter.

In some embodiments, the calculation module 320 is further configured to obtain a first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the preset relationship model.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 300 further includes: a construction module 340 for obtaining sample temperature parameters of the mask and/or lens in the lithography machine at different temperatures; and constructing a preset relationship model based on the sample temperature parameters.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 300 further includes an energy sensor 350 , which is used to measure energy parameters during the photolithography process; the energy parameters are used to characterize the energy of output light from the light source in the photolithography machine.

In some embodiments, the calibration module 330 is specifically configured to perform energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient and the energy parameter.

For details not disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure, please refer to the description of the aforementioned embodiments for understanding.

It is understood that in this embodiment, a "module" can be a portion of a circuit, a portion of a processor, a portion of a program or software, etc., and of course, it can also be non-modular. Moreover, the various components in this embodiment can be integrated into a single processing unit, each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into a single unit. The above-mentioned integrated units can be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional modules.

If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional module and is not sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this embodiment, or the portion that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or a processor to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in this embodiment. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard drive, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

Therefore, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a computer storage medium storing a computer program, which implements the steps of the model calibration method described in any one of the aforementioned embodiments when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

Based on the composition of the energy calibration device of the above-mentioned lithography machine and the computer storage medium, refer to Figure 4, which shows a schematic diagram of the composition structure of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4, the electronic device 400 may include: a communication interface 401, a memory 402 and a processor 403; each component is coupled together through a bus system 404. It can be understood that the bus system 404 is used to realize the connection and communication between these components. In addition to the data bus, the bus system 404 also includes a power bus, a control bus and a status signal bus. However, for the sake of clarity, various buses are marked as bus systems 404 in Figure 4. Among them, the communication interface 401 is used to receive and send signals in the process of sending and receiving information between other external network elements;

Memory 402, used to store computer programs that can be run on processor 403;

The processor 403 is configured to, when running the computer program, execute:

The temperature parameters during the photolithography process are measured using a temperature sensor;

According to a preset relationship model, an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter is obtained; the preset relationship model is a relationship model between the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter;

Energy calibration of the lithography machine is performed based on the energy conversion coefficient.

It is understood that the memory 402 in the embodiment of the present disclosure may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDRSDRAM), enhanced synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct RAM bus random access memory (DRRAM). The memory 402 of the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

Processor 403 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During implementation, each step of the above method can be completed by hardware integrated logic circuits or software instructions in processor 403. The above processor 403 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the various methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in conjunction with the embodiments of this disclosure can be directly implemented and executed by a hardware decoding processor, or by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can be located in a storage medium well-known in the art, such as random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, etc. The storage medium is located in memory 402, and processor 403 reads the information in memory 402 and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method.

It is understood that the embodiments described herein may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or a combination thereof. For hardware implementation, the processing unit may be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), general-purpose processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units for performing the functions described in the present disclosure, or a combination thereof.

For software implementation, the techniques described herein can be implemented by modules (e.g., procedures, functions, etc.) that perform the functions described herein. The software code can be stored in a memory and executed by a processor. The memory can be implemented in the processor or external to the processor.

Optionally, as another embodiment, the processor 403 is further configured to execute the energy calibration method of the lithography machine described in any one of the aforementioned embodiments when running the computer program.

It should be understood that “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” mentioned throughout the specification means that specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The serial numbers of the embodiments of the present disclosure are for description only and do not represent the advantages and disadvantages of the embodiments.

The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and does not limit the patent scope of the present disclosure. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present disclosure and the drawings under the inventive concept of the present disclosure, or direct/indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims (7)

1. A method of calibrating energy of a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:

acquiring sample temperature parameters of a photomask and/or a lens in the photoetching machine at different temperatures;

Constructing a preset relation model based on the sample temperature parameters;

Measuring a first temperature parameter and a second temperature parameter in a photoetching process by using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to a photomask bearing table in the photoetching machine, and the second temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to a lens in the photoetching machine;

Obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relation model, wherein the preset relation model is a relation model of the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter;

And performing energy calibration on the photoetching machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a first temperature parameter of the lithographic process using a first temperature sensor comprises:

And measuring a first temperature of a photomask on the photomask bearing table in a photoetching process by using a first temperature sensor, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient of the photomask at the first temperature according to the first temperature and the volume of the photomask, wherein the first temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the photomask at the first temperature form the first temperature parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a second temperature parameter of the lithographic process using a second temperature sensor comprises:

And measuring a second temperature of the lens in the photoetching process by using a second temperature sensor, and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature according to the second temperature and the volume of the lens, wherein the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature form the second temperature parameter.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein obtaining the energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relation model of the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter comprises:

and obtaining a first energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the first temperature parameter and a second energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the second temperature parameter according to the relation model.

5. A method according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein,

The preset relation model is as follows: wherein, the method comprises the steps of, For coefficients related to the material of the mask or to the material of the lens,As a function of the temperature parameter(s),For the volume of the mask or the lens at normal temperature,For the surface area of the mask or the lens at normal temperature,Is an energy conversion coefficient.

6. An energy calibration apparatus for a lithographic apparatus, comprising:

The construction module is used for acquiring sample temperature parameters of a photomask and/or a lens in the photoetching machine at different temperatures;

The device comprises a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a lens, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is used for measuring a first temperature parameter in a photoetching process;

The calculation module is used for obtaining an energy conversion coefficient corresponding to the temperature parameter according to a preset relation model, wherein the preset relation model is a relation model of the energy conversion coefficient and the temperature parameter;

and the calibration module is used for carrying out energy calibration on the lithography machine based on the energy conversion coefficient.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the device comprises a plurality of sensors,

The first temperature sensor is specifically used for measuring a first temperature of a photomask on the photomask bearing table in a photoetching process and obtaining a thermal expansion coefficient of the photomask at the first temperature according to the first temperature and the volume of the photomask;

The second temperature sensor is specifically configured to measure a second temperature of the lens during a photolithography process, and obtain a thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature according to the second temperature and a volume of the lens, where the second temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient of the lens at the second temperature form the second temperature parameter.