Joseph J Consolini, 64754 Wesleyan Bay APT 8, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

6914664, Jul 5, 2005

Feb 13, 2003

10/365603

Keith Frank Best - Prunedale CA, US
Alexander Friz - San Jose CA, US
Joseph J. Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel - Eindhoven, NL
Cheng-Qun Gui - Best, NL

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

G03B027/42
G01B011/00

355 53, 356400, 356401

To align between layers having a large Z separation, an alignment system which illuminates reference markers with normally incident radiation is used. The alignment system has an illumination system that is telecentric on the substrate side.

7019814, Mar 28, 2006

Dec 19, 2003

10/738977

Keith Frank Best - Prunedale CA, US
Joseph J. Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Alexander Friz - San Jose CA, US

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

G03B 27/42
G03B 27/52

355 53, 355 55

A method according to one embodiment of the invention may be used in determining relative positions of developed patterns on a substrate (exposed e. g. using the step mode). Such a method uses reference marks which are located within or even superimposed on device patterns. Also disclosed is a mask of a lithographic projection apparatus including reference marks that may be used in such a method.

7041996, May 9, 2006

Sep 11, 2003

10/659714

Keith Frank Best - Prunedale CA, US
Joseph Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Alexander Friz - San Jose CA, US
Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel - Eindhoven, NL

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

G01N 21/86

250548, 2505593

While the alignment beam is focused on a mark on the substrate table, the substrate table is moved substantially perpendicularly to the alignment beam. If the image of the mark moves relative to a reference mark, then the substrate and the alignment beam are not perpendicular. The mark on the substrate table is aligned to a plurality of reference marks. At least two substrate marks are then aligned with a single reference mark. Errors due to the inclination of the alignment beam are eliminated from the expansion and rotation values calculated for the substrate.

7113258, Sep 26, 2006

Sep 14, 2004

10/939999

Henricus Wilhelmus Maria Van Buel - Eindhoven, NL
Keith Frank Best - Prunedale CA, US
Joseph J. Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Joeri Lof - Eindhoven, NL
Edwin Ross Shafer - San Jose CA, US

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

G03B 27/42
G03B 27/58
G01B 11/00
G03B 27/52

355 53, 355 72, 356401

A lithographic projection apparatus is provided with an optical system built into the wafer table for producing an image of a wafer mark that is provided on the back side of the wafer. The image is located at the plane of the front side of the wafer and can be viewed by an alignment system from the front side of the wafer. Simultaneous alignment between marks on the back and front of the wafer and a mask can be performed using a pre-existing alignment system. The lithographic projection apparatus is further provided with immersion system for providing a fluid between the lens and the substrate.

7130049, Oct 31, 2006

Dec 24, 2003

10/744091

Joseph J. Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Keith Frank Best - Prunedale CA, US
Alexander Friz - San Jose CA, US

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

G01B 11/00

356399

In a method of measurement according to one embodiment of the invention, a relative position of a temporary alignment mark on one side of a substrate and an alignment mark on the other side of the substrate is determined, and the temporary alignment mark is removed. Before removal of the temporary alignment mark, a relative position of that mark and another mark on the same side of the substrate may be determined. The temporary alignment mark may be formed in, e. g. , an oxide layer.

7133117, Nov 7, 2006

Nov 24, 2004

10/995309

Keith Frank Best - Prunedale CA, US
Joseph J. Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Shyam Shinde - Fremont CA, US

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

G03B 27/54
H01L 21/301

355 67, 438460

A device manufacturing method capable of imaging structures on both sides of a substrate, is presented herein. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a device manufacturing method that etches reversed alignment markers on a first side of a substrate to a depth of 10 μm, the substrate is flipped over, and bonded to a carrier wafer and then lapped or ground to a thickness of 10 μm to reveal the reversed alignment markers as normal alignment markers. The reversed alignment markers may comprise normal alignment patterns overlaid with mirror imaged alignment patterns.

7256865, Aug 14, 2007

Oct 24, 2003

10/692494

Joseph Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Keith Best - Prunedale CA, US
Cheng Gui - Best, NL
Alexander Friz - San Jose CA, US

ASML Holding N.V.

G03B 27/42
G03B 27/54
G01B 11/00

355 53, 355 67, 356399, 356401

Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for efficient and cost-effective imaging of alignment marks. For one embodiment, alignment mark imaging is accomplished separately from, and independent of product imaging through use of a relatively low cost, low resolution, imaging tool. For one embodiment a wafer is exposed to low-resolution light source through a reticle having a number of alignment patterns corresponding to desired alignment marks. For one embodiment, global alignment marks are imaged on a backside of a wafer. Various embodiments of the invention obviate the need for a highly accurate stage and a high-resolution imaging device, and therefore reduce processing costs and processing time.

7320847, Jan 22, 2008

Nov 12, 2003

10/705218

Keith Frank Best - Prunedale CA, US
Joseph J. Consolini - Costa Mesa CA, US
Alexander Friz - San Jose CA, US

ASML Netherlands B.V. - Veldhoven

G03F 9/00

430 22, 430313, 430311

A device manufacturing method capable of imaging structures on one side of a substrate aligned to markers on the other side, is presented herein. One embodiment of the present invention comprises providing a first substrate having first and second surfaces, patterning the first surface of the substrate with at least one reversed alignment marker, providing a protective layer over the alignment marker, and bonding the first surface of the first substrate to a second substrate. The embodiment further includes locally etching the first substrate as far as the protective layer to form a trench around the reversed alignment marker, and forming at least one patterned layer on the second surface using a lithographic projection apparatus having a front-to-backside alignment system while aligning the substrate to the alignment markers revealed in each trench.