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Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method that compensates for reticle induced cduLithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method that compensates for reticle induced cdu description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070046917, Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method that compensates for reticle induced cdu. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] 1. Field [0002] The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus and a method for manufacturing a device. [0003] 2. Related Art [0004] A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate or part of a substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of flat panel displays, integrated circuits (ICs) and other devices involving fine structures. In a conventional apparatus, a patterning device, which can be referred to as a mask or a reticle, can be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of a flat panel display (or other device). This pattern can be transferred onto all or part of the substrate (e.g., a glass plate), by imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. [0005] Instead of a circuit pattern, the patterning means can be used to generate other patterns, for example a color filter pattern or a matrix of dots. Instead of a mask, the patterning device can comprise a patterning array that comprises an array of individually controllable elements. The pattern can be changed more quickly and for less cost in such a system compared to a mask-based system. [0006] A flat panel display substrate is typically rectangular in shape. Lithographic apparatus designed to expose a substrate of this type can provide an exposure region that covers a full width of the rectangular substrate, or which covers a portion of the width (for example half of the width). The substrate can be scanned underneath the exposure region, while the mask or reticle is synchronously scanned through the beam. In this way, the pattern is transferred to the substrate. If the exposure region covers the full width of the substrate then exposure can be completed with a single scan. If the exposure region covers, for example, half of the width of the substrate, then the substrate can be moved transversely after the first scan, and a further scan is typically performed to expose the remainder of the substrate. [0007] At present, lithographic processes are used in particular to form devices, such as integrated circuit devices, that have very small patterned features. There is a continuing demand to reduce the size of the pattern features. The limit on the size of the pattern features that can be formed for a given process is partially determined by the wavelength of the radiation that is used. For a given wavelength and lithographic apparatus, it is not possible to form patterned features below a given size. However, due to the demand to form devices with patterned features as small as possible, it is usual to operate a lithographic system as close to the limit as possible. When operating a lithographic process close to the resolution limit, diffraction effects may cause spurious artifacts to appear in the pattern of radiation projected onto a substrate, e.g., spurious features which appear on the pattern of radiation exposed on the substrate, but which were not part of the pattern that was desired to be formed on the substrate. [0008] Conventional devices have simulated the spurious effects and to modify the pattern set by the patterning device such that, once the spurious effects are taken into account, the actual pattern of radiation exposed on the substrate is as close as possible to the actual pattern desired. In addition to altering the pattern provided by the patterning device, other operational settings of the lithographic apparatus have an affect on the generation of spurious pattern features. Other conventional devices have taken such settings into account when attempting to model the spurious effects in order to predict the optimum design for the patterning device and the optimum operational settings of the lithographic apparatus in order to expose the required pattern of radiation on the substrate. [0009] However, simulation techniques for predicting the spurious effects are not precise. Accordingly, it is typically necessary to use such a simulation technique to predict a pattern for the patterning device, expose a substrate using the predicted pattern, process the substrate, inspect the resulting pattern formed on the substrate in order to determine how it differs from the desired pattern and then use this information to improve the simulation of the spurious effects in order to provide a revised pattern for the patterning device. This process may need to be repeated several times until a satisfactory pattern for the patterning device is provided. Such a procedure is time-consuming and expensive, especially if a reticle is used as the patterning device, because manufacturing reticles is expensive and a new reticle must be manufactured for each revision of the pattern for the patterning device. [0010] Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for ensuring that a desired pattern of radiation is exposed on a substrate without requiring time-consuming and expensive procedures. SUMMARY [0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a lithographic apparatus comprising an illumination system, a patterning device, a projection system, and a radiation inspection device. The illumination system conditions a radiation beam. The patterning device modulates the cross-section of the radiation beam. The projection system projects the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The radiation beam inspection device inspects at least a part of the modulated radiation beam. The lithographic apparatus is operable in a substrate exposing configuration and a radiation beam inspecting configuration. In the substrate exposing configuration, the lithographic apparatus is configured such that the modulated beam of radiation exposes a pattern of radiation on a substrate. In the radiation beam inspecting configuration, the radiation beam inspection device inspects a pattern of radiation that would be formed on a substrate if the lithographic apparatus was in the substrate exposing configuration. [0012] In a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of optimizing the operation of a lithographic apparatus for the formation of a device on a substrate using a lithographic apparatus comprising the following steps. Modulating a radiation beam using a patterning device. Projecting the modulated beam of radiation onto a radiation beam inspection device that inspects at least a part of the modulated radiation beam to determine the corresponding pattern that would be exposed on a substrate if the modulated beam of radiation were projected on the substrate. Determining at least one modification of the operation of the lithographic apparatus necessary to minimize the difference between a required pattern to be exposed on the substrate and the pattern determined by the radiation beam inspection device. [0013] Further embodiments, features, and advantages of the present inventions, as well as the structure and operation of the various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES [0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. [0015] FIGS. 1 and 2 depict lithographic apparatus, according to various embodiments of the present invention. [0016] FIG. 3 depicts a mode of transferring a pattern to a substrate using an embodiment of the invention as show in FIG. 2. [0017] FIG. 4 depicts an arrangement of optical engines, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0018] FIGS. 5A and 5B depict a lithographic apparatus of a first embodiment of the invention in a substrate exposing configuration and a radiation beam inspecting configuration, respectively, according to the present invention. [0019] FIGS. 6A and 6B depict a lithographic apparatus of a second embodiment of the invention in a substrate exposing configuration and a radiation beam inspecting configuration, respectively, according to the present invention. [0020] FIGS. 7A and 7B depict a lithographic apparatus of a third embodiment of the invention in a substrate exposing configuration and a radiation beam inspecting configuration, respectively, according to the present invention. [0021] FIGS. 8A and 8B depict a lithographic apparatus of a fourth embodiment of the invention in a substrate exposing configuration and a radiation beam inspecting configuration, respectively, according to the present invention. Continue reading about Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method that compensates for reticle induced cdu... 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