Alignment Station

Pre-exposure, high-speed grid distortion measurement for all wafers
Unprecedented accuracy with feedforward overlay correction
Litho Booster is an advanced Alignment Station that leverages proprietary Nikon technologies developed forsemiconductor lithography systems. Absolute grid distortion values are measured quickly with ultra-high precision
for all wafers prior to exposure. Correction values are then fed forward to the lithography system to greatly improveoverlay accuracy without reducing throughput, contributing to enhanced yield and optimized equipment
investments.

Alignment Station

Litho Booster

There are many types of distortion that can occur at the shot, wafer, lot, and layer level that all have significant adverse effects
on overlay performance. This necessitates the ability to detect such errors in advance and compensate for them.
Nikon developed the advanced inline Alignment Station (iAS), as a state-of-the-art measurement and correction module.
The alignment station performs high-speed, ultra-precise measurement of all wafers, and then corrects problematic grid errors
without reducing the throughput of the lithography system. The iAS enables comprehensive, multi-point alignment for all
shots on the wafer, realizing remarkable overlay improvements, as well as maximized scanner throughput.
To make this ground-breaking iAS technology scalable and flexible for diverse manufacturing environments, Nikon
transformed the iAS module into a standalone, independent alignment unit called Litho Booster. It combines innovativetechnologies to dramatically improve overlay accuracy. Litho Booster also provides the potential to augment and extend thecapabilities of existing equipment, and push semiconductor processing to new limits.

Key Features
Grid Feedforward

Overlay FeedbackDeveloperScanner
Coater•G rid measurement of all wafers prior to exposure
Absolute grid distortion values for all wafers are measured
quickly with ultra-high precision prior to exposure. Litho
Booster enables unprecedented overlay accuracy by feeding
forward correction values for each wafer and every
shot to the lithography system.

Sample wafers• Scalable platform solution with extensive
Wafer Processdevelopment potential
Thermal oxidization
Annealing
Overlay
Litho Booster is able to incorporate new hardware and software Litho Booster
Etching
Metrologysolutions. In addition to grid measurement capabilities, it canIon doping
Thermaldiffusion
also integrate other hardware components and software
CVD/PVD
functionalities for measurement and correction of a variety ofCMP ・・・
All wafers
processing errors.
Litho Booster allows the use of third-party applications and software, as well as Nikon software, to provide an optimal open
platform solution for customers.
• Highly flexible connectivity
Litho Booster can be utilized with Nikon immersion and non-immersion scanners. Existing lithography systems can beoptimized and their performance enhanced using feedforward Litho Booster measurement results and correction values.

CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCTWARNINGTO ENSURE CORRECT USAGE, READ MANUALS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING YOUR EQUIPMENT.

The export of this product is controlled by Japanese Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law and International export control regime. It shall not be exported withoutauthorization from the appropriate governmental authorities.
Performance and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part ofthe manufacturer. Products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of theirrespective companies. July 2024
©2024 NIKON CORPORATION

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