Abstract: An attenuated phase shift patterning device including a first component for reflecting radiation, and a second component for reflecting radiation with a different phase with respect to the radiation reflected from the first component, the second component covering at least a portion of the surface of the first component such that a pattern including at least one uncovered portion of the first component is formed for generating a patterned radiation beam in a lithographic apparatus in use, wherein the second component includes a material having a refractive index with a real part (n) being less than 0.95 and an imaginary part (k) being less than 0.04.

Abstract: A method of tuning a patterning stack, the method including: defining a function that measures how a parameter representing a physical characteristic pertaining to a pattern transferred into a patterning stack on a substrate is affected by change in a patterning stack variable, the patterning stack variable representing a physical characteristic of a material layer of the patterning stack; varying, by a hardware computer system, the patterning stack variable and evaluating, by the hardware computer system, the function with respect to the varied patterning stack variable, until a termination condition is satisfied; and outputting a value of the patterning stack variable when the termination condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A patterning device comprising a reflective marker, wherein the marker comprises: a plurality of reflective regions configured to preferentially reflect radiation having a given wavelength; and a plurality of absorbing regions configured to preferentially absorb radiation having the given wavelength; wherein the absorbing and reflective regions are arranged to form a patterned radiation beam reflected from the marker when illuminated with radiation, and wherein the reflective regions comprise a roughened reflective surface, the roughened reflective surface being configured to diffuse radiation reflected from the reflective regions, and wherein the roughened reflective surface has a root mean squared roughness of about an eighth of the given wavelength or more.

Abstract: A method of designing an epitaxy template to direct self-assembly of a block copolymer on a substrate into an ordered target pattern involves providing a primary epitaxy template design and then varying the design to optimize a pattern fidelity statistic, such as placement error, relative to the target pattern by modelling predicted self-assembled block copolymer patterns and optimizing pattern placement as a function of a varied design parameter. In addition to varying a design parameter to optimize the pattern fidelity statistic, a random error in the template design is included prior to modelling predicted patterns in order to compensate for expected template inaccuracy in practice. The inclusion of a realistic random error in the template design, in addition to systematic variation of a design parameter, may improve the template design optimization to render the result less sensitive to error which may be inevitable in practice.

Abstract: A patterning device comprising a reflective marker, wherein the marker comprises: a plurality of reflective regions configured to preferentially reflect radiation having a given wavelength; and a plurality of absorbing regions configured to preferentially absorb radiation having the given wavelength; wherein the absorbing and reflective regions are arranged to form a patterned radiation beam reflected from the marker when illuminated with radiation, and wherein the reflective regions comprise a roughened reflective surface, the roughened reflective surface being configured to diffuse radiation reflected from the reflective regions, and wherein the roughened reflective surface has a root mean squared roughness of about an eighth of the given wavelength or more.

Abstract: A patterning device comprising a reflective marker, wherein the marker comprises: a plurality of reflective regions configured to preferentially reflect radiation having a given wavelength; and a plurality of absorbing regions configured to preferentially absorb radiation having the given wavelength; wherein the absorbing and reflective regions are arranged to form a patterned radiation beam reflected from the marker when illuminated with radiation, and wherein the reflective regions comprise a roughened reflective surface, the roughened reflective surface being configured to diffuse radiation reflected from the reflective regions, and wherein the roughened reflective surface has a root mean squared roughness of about an eighth of the given wavelength or more.

Abstract: A method of tuning a patterning stack, the method including: defining a function that measures how a parameter representing a physical characteristic pertaining to a pattern transferred into a patterning stack on a substrate is affected by change in a patterning stack variable, the patterning stack variable representing a physical characteristic of a material layer of the patterning stack; varying, by a hardware computer system, the patterning stack variable and evaluating, by the hardware computer system, the function with respect to the varied patterning stack variable, until a termination condition is satisfied; and outputting a value of the patterning stack variable when the termination condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A method is described that includes illuminating a patterning device pattern with a radiation beam having a symmetric illumination mode, the patterning device pattern comprising a first pattern feature that substantially diffracts radiation of the radiation beam, and a second pattern feature that does not substantially diffract radiation of the radiation beam, introducing an asymmetry, relative to an optical axis, in the substantially diffracted radiation using a phase modulation element, illuminating a radiation beam receiving element with radiation emanating from the phase modulation element to form a receiving element pattern that is related to the patterning device pattern, the receiving element pattern having first and second receiving element pattern features related to the first and second pattern features respectively, and determining information at least indicative of a focal property from positional information regarding the relative positions of the first and second receiving element pattern featur

Abstract: A patterning device comprising a reflective marker, wherein the marker comprises: a plurality of reflective regions configured to preferentially reflect radiation having a given wavelength; and a plurality of absorbing regions configured to preferentially absorb radiation having the given wavelength; wherein the absorbing and reflective regions are arranged to form a patterned radiation beam reflected from the marker when illuminated with radiation, and wherein the reflective regions comprise a roughened reflective surface, the roughened reflective surface being configured to diffuse radiation reflected from the reflective regions, and wherein the roughened reflective surface has a root mean squared roughness of about an eighth of the given wavelength or more.

Abstract: A graphoepitaxy template to align a self-assembled block polymer adapted to self-assemble into a 2-D array having parallel rows of discontinuous first domains extending parallel to a first axis, mutually spaced along an orthogonal second axis, and separated by a continuous second domain. The graphoepitaxy template has first and second substantially parallel side walls extending parallel to and defining the first axis and mutually spaced along the second axis to provide a compartment to hold at least one row of discontinuous first domains of the self-assembled block copolymer on the substrate between and parallel to the side walls, and separated therefrom by a continuous second domain. The compartment has a graphoepitaxial nucleation feature arranged to locate at least one of the discontinuous first domains at a specific position within the compartment. Methods for forming the graphoepitaxy template and its use for device lithography are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method including obtaining calculated wavefront phase information caused by a three-dimensional topography of a pattern of a lithographic patterning device, and computing, using a computer processor, an imaging effect of the three-dimensional topography of the patterning device pattern based on the calculated wavefront information.

Abstract: A method includes measuring a three-dimensional topography of a feature of a pattern of a lithography patterning device and calculating from the measurements wavefront phase information caused by the three-dimensional topography of the pattern.

Abstract: A method of lithography in a lithographic apparatus configured to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate, the method including: determining a dose sensitivity of at least part of the pattern at a plurality of values of a dose, wherein the dose sensitivity is not a monotonically increasing or monotonically decreasing function of the dose. A computer product including a processor, a memory and a storage device, wherein the storage device at least stores values of, or a function describing, a dose sensitivity of at least part of a lithographic pattern at a plurality of values of dose, wherein the dose sensitivity is not a monotonically increasing or monotonically decreasing function of the dose.

Abstract: A method including obtaining wavefront phase information caused by a three-dimensional topography of a pattern of a lithographic patterning device, and based on the wavefront phase information, adjusting a physical parameter of the pattern.

Abstract: A method including, for an illumination by radiation of a pattern of a lithographic patterning device, obtaining calculated wavefront phase information caused by three-dimensional topography of the pattern, and based on the wavefront phase information, adjusting a parameter of the illumination and/or adjusting a parameter of the pattern.

Abstract: A method includes measuring properties of a three-dimensional topography of a lithographic patterning device, the patterning device including a pattern and being constructed and arranged to produce a pattern in a cross section of a projection beam of radiation in a lithographic projection system, calculating wavefront phase effects resulting from the measured properties, incorporating the calculated wavefront phase effects into a lithographic model of the lithographic projection system, and determining, based on the lithographic model incorporating the calculated wavefront phase effects, parameters for use in an imaging operation using the lithographic projection system.

Abstract: A method is described that includes illuminating a patterning device pattern with a radiation beam having a symmetric illumination mode, the patterning device pattern comprising a first pattern feature that substantially diffracts radiation of the radiation beam, and a second pattern feature that does not substantially diffract radiation of the radiation beam, introducing an asymmetry, relative to an optical axis, in the substantially diffracted radiation using a phase modulation element, illuminating a radiation beam receiving element with radiation emanating from the phase modulation element to form a receiving element pattern that is related to the patterning device pattern, the receiving element pattern having first and second receiving element pattern features related to the first and second pattern features respectively, and determining information at least indicative of a focal property from positional information regarding the relative positions of the first and second receiving element pattern featur

Abstract: A method is described that includes illuminating a patterning device pattern with a radiation beam having a symmetric illumination mode, the patterning device pattern comprising a first pattern feature that substantially diffracts radiation of the radiation beam, and a second pattern feature that does not substantially diffract radiation of the radiation beam, introducing an asymmetry, relative to an optical axis, in the substantially diffracted radiation using a phase modulation element, illuminating a radiation beam receiving element with radiation emanating from the phase modulation element to form a receiving element pattern that is related to the patterning device pattern, the receiving element pattern having first and second receiving element pattern features related to the first and second pattern features respectively, and determining information at least indicative of a focal property from positional information regarding the relative positions of the first and second receiving element pattern featur

Abstract: A method is disclosed to form a patterned epitaxy template, on a substrate, to direct self-assembly of block copolymer for device lithography. A resist layer on a substrate is selectively exposed with actinic (e.g. UV or DUV) radiation by photolithography to provide exposed portions in a regular lattice pattern of touching or overlapping shapes arranged to leave unexposed resist portions between the shapes. Exposed or unexposed resist is removed with remaining resist portions providing the basis for a patterned epitaxy template for the orientation of the self-assemblable block copolymer as a hexagonal or square array. The method allows for simple, direct UV lithography to form patterned epitaxy templates with sub-resolution features.

Abstract: A lithographic mask has a substrate substantially transmissive for radiation of a certain wavelength, the substrate having a radiation absorbing material in an arrangement, the arrangement configured to apply a pattern to a cross-section of a radiation beam of the certain wavelength, wherein the absorbing material has a thickness which is substantially equal to the certain wavelength divided by a refractive index of the absorbing material.