Abstract: A correction pattern generation device includes a processor configured to receive pattern information for a mask including a defect in a pattern formed on the mask, generate a correction pattern candidate for correcting the defect, calculate a correction difficulty degree for the correction pattern candidate, and select a correction pattern from correction pattern candidates based on the calculated correction difficulty degree for each correction pattern candidate if more than one correction pattern candidate for correcting the defect is generated.

Abstract: A method and a device for characterizing a mask for microlithography in a characterization process carried out using an optical system, wherein the optical system includes an illumination optical unit and an imaging optical unit and wherein in the characterization process structures of the mask are illuminated by the illumination optical unit, the mask is imaged onto a detector unit by the imaging optical unit and image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit. A method includes the following steps: determining a temporal variation of at least one variable that is characteristic of the thermal state of the optical system, and modifying the characterization process depending on the temporal variation determined.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor structure, including an air flow redistribution member configured to receive an air flow at a first end and eject the air flow at a second end. The air flow redistribution member includes a first air flow redistribution plate and a second air flow redistribution plate between the first air flow redistribution plate and the second end.

Abstract: A method for determining a control parameter for an apparatus used in a semiconductor manufacturing process, the method including: obtaining performance data associated with a substrate subject to the semiconductor manufacturing process; obtaining die specification data including values of an expected yield of one or more dies on the substrate based on the performance data and/or a specification for the performance data; and determining the control parameter in dependence on the performance data and the die specification data. Advantageously, the efficiency and/or accuracy of processes is improved by determining how to perform the processes in dependence on dies within specification.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes: an upstream imaging mechanism that images an upstream wall surface extending from a bottom part of a recess upstream of and adjacent to a projection in a rotating direction of a workpiece to a tip of the projection; and a downstream imaging mechanism that images a downstream wall surface extending from a bottom part of the recess downstream of and adjacent to the projection in the rotating direction to the tip of the projection. At least one of the imaging mechanisms includes a mover for parallelly moving and positioning in an orthogonal plane orthogonal to the axis of symmetry and images the workpiece from a position radially outward of the workpiece and positioned by the mover.

Abstract: An alignment sensor apparatus includes an illumination system, a first optical system, a second optical system, a detector system, and a processor. The illumination system is configured to transmit an illumination beam along an illumination path. The first optical system is configured to transmit the illumination beam toward a diffraction target on a substrate. The second optical system includes a first polarizing optic configured to separate and transmit an irradiance distribution. The detector system is configured to measure a center of gravity of the diffraction target based on the irradiance distribution outputted from a first polarization branch and a second polarization branch. The processor is configured to measure a shift in the center of gravity of the diffraction target caused by an asymmetry variation in the diffraction target and determine a sensor response function of the alignment sensor apparatus based on the center of gravity shift.

Abstract: Designs are provided to reduce the possibility of contaminant particles with a large range of sizes, materials, travel speeds and angles of incidence reaching a particle-sensitive environment. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an object stage comprising first and second chambers, a first structure having a first surface, and a second structure. The second structure is configured to support an object in the second chamber, movable relative to the first structure. The second structure comprises a second surface opposing the first surface of the first structure thereby defining a gap between the first structure and the second structure that extends between the first chamber and the second chamber. The second structure further comprises a third surface within the first chamber. The object stage further comprises a trap disposed on at least a portion of the third surface, the trap comprising a plurality of baffles.

Abstract: A method for determining an overlay metric is disclosed including obtaining angle resolved distribution spectrum data relating to a measurement of a target structure including a symmetrical component. An overlay dependent contour of a feature of the target structure is determined from the angle resolved distribution spectrum data, from which an overlay metric is determined. The method includes exposing an exposed feature onto a masked layer including a mask which defines masked and unmasked areas of the layer, such that a first portion of the exposed feature is exposed on a masked area of the layer and a second portion of the exposed feature is exposed on a non-masked area of the layer, the size of the first portion with respect to the second portion being overlay dependent; and performing an etch step to define an etched feature, the etched feature corresponding to the second portion of the exposed feature.

Abstract: A method of unloading an object from a support table, the object clamped to the support table during an exposure process by: applying a first pressure to a central region of the support table under a central portion of the object; and applying a second pressure to a peripheral region of the support table under a peripheral portion of the object, wherein during clamping the first pressure and the second pressure are controlled such that liquid is retained between the object and a seal member that is positioned radially between the central region and the peripheral region at an upper surface of the support table and protrudes towards the object, the method including: increasing the first pressure towards ambient pressure; removing at least some of the liquid retained between the object and the seal member by decreasing the second pressure; and increasing the second pressure towards the ambient pressure.

Abstract: A system for heating an optical component of a lithographic apparatus, the system comprising a heating radiation source, the heating radiation source being configured to emit heating radiation for heating of the optical component, wherein the system is configured to direct the heating radiation emitted by the heating radiation source onto the optical component, a portion of the heating radiation being absorbed by the optical component and another portion of the heating radiation being reflected by optical component, and wherein the system is configured to vary or change a property of the heating radiation emitted by the heating radiation source such that the other portion of the heating radiation that is reflected by the optical component is constant during operation of the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: Substrate processing techniques to alleviate missing contact holes, scummed contact holes and scummed caused bridging are disclosed. In one embodiment, electromagnetic radiation (EMR) absorbing molecules are utilized in a process that uses an initial patterned exposure followed by a flood exposure. In one embodiment, a Photo-Sensitized Chemically-Amplified Resist (PSCAR) resist process is utilized to form contact holes in which an initial exposure and develop process is performed followed by a flood exposure and a second develop process. In another embodiment, a process is utilized in which precursors of EMR absorbing molecules are incorporated into a layer underlying the resist layer. Thus, enhanced formation of EMR absorbing molecules will result at the interface of the resist layer and the underlying layer.

Abstract: A method for figure correction of an optical element includes forming a masking layer on a surface of the optical element. The optical element has thinning regions and non-thinning regions. The masking layer is patterned to form masking regions and non-masking regions, and the masking layer is positioned relative to the optical element in such a manner that the masking regions corresponds to the non-thinning regions of the optical element and the non-masking regions corresponds to the thinning regions of the optical element. The method further includes performing reactive ion etching on the optical element provided with the masking layer so as to etch the thinning regions of the optical element to reduce a thickness of the thinning region.

Abstract: There is provided a planarization apparatus that planarizes composition in a specified region on a substrate using a planar section of a mold. The planarization apparatus includes a mold holding unit configured to hold the mold, a measurement unit configured to measure a shape of the planar section of the mold held by the mold holding unit and convexly deformed, and a control unit configured to align, based on a result of measurement by the measurement unit, the planar section of the mold and the substrate with respect to a direction along a surface of the substrate so as to bring the planar section of the mold into contact with the specified region on the substrate, and bring the mold and the composition into contact with each other.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region of a lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure having an aperture formed therein for the passage therethrough of a radiation beam through the immersion fluid, the aperture defining an immersion space to be filled with the immersion fluid, and having an inner part and an outer part, wherein the inner part and the outer part are arranged so as to form therebetween a variable space and a connecting space that connects the variable space to the immersion space, wherein the outer part is movable relative to the inner part in a first plane so as to change in shape the variable space but not the connecting space, and wherein the fluid handling structure is configured to contain the immersion fluid in the variable space.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus includes: an illumination unit configured to illuminate an inspection object region of a sample with light emitted from a light source; a detection unit configured to detect scattered light in a plurality of directions, which is generated from the inspection object region; a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert the scattered light detected by the detection unit into an electrical signal; and a signal processing unit configured to process the electrical signal converted by the photoelectric conversion unit to detect a defect in the sample. The detection unit includes a lens array configured to divide an image to form a plurality of images on the photoelectric conversion unit. The signal processing unit is configured to synthesize electrical signals corresponding to the plurality of formed images to detect a defect in the sample.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for determining the proper positioning of a test strip includes a test strip having a first reading window and a strip holder. The system further includes a meter, the meter receiving and configured to receive the test strip, the meter having a first light source of a first color and a second light source of a second color and a first read window. The meter is configured to illuminate the first light source; detect a first reflectance with the meter through the first read window; and determine if the first reflectance is greater than a no-strip value.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus that includes an illumination system that conditions a radiation beam, a first stationary plate having a first surface, and a reticle stage defining, along with the first stationary plate, a first chamber. The reticle stage supports a reticle in the first chamber, and the reticle stage includes a first surface spaced apart from a second surface of the first stationary plate, thereby defining a first gap configured to suppress an amount of contamination passing from a second chamber to the first chamber. The first stationary plate is between the reticle stage and both the illumination system and a projection system configured to project a pattern imparted to the radiation beam by the patterning device onto a substrate.

Abstract: Provided are an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure apparatus for improving an overlay error in a EUV exposure process, and an overlay correction method and a semiconductor device fabricating method using the exposure apparatus. The EUV exposure apparatus includes an EUV light source; a first optical system configured to emit EUV light from the EUV light source to an EUV mask; a second optical system configured to emit EUV light reflected from the EUV mask to a wafer; a mask stage; a wafer stage; and a control unit configured to control the mask stage and the wafer stage, wherein, based on a correlation between a first overlay parameter, which is one of parameters of overlay errors between layers on the wafer, and a second overlay parameter, which is another parameter, the first overlay parameter is corrected through correction of the second overlay parameter.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus outputs correction data using a first system that outputs the correction data for correcting a condition defining processing to be performed in a lithography apparatus that forms a pattern onto a substrate. The first system includes a first model that outputs the correction data in case where a processing result indicating a result of the processing is input, and a second model that outputs the processing result in case where the condition is input. The first system corrects the condition using the correction data output from the first model, and outputs the correction data based on the processing result output by inputting the corrected condition to the second model.

Abstract: A method for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a shot region of a substrate by using a mold, includes determining a plurality of marks for alignment of the shot region and the mold, performing measurement for the alignment using the plurality of marks determined in the determining, setting an origin position of a coordinate system for acquisition of an alignment error between the shot region and the mold based on an arrangement of the plurality of marks determined in the determining, and acquiring the alignment error based on a measurement result in the measurement and the origin position determined in the setting.