Abstract: A mask for cleaning a lithography apparatus includes a mask substrate and a coating provided on a surface of the mask substrate. The coating is configured to trap particulate contaminant matter from the lithography apparatus. A method of cleaning a lithography tool is also provided preparing a cleaning mask including a particle trapping layer formed on a substrate. The method includes transferring the cleaning mask through a mask transferring route of the lithography tool. Subsequently, the method includes analyzing a particle trapped by the particle trapping layer.

Abstract: A lithography system and a cleaning method thereof are provided. The lithography system includes a light source generator. The light source generator includes a collector, a droplet generator and a droplet catcher. The droplet generator and the droplet catcher are facing each other, and disposed at a region surrounding the collector. The cleaning method includes: shifting the droplet generator out of the light source generator via a port of the light source generator; inserting a shove assembly into the light source generator via the port; using a borescope attached to the shovel assembly to identify a location of a deposit formed by droplets generated by the droplet generator; using the shovel assembly to remove and collect the deposit; and withdrawing the shovel assembly along with the borescope from the light source generator via the port.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for stabilizing optical lens temperatures, including detecting infrared radiation emitted from one or more optical lens, generating an infrared sensor signal based upon the detected infrared radiation, directing emission of light from one or more infrared light sources to the one or more optical lenses, and regulating the emission of the light from the one or more infrared light sources based on the infrared sensor signal for adjusting the temperature of the one or more optical lens.

Abstract: A reticle-masking structure is provided. The reticle-masking structure includes a magnetic substrate and a paramagnetic part disposed on the magnetic substrate. The paramagnetic part includes a plurality of fractions disposed on a plurality of protrusion structures. In some embodiments, the protrusion structures are irregularly arranged. A method for forming a reticle-masking structure and an extreme ultraviolet apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: A method of determining a sampling control scheme and/or a processing control scheme for substrates processed by a device. The method uses a fingerprint model and an evolution model to generate the control scheme. The fingerprint model is based on fingerprint data for a processing parameter of at least one substrate processed by a device, and the evolution model represents variation of the fingerprint data over time. The fingerprint model and the evolution model are analyzed and a sampling and/or processing control scheme is generated using the analysis. The sampling control scheme provides an indication for where and when to take measurements on substrates processed by the device. The processing control scheme provides an indication for how to control the processing of the substrate. Also, there is provided a method of determining which of multiple devices contributed to a fingerprint of a processing parameter.

Abstract: A method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers including providing a multilayered semiconductor device wafer including at least a first layer and a second layer including at least one misregistration measurement target including a first periodic structure formed together with the first layer having a first pitch and a second periodic structure formed together with the second layer having a second pitch, imaging the first layer and the second layer at a depth of focus and using light having at least one first wavelength that causes images of both the first layer and the second layer to appear in at least one plane within the depth of focus and quantifying offset in the at least one plane between the images of the first layer and the second layer, thereby to calculate misregistration of the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A method of overlay error measurement includes disposing a reference pattern module over a substrate. The substrate includes first and second overlay measurement patterns in first and second locations. The reference pattern module includes first and second reference patterns. The method includes creating a first overlap of the first reference pattern with the first overlay measurement pattern and a second overlap of the second reference pattern with the second overlay measurement pattern. The method further includes determining a first overlay error between the first reference pattern of the reference pattern module and the first overlay measurement pattern of the substrate and determining a second overlay error between the second reference pattern and the second overlay measurement pattern. The method also includes determining a total overlay error between the first and second overlay measurement patterns of the substrate based on the first and second overlay errors.

Abstract: A method for a lithography exposure process is provided. The method includes irradiating a target droplet with a laser beam to create an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. The method further includes reflecting the EUV light with a collector. The method also includes discharging a cleaning gas over the collector through a gas distributor positioned next to the collector. A portion of the cleaning gas is converted to free radicals before the cleaning gas leaves the gas distributor, and the free radicals are discharged over the collector along with the cleaning gas.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus or frame assembly, comprising: a first and second pneumatic support, being arranged to control position of a frame, each of said pneumatic supports accommodating a pressure chamber; a frame position control system, comprising; a first position sensor device, configured to generate measurement data relating to the position of the frame; a first pressure controller, configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data generated by the first position sensor device; a pressure differential sensor device, configured to generate data relating to the difference between the pressure in the pressure chambers of the first and the second pneumatic support; a second pressure controller, configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data from the pressure differential sensor device.

Abstract: A detection method for a pellicle membrane of a photomask includes applying a predetermined pressure under which the pellicle membrane undergoes a deformation, measuring and calculating at least one of deformation level, Young's modulus, and flexural rigidity level of the pellicle membrane by detection, and obtaining a detection result about the pellicle membrane according to at least one of the deformation level, Young's modulus, and flexural rigidity level of the pellicle membrane, so as to evaluate the quality of the pellicle membrane.

Abstract: A metrology target may include a first rotationally symmetric working zone with one or more instances of a first pattern and a second rotationally-symmetric working zone with one or more instances of a second pattern, where at least one of the first pattern or the second pattern is a Moiré pattern formed from a first grating structure with a first pitch along a measurement direction on a first sample layer and a second grating structure with a second pitch different than the first pitch along the measurement direction on a second sample layer. Centers of rotational symmetry of the first and second working zones may overlap by design when an overlay error between the first sample layer and the second layer is zero. A difference between the centers of rotational symmetry of the first and second working zones may indicate an overlay error between the first and second sample layers.

Abstract: This application provides a method for generating an exposure compensation table, a method for photoresist exposure compensation, and an exposure machine. The method for generating an exposure compensation table includes: recording preset exposure parameters and a critical dimension value of a photoresist pattern; and exposing and developing until all preset exposure parameters have been tested.

Abstract: A lithography method in semiconductor fabrication is provided. The method includes generating multiple groups of small drops of a target material through a number of nozzles in such a way that small drops in each of the groups are aggregated to an elongated droplet of the target material. The method also includes generating a laser pulse from a laser generator to convert the elongated droplets to plasma which generates an EUV radiation. The method further includes exposing a semiconductor wafer to the EUV radiation.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for positioning masks in a propagation direction of a light source. The masks correspond to a pattern to be written into a photoresist layer of a substrate. The masks are positioned by stitching a first mask and a second mask. The first mask includes a set of first features having first feature extensions extending therefrom at first feature interfaces. The second mask includes a set of second features having second feature extensions extending therefrom at second feature interfaces. Each first feature extension stitches with each corresponding second feature extension to form each stitched portion of a first stitched portion of the first pair of masks. The stitched portion of the first pair of masks defines a portion of the pattern to be written into the photoresist layer.

Abstract: An arrangement for an EUV lithography apparatus includes a reflective optical element (60) having an optically effective surface (62) configured to reflect incident EUV radiation, and a filament arrangement (65) configured to produce a reagent that cleans the optically effective surface (62). The filament arrangement (65) has at least one filament (66) configured as a glow or heating element. The at least one filament (66) is arranged along the optically effective surface (62) of the reflective optical element (60) wherein a thickness and/or positioning of the at least one filament (66) are/is chosen so as to minimize an optical influence of the at least one filament (66) in the far field of the EUV radiation reflected by the optically effective surface (62).

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include a target supply unit configured to output a target; an actuator configured to change a trajectory of the target; an illumination device configured to illuminate the target; a first trajectory sensor configured to detect the trajectory in a first direction; a second trajectory sensor configured to detect the trajectory in a second direction; and a processor configured, when the trajectory of the target is detected by the first trajectory sensor but is not detected by the second trajectory sensor, to perform a first search and determine whether or not to repeat the first search based on a signal intensity of the first trajectory sensor, the first search including changing the trajectory of the target into a third direction by controlling the actuator, and then determining whether or not the second trajectory sensor is capable of detecting the trajectory of the target.

Abstract: An overlay control system is disclosed. In embodiments, the system may include a controller configured to: acquire a set of feedback overlay measurements based on a plan of record (POR) sampling map on a second layer of samples of at least one previous lot of samples; generate a reference wafer overlay map based on the set of feedback overlay measurements; acquire a set of feedforward overlay measurements based on a feedforward sampling map on a first layer of a set of samples of a current lot of samples; generate a set of artificial overlay vector maps for the set of samples of the current lot of samples based on the set of feedforward overlay measurements; and cause a lithography tool to fabricate a second layer of samples of the current lot of samples based on the reference wafer overlay map and the set of artificial overlay vector maps.

Abstract: A photomask including a photomask body having a surface on which a mask pattern is formed and to be scanned and subjected to pattern transfer to a resist through a lens assembly including a connecting portion and a non-connecting portion. The mask pattern has a first region subjected to the pattern transfer at the connecting portion of the lens assembly and a second region subjected to the pattern transfer at the non-connecting portion. The mask pattern has, in at least one of the first and second regions, a corrected line width which is adjusted by calculation such that the resist is to have a target line width as designed. The corrected line width has a stepwise change in at least one of a scanning direction and a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. The stepwise change is made by including a correction component based on a random number.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include an irradiation position adjustment mechanism adjusting an irradiation position of the laser light; an extreme ultraviolet light sensor measuring energy of extreme ultraviolet light; a return light sensor measuring energy of return light traveling backward on the laser light path; and a processor controlling the irradiation position adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which at least a part of the liquid supply system (which provides liquid between the projection system and the substrate) is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate during scanning. The part is moved to reduce the relative velocity between that part and the substrate so that the speed at which the substrate may be moved relative to the projection system may be increased.