Abstract: The present disclosure provides polynucleotide guides for use in CRISPR-Cas systems wherein such polynucleotides contain at least one CRISPR abasic restricted nucleotide (CABRNT) and/or at least one CRISPR accuracy via analogs (CAVA) nucleotide. CRISPR guides that contain at least one abasic site and/or at least one base analog, as well as nucleoprotein complexes of CRISPR-Cas proteins and CABRNT, CAVA, and CABRNT-CAVA guides are also described. Also disclosed are methods for making and using the CABRNT, CAVA, and CABRNT-CAVA polynucleotides and guides and the CABRNT/Cas, CAVA/Cas, and CABRNT-CAVA/Cas nucleoprotein complexes of the present invention.

Abstract: Improved integration of alignment or overlay and other processes. A substrate may have one or more alignment features, which may be included in alignment marks or overlay features. Elongated features such as dummification features may be used near the alignment features. For example, line-shaped dummification features may be used in an alignment region, where light from an alignment process may interact with both the alignment features and the elongated features. The elongated features may be in the same layer or a different layer than the alignment features.

Abstract: A method and system for chrome cut-out regions on a reticle is described. The method includes determining a location of one or more regions on a reticle that come in contact with a reticle handling, storage, or support surface and generating a pattern to be written on the reticle, where the pattern includes one or more cut-out regions that correspond to the one or more regions that come in contact with the reticle handling, storage, or support surface. The pattern may then be written on a reticle blank and developed and etched to remove the reticle surface chrome from the one or more regions that have been determined to come in contact with the reticle handling, storage, or support surface.