Abstract: A semiconductor method is disclosed. The semiconductor method is performed upon semiconductor wafers, wherein each of the semiconductor wafers includes a first exposure field and a second exposure field, and each of the first exposure field and the second exposure field includes a first alignment mark and a second alignment mark. The method includes: determining a first alignment pattern for a first wafer by selecting one of the alignment marks of the first exposure field, and selecting one of the alignment marks of the second exposure field; performing the aligning operation upon the first semiconductor wafer by using the first alignment pattern; determining a second alignment pattern for a second wafer by selecting one of the alignment marks of the first exposure field, and selecting one of the alignment marks of the second exposure field, wherein the first alignment pattern is different from the second alignment pattern.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source having a collector mirror oriented to reduce contamination of fuel droplet debris. In some embodiments, the EUV radiation source has a fuel droplet generator that provides a plurality of fuel droplets to an EUV source vessel. A primary laser is configured to generate a primary laser beam directed towards the plurality of fuel droplets. The primary laser beam has a sufficient energy to ignite a plasma from the plurality of fuel droplets, which emits extreme ultraviolet radiation. A collector mirror, configured to focus the extreme ultraviolet radiation to an exit aperture of the EUV source vessel, which is oriented so that a normal vector extending outward from a vertex of the collector mirror intersects a direction of a gravitation force by an angle that is less than 90°.

Abstract: A method of heating/cooling one or more substrates includes placing the one or more substrates on a rotatable hot-cold plate, wherein each substrate of the one or more substrates is placed on a corresponding sub-plate of a plurality of sub-plates of the rotatable hot-cold plate. The method further includes rotating the one or more substrates, wherein rotating the one or more substrates comprises rotating each substrate of the one or more substrates independently. The method further includes heating or cooling the one or more substrates using a heating-cooling element, wherein rotating the one or more substrates comprises rotating the one or more substrates relative to the heating-cooling element.

Abstract: In a method for fabricating a resist pattern, a substrate coated with a photo resist is loaded on a stage of an exposure apparatus. Underlying patterns are fabricated on the substrate. A surface slope of an exposure area on the substrate is measured. An alignment measurement is performed by detecting an alignment pattern formed in the underlying patterns. An alignment measurement result is corrected based on the measured surface slope. The substrate is aligned to a photo mask by using the corrected alignment measurement result. The photo resist is exposed to radiation passing through the photo mask to form patterns.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes a plurality reticle edge masking assemblies (REMAs), wherein each REMA of the plurality of REMAs is positioned to receive one of a plurality of light beams, and each REMA of the plurality of REMAs comprises a movable slit for passing the received light beam therethrough. The lithography apparatus includes a controller for controlling a speed of the movable slit based on a size of the movable slit, an intensity of the one or more collimated light beams, or a material to be patterned. The lithography apparatus further includes a single mask having a single pattern, wherein the mask is configured to receive light from every REMA of the plurality of REMAs. The lithography apparatus includes a projection lens configured to receive light transmitted through the single mask, wherein the lithography apparatus is configured to introduce an immersion liquid into a space adjacent to the projection lens.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus includes a lens system, an immersion hood, a wafer stage, an inspection system and a cleaning fluid supplier. The lens system is configured to project a pattern onto a wafer. The immersion hood is configured to confine an immersion fluid between the lens system and the wafer, and includes a peripheral hole configured to suck up the immersion fluid. The wafer stage is configured to position the wafer under the lens system. The inspection system is configured to detect whether there is contamination in the peripheral hole. The cleaning fluid supplier is coupled to the inspection system and configured to supply a cleaning fluid through the peripheral hole to remove the contamination, in which the inspection system and the cleaning fluid supplier are coupled to the wafer stage.

Abstract: A wafer alignment apparatus includes a light source, a light detection device, and a rotation device configured to rotate a first wafer and a second wafer. The light source is configured to provide a first light directed to the first wafer and a second light directed to the second wafer. The light detection device is configured to detect reflected light intensity from the first wafer to find a position of at least one wafer alignment mark of the first wafer and to detect reflected light intensity from the second wafer to find a position of at least one wafer alignment mark of the second wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a wafer stage configured to secure a wafer; and a cleaning module including a tank adjacent to the wafer stage, and is positioned outside the region occupied by the wafer. The cleaning module is configured to receive de-ionized (DI) water into the tank and extract the DI water out of the tank. The tank is configured to hold DI water with a top surface of the DI water substantially level with a top surface of the wafer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source having a collector mirror oriented to reduce contamination of fuel droplet debris. In some embodiments, the EUV radiation source has a fuel droplet generator that provides a plurality of fuel droplets to an EUV source vessel. A primary laser is configured to generate a primary laser beam directed towards the plurality of fuel droplets. The primary laser beam has a sufficient energy to ignite a plasma from the plurality of fuel droplets, which emits extreme ultraviolet radiation. A collector mirror, configured to focus the extreme ultraviolet radiation to an exit aperture of the EUV source vessel, which is oriented so that a normal vector extending outward from a vertex of the collector mirror intersects a direction of a gravitation force by an angle that is less than 90°.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a focus metrology method and photolithography method and system. The focus metrology method includes recognizing at least one relevant region and at least one irrelevant region on a workpiece surface, measuring a height of the relevant region and determining a focal length for an exposure process based on the measured height of the relevant region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of semiconductor processing. The method includes, receiving a first wafer having a photoresist coating on a face of the first wafer. An exposure unit is used to perform a first number of radiation exposures on the photoresist coating, thereby forming an exposed photoresist coating. The exposed photoresist coating is developed, thereby forming a developed photoresist coating. An OVL measurement zone pattern is selected from a number of different, pre-determined OVL measurement zone patterns based on at least one of: the first number of radiation exposures performed on the first wafer or a previous number of radiation exposures performed on a previously processed wafer, which was processed before the first wafer. A number of OVL measurements are performed on the developed photoresist coating within the selected OVL measurement zone pattern.

Abstract: A method of heating/cooling one or more substrates includes placing the one or more substrates on a rotatable hot-cold plate, wherein each substrate of the one or more substrates is placed on a corresponding sub-plate of a plurality of sub-plates of the rotatable hot-cold plate. The method further includes rotating the one or more substrates, wherein rotating the one or more substrates comprises rotating each substrate of the one or more substrates independently. The method further includes heating or cooling the one or more substrates using a heating-cooling element, wherein rotating the one or more substrates comprises rotating the one or more substrates relative to the heating-cooling element.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively heating/cooling one or more substrates and establishing an approximately uniform temperature in the one or more substrates during a heating or cooling event is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a rotatable hot/cold plate onto which the one or more substrates are placed and a heating/cooling element disposed in close proximity to the rotatable hot/cold plate for selectively elevating/lowering the temperature of the one or more substrates.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a focus metrology method and photolithography method and system. The focus metrology method includes recognizing at least one relevant region and at least one irrelevant region on a workpiece surface, measuring a height of the relevant region and determining a focal length for an exposure process based on the measured height of the relevant region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a photolithography system having an ambulatory projection and/or detection gratings that provide for high quality height measurements without the use of an air gauge. In some embodiments, the photolithography system has a level sensor having a projection source that generates a measurement beam that is provided to a semiconductor substrate via a projection grating. A detector is positioned to receive a measurement beam reflected from the semiconductor substrate via a detection grating. An ambulatory element selectively varies an orientation of the projection grating and/or the detection grating to improve the measurement of the level sensor. By selectively varying an orientation of the projection and/or detection gratings, erroneous measurements of the level sensor can be eliminated.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes a plurality reticle edge masking assemblies (REMAs), wherein each REMA of the plurality of REMAs is positioned to receive one of a plurality of light beams, and each REMA of the plurality of REMAs comprises a movable slit for passing the received light beam therethrough. The lithography apparatus includes a controller for controlling a speed of the movable slit based on a size of the movable slit, an intensity of the one or more collimated light beams, or a material to be patterned. The lithography apparatus further includes a single mask having a single pattern, wherein the mask is configured to receive light from every REMA of the plurality of REMAs. The lithography apparatus includes a projection lens configured to receive light transmitted through the single mask, wherein the lithography apparatus is configured to introduce an immersion liquid into a space adjacent to the projection lens.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of monitoring wafer topography. A position and orientation of a plurality first alignment shapes disposed on a surface of a wafer are measured. Wafer topography as a function of wafer position is modeled by subjecting the wafer to an alignment which simultaneously minimizes misalignment between the wafer and a patterning apparatus and maximizes a focus of radiation on the surface. A non-correctable error is determined as a difference between the modeled wafer topography and a measured wafer topography. A maximum non-correctable error per field is determined for a wafer, and a mean variation in the maximum non-correctable error across each field within each wafer of a lot is determined, both within a layer and across layers. These values are then verified against a set of statistical process control rules to determine if they are within a specification limit of the manufacturing process.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus includes a lens system, an immersion hood, a wafer stage, an inspection system and a cleaning fluid supplier. The lens system is configured to project a pattern onto a wafer. The immersion hood is configured to confine an immersion fluid between the lens system and the wafer, and includes a peripheral hole configured to suck up the immersion fluid. The wafer stage is configured to position the wafer under the lens system. The inspection system is configured to detect whether there is contamination in the peripheral hole. The cleaning fluid supplier is coupled to the inspection system and configured to supply a cleaning fluid through the peripheral hole to remove the contamination, in which the inspection system and the cleaning fluid supplier are coupled to the wafer stage.

Abstract: A wafer alignment apparatus includes a light source, a light detection device, and a rotation device configured to rotate a first wafer and a second wafer. The light source is configured to provide a first light directed to the first wafer and a second light directed to the second wafer. The light detection device is configured to detect reflected light intensity from the first wafer to find a position of at least one wafer alignment mark of the first wafer and to detect reflected light intensity from the second wafer to find a position of at least one wafer alignment mark of the second wafer.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes at least two reticle edge masking assemblies (REMAs). The lithography apparatus further includes a light source configured to emit a light beam having a wavelength and a beam separating element configured to divide the light beam into more than one collimated light beam. Each REMA is positioned to receive one of the more than one collimating light beams and each REMA comprises a movable slit for passing the one collimated light beam therethrough. The lithography apparatus further includes at least one mask having a pattern, where the at least one mask is configured to receive light from at least one of the REMA and a projection lens configured to receive light from the at least one mask. A method of using a lithography apparatus is also discussed.