Abstract: In a pattern shape adjustment method according to one embodiment, a correspondence relation between a first shape feature amount of a first on-substrate pattern formed on a first substrate and a first laser band width of laser light as exposure light used when forming the first on-substrate pattern is acquired. Also, a second shape feature amount of a second on-substrate pattern actually formed on a second substrate is measured. Then, a second laser band width according to the shape of a third on-substrate pattern to be formed on a third substrate is calculated based on the correspondence relation and the second shape feature amount. Further, the third substrate is exposed to laser light having the second laser band width.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a mask alignment mark disposed on a photomask irradiated by an illumination optical system with illumination light from a direction inclined with respect to an optical axis and used to form a latent image on a substrate through a projection optical system. The mask alignment mark including a plurality of patterns arranged in a predetermined direction at a pitch of substantially P=?/{2×(1??)×(LNA)}, where ? is a ratio of a numerical aperture INA of illumination light incident on the photomask from the illumination optical system to a numerical aperture LNA of an object side of the projection optical system (INA)/(LNA), and ? is a wavelength of light.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a mask alignment mark disposed on a photomask irradiated by an illumination optical system with illumination light from a direction inclined with respect to an optical axis and used to form a latent image on a substrate through a projection optical system. The mask alignment mark including a plurality of patterns arranged in a predetermined direction at a pitch of substantially P=?/{2×(1??)×(LNA)}, where ? is a ratio of a numerical aperture INA of illumination light incident on the photomask from the illumination optical system to a numerical aperture LNA of an object side of the projection optical system (INA)/(LNA), and ? is a wavelength of light.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an EUV radiation exposure apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, an EUV radiation exposing light source installed in the vacuum chamber, and an ionizer that generates positive or negative ions. The ionizer is installed in the vacuum chamber and is driven with driving of the EUV radiation exposing light source.

Abstract: In a pattern shape adjustment method according to one embodiment, a correspondence relation between a first shape feature amount of a first on-substrate pattern formed on a first substrate and a first laser band width of laser light as exposure light used when forming the first on-substrate pattern is acquired. Also, a second shape feature amount of a second on-substrate pattern actually formed on a second substrate is measured. Then, a second laser band width according to the shape of a third on-substrate pattern to be formed on a third substrate is calculated based on the correspondence relation and the second shape feature amount. Further, the third substrate is exposed to laser light having the second laser band width.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a patterning method includes releasing the template from the cured imprint resist, aligning an alignment mark formed in the non-imprint portion of the template with the transfer pattern of the alignment pattern without causing the alignment mark to contact the imprint resist, and causing the main pattern and the alignment pattern of the template to contact an imprint resist that is supplied to a shot region adjacent to the cured imprint resist and uncured. The method includes curing the imprint resist of the adjacent shot region in the state of the template being in contact to form the transfer pattern of the main pattern and the transfer pattern of the alignment pattern in the imprint resist.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes a main body including a supply section to which an extreme ultraviolet radiation seed is supplied, and an emission part configured to emit extreme ultraviolet, an excitation unit provided in the main body and configured to generate a plasma by exciting the extreme ultraviolet radiation seed, an optical condensing unit provided in the main body and configured to converge extreme ultraviolet, which is radiated from the plasma, at the emission part, a trap provided between the excitation unit and the optical condensing unit, a first positioning mechanism connected to the trap and configured to adjust at least one of a position and an angle of the trap, and a measuring unit configured to measure a far field distribution image of the plasma on the basis of the extreme ultraviolet which is emitted from the emission part, thereby to operate the first positioning mechanism.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a method of managing an EUV exposure mask to manage a cleaning period of the EUV exposure mask set in an exposure apparatus, including obtaining mark profile signals corresponding to two different directions of an alignment mark provided on the mask by irradiating the mark with EUV light and detecting light reflected by the mask, measuring dimensions of the mark in the two different directions from the obtained mark profile signals, calculating a difference between the measured dimensions in the two different directions, and determining the cleaning period of the mask based on the calculated difference.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of monitoring a focus position on a surface of a wafer for an exposure apparatus which transfers by exposure a pattern formed on a mask onto the wafer, including tilting at least one of the mask and an exposure area on the wafer and performing exposure while the mask and the exposure area have a relative angle, to form two spurious resolution images of the pattern of the mask in the exposure area; measuring positions of the two spurious resolution images formed in the exposure area and detecting an optimal focus position of the exposure apparatus on the basis of a middle point between the measured positions of the two spurious resolution images.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an electron beam drawing apparatus comprising at least one stage of a deflection amplifier and a deflection unit, a first storage section which stores shot information at a drawing time, a second storage section which stores a correction table indicating a relation between the shot information and an output voltage of the deflection amplifier, and an adjusting section which adjusts an output of the deflection amplifier based on the correction table stored in the second storage section and the shot information stored in the first storage section.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes a main body including a supply section to which an extreme ultraviolet radiation seed is supplied, and an emission part configured to emit extreme ultraviolet, an excitation unit provided in the main body and configured to generate a plasma by exciting the extreme ultraviolet radiation seed, an optical condensing unit provided in the main body and configured to converge extreme ultraviolet, which is radiated from the plasma, at the emission part, a trap provided between the excitation unit and the optical condensing unit, a first positioning mechanism connected to the trap and configured to adjust at least one of a position and an angle of the trap, and a measuring unit configured to measure a far field distribution image of the plasma on the basis of the extreme ultraviolet which is emitted from the emission part, thereby to operate the first positioning mechanism.

Abstract: An optical element includes a substrate, a magnetostrictive film arranged on the substrate, a film thickness of the magnetostrictive film varying in accordance with intensity of a magnetic field, and a reflection film arranged on the magnetostrictive film and reflects light. An optical apparatus includes a stage including a holder provided with plural holes arranged in a carrying surface thereof for carrying an optical element provided with a magnetostrictive film arranged on a substrate, a film thickness of the magnetostrictive film varying in accordance with intensity of a magnetic field, and a reflection film arranged on the magnetostrictive film and reflecting light, plural magnetic field generation parts embedded in the plural holes, and a control mechanism for controlling the magnetic field generated by each of the plural magnetic field generation parts, and controlling the film thickness of the magnetostrictive film.

Abstract: A microfabrication apparatus for pressing an original plate including a pattern down on a substrate to transfer the pattern on the substrate includes a first measurement unit for measuring relative positional displacement between the substrate and the plate above the substrate, a position correction unit for correcting relative position between the substrate and the plate such that the pattern is to be transferred on a first predetermined position of the substrate based on the relative positional displacement measured by the first measurement unit, a pressing unit for pressing the plate above the substrate down on the substrate to transfer the pattern on the substrate in a state that the relative positional displacement between the substrate and the plate is corrected by the position correction unit, and a second measurement unit for measuring relative positional relationship between the pattern transferred on the substrate and a pattern previously formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A lithography evaluating method comprises preparing a substrate, the substrate including a semiconductor substrate and a wiring structure including at least one wiring layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, partitioning the substrate into a plurality of regions to be evaluated, and obtaining a value of property relating to the wiring structure previously, and evaluating proximity effect on each of the plurality of regions to be evaluated based on the value of the property relating to the wiring structure.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of monitoring a focus position on a surface of a wafer for an exposure apparatus which transfers by exposure a pattern formed on a mask onto the wafer, including tilting at least one of the mask and an exposure area on the wafer and performing exposure while the mask and the exposure area have a relative angle, to form two spurious resolution images of the pattern of the mask in the exposure area; measuring positions of the two spurious resolution images formed in the exposure area and detecting an optimal focus position of the exposure apparatus on the basis of a middle point between the measured positions of the two spurious resolution images.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an electron beam drawing apparatus comprising at least one stage of a deflection amplifier and a deflection unit, a first storage section which stores shot information at a drawing time, a second storage section which stores a correction table indicating a relation between the shot information and an output voltage of the deflection amplifier, and an adjusting section which adjusts an output of the deflection amplifier based on the correction table stored in the second storage section and the shot information stored in the first storage section.

Abstract: A lithography evaluating method comprises preparing a substrate, the substrate including a semiconductor substrate and a wiring structure including at least one wiring layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, partitioning the substrate into a plurality of regions to be evaluated, and obtaining a value of property relating to the wiring structure previously, and evaluating proximity effect on each of the plurality of regions to be evaluated based on the value of the property relating to the wiring structure.

Abstract: An exposure method forms, in a shot area on a reticle, marks to measure arrangement errors that may occur between adjacent device patterns, transfers the marks from the reticle onto a wafer through exposure and development processes using an exposure system, measures arrangement errors according to the marks on the wafer, calculates four error components from the measured arrangement errors, and corrects the exposure system according to the calculated error components. This method eliminates superposition errors from the next exposure process, thereby effectively using the shot areas of exposure systems.