Abstract: In a method of forming a mark pattern according to the embodiments, a film to be processed on a substrate is coated with a photosensitive film, and the photosensitive film is irradiated with exposure light via a mask. On the mask, a first circuit pattern having a first transmittance and a mark having a second transmittance and used to measure a superposition between films are arranged. By irradiating with the exposure light, a second circuit pattern having a first film thickness and a mark pattern having a second film thickness thinner than the first film thickness are formed on the substrate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a deflection measuring device that irradiates an effective region of a pattern transfer plate on which a pattern is formed, with parallel lights from at least two directions, and detects interference fringes of the parallel lights reflected from the effective region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, wafer lithography equipment includes an exposure unit transferring a circuit pattern onto a wafer, a measurement unit measuring a dimension of the circuit pattern and a calculator. The calculator includes calculating a first difference. The first difference is the difference between a first dimension and a second dimension. The first dimension is obtained by substituting a first exposure amount and a first focus distance into an approximate response surface function. The second dimension is measured by the measurement unit. The calculator also includes calculating a second difference. The second difference is the sum total of the first difference for all of the circuit patterns. The calculator also includes calculating a second exposure amount and a second focus distance causing the difference between the approximate response surface function and the second difference to be a minimum. The calculator also includes calculating a correction exposure amount.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an exposure apparatus including a height measuring machine and a controller. The height measuring machine measures a height of a substrate coated with a photosensitive material. The controller can switch a condition under which the height measuring machine can perform a measurement, between a first measurement condition and a second measurement condition.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a mask set including a first mask and a second mask. The first mask includes a first device pattern and a first mark pattern. The first mark pattern is used for an inspection of a position of the first device pattern on a surface of the first mask. The second mask is used to perform multiple exposure on a substrate together with the first mask. The second mask includes a second device pattern and a second mark pattern. The second mark pattern is used for an inspection of a position of the second device pattern on a surface of the second mask. The second mark pattern includes a pattern corresponding to a pattern obtained by inverting the first mark pattern.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a parameter for laser irradiation is adjusted in correspondence with thickness distribution of a substrate of a pattern transferring plate in which a pattern is formed on the substrate to form an altered portion within the substrate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an adjusting unit adjusts a refracting angle of incident light with respect to a substrate, a detector detects reflected light from the substrate, and a calculating unit calculates positional deviation of the pattern based on patterns respectively reflected in reflected lights obtained from the incident light generating N number of refracting angles with respect to the substrate, where N is an integer of two or greater.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a substrate holding device, in which, when a substrate is mounted on a chuck main body, gas is exhausted from a space between the substrate and a bottom face part, to hold the substrate by suction. The chuck main body includes a plurality of pins fixed to the bottom face part in a mounting area for a substrate. Two or more movable bottom portions are disposed to cover the mounting area for the substrate and to be movable in an extending direction of the pins, in a state where the pins are inserted in the movable bottom portions.

Abstract: Reticle marks are arranged at a plurality of places in a kerf region of a reticle, the area of a polygon with apexes at arrangement positions of the reticle marks is calculated, and the arrangement positions of the reticle marks are decided based on results of calculation of the area of the polygon.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern formed through light exposure is observed under two or more different optical conditions, and a focus shift and exposure amount in the light exposure are estimated based on a brightness value of the pattern under each of the optical conditions.

Abstract: In an overlay displacement amount measuring method according to an embodiment, a temperature distribution of a substrate during a pattern forming process and a temperature distribution of the substrate during a measuring process for measuring a positional displacement amount between patterns on the substrate by an electron microscope are measured. An expansion/contraction amount of the substrate between two processes is calculated based upon the two temperature distributions, and the positional displacement amount is corrected based upon the expansion/contraction amount. An overlay displacement amount between the pattern and a pattern formed on a layer different from the pattern is measured by an optical measuring apparatus, and the overlay displacement amount is corrected based upon the corrected positional displacement amount.

Abstract: According one embodiment, a pattern formation method forming a resist layer on a pattern formation surface by pressing a template provided with a concave-convex from above the resist layer to form a resist pattern on the pattern formation surface, includes: forming a resist layer in a first region having an area smaller than an area of the pattern formation surface and in a second region other than the first region of the pattern formation surface; pressing a template against the resist layer; irradiating the resist layer with light via the template to form a first resist layer in the first region, curing of the first resist layer being suppressed, and form the resist pattern including a second resist layer, curing of the second resist layer proceeds in the second region; and removing the first resist layer from the first region, the curing of the first resist layer being suppressed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a mark comprising a first mark pattern, a second mark pattern, and an opening pattern. The first mark pattern is arranged in a lower layer of a semiconductor wafer that includes a substrate, the lower layer, an intermediate layer, and an upper layer. The second mark pattern is arranged in the upper layer. The opening pattern exposes the first mark pattern.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, first, an embedment material is embedded between linear core material patterns in such a manner that a height thereof becomes lower than a height of each of the core material patterns. Then, a shrink agent is supplied and solidified on the embedment material. Subsequently, the solidified shrink agent and the embedment material are removed and a spacer film is formed on an object of processing. Then, the spacer film is etched-back and a spacer pattern is formed by removal of the core material patterns. The solidified shrink agent which is formed in such a manner that a width of the spacer pattern becomes narrow in a region corresponding to a position where the shrink agent, in a sectional surface vertical to an extended direction of the spacer pattern is supplied is removed.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a mask processing apparatus is provided. The mask processing apparatus includes a stage, a laser light source and a rotary mechanism. The stage is configured to hold a mask formed with a pattern to be transferred to a transfer target substrate. The laser light source is configured to output laser light that is radiated into the mask and thereby alters the mask. The rotary mechanism is configured to rotate the stage in an in-plane direction of a pattern formation surface of the mask.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an exposure apparatus includes a light blocking unit that blocks an exposure light reflected on a reflective mask at a part other than an aperture; a detection unit that measures a light intensity of the exposure light passed through the light blocking unit; and a calculation unit that calculates, based on the light intensity, a transfer characteristic when a pattern on the reflective mask is transferred to a substrate. In the light blocking unit, a position on an aperture plane and a position in an optical axis direction of the exposure light are adjusted. The calculation unit calculates the transfer characteristic based on the position in the optical axis direction in which the light intensity is maximized.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern formed through light exposure is observed under two or more different optical conditions, and a focus shift and exposure amount in the light exposure are estimated based on a brightness value of the pattern under each of the optical conditions.

Abstract: Reticle marks are arranged at a plurality of places in a kerf region of a reticle, the area of a polygon with apexes at arrangement positions of the reticle marks is calculated, and the arrangement positions of the reticle marks are decided based on results of calculation of the area of the polygon.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imprint device includes a holding unit, a mounting unit, a moving unit, a curing unit, a pressing portion, and a detecting portion. The holding unit holds template having a pattern portion pressed onto a transfer portion provided on a substrate. The mounting unit mounts the substrate. The moving unit is provided on at least either the holding unit or the mounting unit. The moving unit moves the holding unit and the mounting unit in directions approaching each other or directions away from each other. The curing unit cures the transfer portion onto which the pattern portion of the template is pressed. The pressing portion pushes the template pressed onto the transfer portion in a direction intersecting a pressing direction of the template. The detecting portion detects a position of the template pushed by the pressing portion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a parameter for laser irradiation is adjusted in correspondence with thickness distribution of a substrate of a pattern transferring plate in which a pattern is formed on the substrate to form an altered portion within the substrate.