An irradiation control device which controls irradiation of charged particles to a target that includes a substance that generates neutrons by being irradiated with a charged particle beam, includes: a deflector that deflects the charged particles; and a controller that controls the deflector such that a plurality of peaks of heat density formed by the beam are formed between a center of an irradiation surface of the target and an end portion of the irradiation surface by moving the beam of the charged particles on the irradiation surface.

A method for altering one or more properties of a dielectric fluid for use in an electrohydrodynamic, EHD, thermal management system (100), as well as the system, are provided. The system comprises at least one EHD pump unit (110) comprising at least two electrodes for pumping the dielectric fluid and at least one enclosure (120) for accommodating the fluid within the system. The method comprises exposing the dielectric fluid to an ionizing process (122) configured to ionize the dielectric fluid, and operating the pump unit to circulate the exposed fluid in the enclosure.

A method for altering one or more properties of a dielectric fluid for use in an electrohydrodynamic, EHD, thermal management system (100), as well as the system, are provided. The system comprises at least one EHD pump unit (110) comprising at least two electrodes for pumping the dielectric fluid and at least one enclosure (120) for accommodating the fluid within the system. The method comprises exposing the dielectric fluid to an ionizing process (122) configured to ionize the dielectric fluid, and operating the pump unit to circulate the exposed fluid in the enclosure.

A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

A laser annealing method performed on a reflective photomask may include preparing a reflective photomask including a pattern area and a border area surrounding the pattern area and irradiating a laser beam onto the border area of the reflective photomask. The irradiating of the laser beam may include split-irradiating a plurality of laser beam spots onto the border area. Each of the plurality of laser beam spots may be shaped using a beam shaper. The beam shaper may include a blind area, a transparent area at a center of the blind area, and a semitransparent area between the blind area and the transparent area. Each of the plurality of laser beam spots may include a center portion passing through the transparent area and having a uniform energy profile and an edge portion passing through the semitransparent area and having an inclined energy profile.

A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

The present invention has as an object the provision of a light irradiation device capable of performing optical cleaning with high stability regardless of the transport speed of a workpiece. The light irradiation device of the present invention emits ultraviolet light to one surface of a band-shaped workpiece transported along a transport path, and includes a lamp house having an opening along a passing plane on a side of the one surface of the workpiece in the transport path, an ultraviolet lamp provided in the lamp house so as to extend in a width direction of the workpiece, gas supplier configured to supply a treatment-space gas into the lamp house, and an exhaust space forming member having an opening along a passing plane on a side of the other surface of the workpiece in the transport path. The treatment-space gas is produced by mixing a gas containing oxygen and/or water with an inert gas serving as a principal component, and a shielding body for forming a gas circulation resistance bottleneck between the shielding body and each edge part of the workpiece is provided in the opening of the lamp house.

The present invention has as an object the provision of a light irradiation device capable of performing optical cleaning with high stability regardless of the transport speed of a workpiece. The light irradiation device of the present invention emits ultraviolet light to one surface of a band-shaped workpiece transported along a transport path, and includes a lamp house having an opening along a passing plane on a side of the one surface of the workpiece in the transport path, an ultraviolet lamp provided in the lamp house so as to extend in a width direction of the workpiece, gas supplier configured to supply a treatment-space gas into the lamp house, and an exhaust space forming member having an opening along a passing plane on a side of the other surface of the workpiece in the transport path. The treatment-space gas is produced by mixing a gas containing oxygen and/or water with an inert gas serving as a principal component, and a shielding body for forming a gas circulation resistance bottleneck between the shielding body and each edge part of the workpiece is provided in the opening of the lamp house.

Disclosed is an energy beam emission device including: an electron discharge unit having a long electron discharge part; a housing having a window from which energy beams are emitted on the basis of electrons discharged from the electron discharge part; and a unit accommodation part capable of accommodating the electron discharge unit. A plurality of positioning parts are provided between an outer surface of the electron discharge unit and an inner surface of the unit accommodation part, the positioning parts being slidably in contact with an outer surface of the electron discharge unit or an inner surface of the unit accommodation part and performing positioning of the electron discharge part with respect to the unit accommodation part.