A difficulty of contamination interfering with a grid plate positional measurement system is addressed. In one embodiment contamination is prevented from coming into contact with the grating or the sensor. In an embodiment, surface acoustic waves are used to detach contamination from a surface of the grating or sensor.

Multiple model functions may be calculated by detecting alignment marks on a semiconductor wafer structure. The model functions may be combined to determine a combined model function by using a weight function that assigns a different weight to each of basis functions of the model functions. Thus, even when asymmetry of alignment marks or overlay marks has high dependency on a horizontal location on a wafer, reliability of exposure process is insured.

An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light used with a laser apparatus and connected to an external device so as to supply the extreme ultraviolet light thereto includes a chamber provided with at least one inlet through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a target supply unit provided on the chamber configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a discharge pump connected to the chamber; at least one optical element provided inside the chamber; an etching gas introduction, unit provided on the chamber through which an etching gas passes; and at least one temperature control mechanism for controlling a temperature of the at least one optical element.

An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light used with a laser apparatus and connected to an external device so as to supply the extreme ultraviolet light thereto includes a chamber provided with at least one inlet through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a target supply unit provided on the chamber configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a discharge pump connected to the chamber; at least one optical element provided inside the chamber; an etching gas introduction, unit provided on the chamber through which an etching gas passes; and at least one temperature control mechanism for controlling a temperature of the at least one optical element.

A method of measuring a parameter of a device manufacturing process is disclosed. The method includes measuring a target on a substrate by illuminating the target with measurement radiation and using an optical apparatus to detect the measurement radiation scattered by the target. The target has a target structure having a first periodic component and a second periodic component. The optical apparatus receives radiation resulting from diffraction of the measurement radiation from the target structure. The received radiation includes at least one diffraction order that would not be received from diffraction of the measurement radiation from the first periodic component alone nor from diffraction of the measurement radiation from the second periodic component alone.

A method and apparatus of detection, registration and quantification of an image. The method may include obtaining an image of a lithographically created structure, and applying a level set method to an object, representing the structure, of the image to create a mathematical representation of the structure. The method may include obtaining a first dataset representative of a reference image object of a structure at a nominal condition of a parameter, and obtaining second dataset representative of a template image object of the structure at a non-nominal condition of the parameter. The method may further include obtaining a deformation field representative of changes between the first dataset and the second dataset. The deformation field may be generated by transforming the second dataset to project the template image object onto the reference image object. A dependence relationship between the deformation field and change in the parameter may be obtained.

An image exposure device includes an image display device having pixels that emit light having a plurality of wavelengths; a photosensitive recording medium support portion that supports a photosensitive recording medium for recording an image of the image display device; a collimation portion that is disposed between the image display device and the photosensitive recording medium support portion and makes radiation light including the light having a plurality of wavelengths radiated from the pixels into first transmitted light radiated within a range of a first radiation angle narrower than a radiation angle of the radiation light; and a dichroic filter that is disposed between the collimation portion and the photosensitive recording medium support portion, and makes the first transmitted light including the light having a plurality of wavelengths into second transmitted light radiated within a range of a second radiation angle equal to or smaller than the first radiation angle.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for dispensing liquid material, including a dispensing arm, a wafer holder against the dispensing arm, a first nozzle on the dispensing arm, a first distance laterally spacing the first nozzle and a center of the wafer holder, and a first height vertically spacing the first nozzle and a surface of the wafer holder, and a second nozzle on the dispensing arm, a second distance laterally spacing the second nozzle and the center of the wafer holder, and a second height vertically spacing the second nozzle and the surface of the wafer holder, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and the first height is greater than the second height.

A method for exposing a structure on a substrate includes positioning of an invariable reticle and a programmable reticle in a light path between a light source and a layer on a substrate to be exposed to light and exposing the layer on the substrate by light from the light source passing the invariable reticle and the programmable reticle.

An imaging device provides a mobile device multi-feed scanner, which may utilize remote data capture for multi-sheet feed scanning by using mirrors to form a reflective path allowing the viewing of the reverse side of the check on a platform to capture the check image on a mobile device. A camera on the mobile device may either sequentially or simultaneously capture a picture of both the front and back sides of the check. The platform may include a transparent portion, which may be adjacent to a stage portion. The first and second mirrors may be positioned such as to allow imaging of a reverse side of an object through the transparent portion of the platform while the object rests on the stage portion.