Systems and methods are provided for generating a two-dimensional pattern on a photoresist layer. A photoresist layer is exposed via a first exposure to a first unidimensional series of features alternatingly providing first minima and maxima of illumination intensity along a first dimension. The photoresist layer is then exposed via a second exposure to a second unidimensional series of features alternatingly providing second minima and maxima of illumination intensity along a second dimension that is angularly separated from the second dimension by an exposure rotation factor.

The present disclosure provides a substrate and a preparation method thereof, and a display panel. The substrate includes a base substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of units, and a cutting region is between at least two adjacent units; the substrate further comprises a first protruding portion, which is on the base substrate and in the cutting region; and a position of the first protruding portion overlaps a position of an exposure gap measure window of a mask used during the substrate is exposed.

The present application discloses an ultraviolet (UV) mask device and a method for using the UV mask device. The UV mask device includes: a platform, configured for carrying a substrate thereon; a mask substrate, configured above the platform for fixing a mask corresponding to the substrate on the platform; and a light source array, configured above the mask substrate by a first distance and including a plurality of UV light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) emitting light having a first single central wavelength.

Excimer laser annealing apparatus includes and excimer laser delivering laser-radiation pulses to a silicon layer supported on a substrate translated with respect to the laser pulses such that the consecutive pulses overlap on the substrate. The energy of each of the laser-radiation pulses is monitored, transmitted to control-electronics, and the energy of a next laser pulse is adjusted by a high-pass digital filter.

A device manufacturing method includes conditioning a beam of radiation using an illumination system. The conditioning includes controlling an array of individually controllable elements and associated optical components of the illumination system to convert the radiation beam into a desired illumination mode, the controlling including allocating different individually controllable elements to different parts of the illumination mode in accordance with an allocation scheme, the allocation scheme selected to provide a desired modification of one or more properties of the illumination mode, the radiation beam or both. The method also includes patterning the radiation beam having the desired illumination mode with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned beam of radiation, and projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate.

A projection objective having a number of adjustable optical elements is optimized with respect to a number of aberrations by specifying a set of parameters describing imaging properties of the objective, each parameter in the set having an absolute value at each of a plurality of field points in an image plane of the projection objective. At least one of the optical elements is adjusted such that for each of the parameters in the set, the field maximum of its absolute value is minimized.

The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to overlay mark structures and methods of manufacture. The method includes: forming an overlay mark within a layer of a stack of layers; increasing a density of an upper layer of the stack of layers, above the layer, the increased density protecting the overlay mark; and polishing the upper layer or one or more layers above the upper layer of the stack of layers.

A lithographic apparatus (10) and method for preventing exposure of a peripheral portion (P) of a substrate (S). An edge mask (M) has a radial concave edge (E) that extends over less than half a circle arch. The edge mask (M) is connected to a mask carrier (4) that circumnavigates the projection system (2) to adjust a tangential coordinate () and a radial coordinate (R) of the edge mask (M) with respect to the optical axis (A) of the projection system (2) for inserting the edge mask (M) at a variable distance into the beam of radiation (B). The tangential and radial positions (,R) of the edge mask (M) are coordinated with a changing position (X,Y) of the substrate (S) to prevent exposure of the peripheral portion (P) of the substrate (S) during exposure of the target region (T).

A mask includes a base substrate, and a light shielding pattern including a light transmitting portion and a light shielding portion on the base substrate, wherein the light shielding portion includes a third source electrode portion, a third drain electrode portion spaced apart from the third source electrode portion and including at least a portion parallel to the third source electrode portion, a first auxiliary light shielding portion at an end portion of the third source electrode portion facing the third drain electrode portion, and a second auxiliary light shielding portion at an end portion of the third drain electrode portion facing the third source electrode portion.

An imaging optical system for a projection exposure system has at least one anamorphically imaging optical element. This allows a complete illumination of an image field in a first direction with a large object-side numerical aperture in this direction, without the extent of the reticle to be imaged having to be enlarged and without a reduction in the throughput of the projection exposure system occurring.