Disclosed are techniques for implementing DRC clean multi-patterning process nodes with lateral fills. These techniques identify design rules governing multi-patterning and track patterns by accessing a rule deck to retrieve the design rules, identify a first shape and a second shape sandwiching a space and characteristics of the first and second shapes by examining design data of the electronic design, insert one or more lateral fill shapes in the space by implementing the one or more lateral fill shapes along one or more routing tracks of a legal track pattern while automatically complying with the design rules, and perform post-lateral fill or post-layout operations to improve the layout and to prepare the layout for manufacturing.

This invention provides an exposure apparatus for exposing each of a plurality of shot regions on a substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a control unit configured to control exposure processing of exposing each of the plurality of shot regions on the substrate using control information for controlling shapes of the shot regions exposed on the substrate such that the plurality of shot regions are adjacent to each other. The control information includes correction information for correcting, based on layout information of a plurality of shots adjacent to each other, a shift of adjacent portions of the plurality of shot regions caused by a distortion of the shapes of the plurality of shot regions. The control unit controls the exposure processing using the correction information.

In a lithographic apparatus, a localized area of the substrate surface under a projection system is immersed in liquid. The height of a liquid supply system above the surface of the substrate can be varied using actuators. A control system uses feedforward or feedback control with input of the surface height of the substrate to maintain the liquid supply system at a predetermined height above the surface of the substrate.

Maskless lithographic apparatus measuring accumulated amount of light is provided. The maskless lithographic apparatus includes a light source which emits light, a stage on which a substrate is disposed, an optical system which converts the light into a beam spot array including a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows and irradiates the beam spot array onto the stage, a slit to which the beam spot array is irradiated and which passes an nth (n is a natural number) row of the beam spot array, an optical sensor which senses the nth row of the beam spot array which has passed through the slit, and a measuring unit which measures an accumulated amount of light in the nth row of the beam spot array sensed by the optical sensor.

A method of correcting an optical image formed by an optical system, the method including obtaining a map indicative of a polarization dependent property of the optical system across a pupil plane of the optical system for each spatial position in an image plane of the optical system, combining the map indicative of the polarization dependent property of the optical system with a radiation map of the intensity and polarization of an input radiation beam to form an image map, and using the image map to correct an optical image formed by directing the input radiation beam through the optical system.

While a wafer stage moves linearly in a Y-axis direction, surface position information of a wafer surface at a plurality of detection points set at a predetermined interval in an X-axis direction is detected by a multipoint AF system, and by a plurality of alignment systems arranged in a line along the X-axis direction, marks at different positions on the wafer are each detected, and a part of a chipped shot of the wafer is exposed by a periphery edge exposure system. This allows throughput to be improved when compared with the case when detection operation of the marks, detection operation of the surface position information (focus information), and periphery edge exposure operation are performed independently.

The present invention provides an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a stage configured to move while holding the substrate; a measurement device configured to measure a position of the stage; and a controller configured to control alignment of the substrate based on a position of the mark and interval information, wherein the controller is configured to: at a first timing, cause the measurement device to measure a position of the stage in a predetermined state, as a first position; and at a second timing after the first timing, cause the measurement device to measure a position of the stage in the predetermined state, as a second position, and correct the interval information based on a difference between the first position and the second position.

A photomask according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a mask substrate; and a first test pattern and a second test pattern disposed along a first edge of the mask substrate, wherein the first test pattern has a first outer shape and a first inner shape, the second test pattern has a second outer shape, and the second outer shape of the second test pattern is larger than the first inner shape of the first test pattern and smaller than the first outer shape of the first test pattern.

While a wafer stage moves linearly in a Y-axis direction, surface position information of a wafer surface at a plurality of detection points set at a predetermined interval in an X-axis direction is detected by a multipoint AF system, and by a plurality of alignment systems arranged in a line along the X-axis direction, marks at different positions on the wafer are each detected, and a part of a chipped shot of the wafer is exposed by a periphery edge exposure system. This allows throughput to be improved when compared with the case when detection operation of the marks, detection operation of the surface position information (focus information), and periphery edge exposure operation are performed independently.

A method of forming a pillar includes masking a photoresist material using a reticle and a developer having a polarity opposite that of the photoresist to provide an island of photoresist material. A layer under the island of photoresist material is etched to establish a pillar defined by the island of photoresist material.