A process to model post-exposure effects in patterning processes, the process including: obtaining values based on measurements of structures formed on one or more substrates by a post-exposure process and values of a pair of process parameters by which process conditions were varied; modeling, by a processor system, as a surface, correlation between the values based on measurements of the structures and the values of the pair of process parameters; and storing the model in memory.

A method for correcting misalignments is provided. An alignment for each device of a group of devices mounted on a substrate is determined. An alignment error for the group of devices mounted on the substrate is determined based on the respective alignment for each device. One or more correction factors are calculated based on the alignment error. The alignment error is corrected based on the one or more correction factors.

A lithographic apparatus and associated method of controlling a lithographic process. The lithographic apparatus has a controller configured to define a control grid associated with positioning of a substrate within the lithographic apparatus. The control grid is based on a device layout, associated with a patterning device, defining a device pattern which is to be, and/or has been, applied to the substrate in a lithographic process.

A measurement apparatus and method for determining a substrate grid describing a deformation of a substrate prior to exposure of the substrate in a lithographic apparatus configured to fabricate one or more features on the substrate. Position data for a plurality of first features and/or a plurality of second features on the substrate is obtained. Asymmetry data for at least a feature of the plurality of first features and/or the plurality of second features is obtained. The substrate grid based on the position data and the asymmetry data is determined. The substrate grid and asymmetry data are passed to the lithographic apparatus for controlling at least part of an exposure process to fabricate one or more features on the substrate.

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.

The embodiments of the present disclosure propose a negative refraction imaging lithographic method and equipment. The lithographic method includes: coating photoresist on a device substrate; fabricating a negative refraction imaging structure, wherein the negative refraction imaging structure exhibits optical negative refraction in response to beam emitted by exposure source; pressing a mask to be close to the negative refraction imaging structure; disposing the mask and the negative refraction imaging structure above the device substrate at a projection distance; and light emitted by the exposure source passes through the mask, the negative refraction imaging structure, the projection gap and is sequentially projected onto the photoresist for exposure.

The invention relates to an exposure apparatus (1) for exposing plate-shaped materials (2). The plate-shaped material (2) has a first side (3) and a second side (4) that lies opposite the first side (3). The exposure apparatus (1) comprises a first exposure unit (10) and a conveyor unit (30), wherein the first exposure unit (10) comprises at least one segment with a light source and has an embodiment so as to be rotatable about an axis (14), and the first exposure unit (10) and the conveyor unit (30) are configured in such a way that the first side (3) of the plate-shaped material (2) is supplied for an exposure in a first position (11) of the exposure unit (10) and the second side (4) of the plate-shaped material (2) is supplied for an exposure in a second position (12) of the exposure unit (10). Further aspects of the invention relate to methods for exposing plate-shaped material and a printing plate that was produced from a plate-shaped material according to any one of the methods.

A method of fabricating a circuit element, such as a quantum computing circuit element, including obtaining a lithography mask write file that includes mask information characterizing one or more mask features, obtaining a uniformity function that is configured to modify the mask information to compensate for a non-uniform deposition process, applying the uniformity function to the lithography mask write to obtain a modified lithography mask write file, and performing lithography as directed by the modified lithography mask write file.

Embodiments described herein provide a system, a software application, and methods of a lithography process that provide at least one of the ability to decrease the stabilization time and write an exposure pattern into a photoresist on a substrate compensating for the change in the total pitch over a stabilization time. One embodiment of the system includes a slab, a stage disposed over the slab, a pair of supports disposed on the slab, a processing apparatus, and a chiller system. The pair of supports support a pair of tracks and the stage is configured to move along the pair of tracks. The processing apparatus has an apparatus support coupled to the slab and a processing unit supported by the apparatus support. The processing unit has a plurality of image projection systems. The chiller system has at least one fluid channel disposed in each track of the pair of tracks.

Disclosed herein are several methods of reducing one or more pattern displacement errors, contrast loss, best focus shift , tilt of a Bossung curve of a portion of a design layout used in a lithographic process for imaging that portion onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus. The methods include adjusting an illumination source of the lithographic apparatus, placing assist features onto or adjusting positions and/or shapes existing assist features in the portion. Adjusting the illumination source and/or the assist features may be by an optimization algorithm.