Provided is an intelligent correction device control system for a super-resolution lithography precision mask, including: a sixteen-way pneumatic fine-tuning mask deformation control subsystem configured to deform a mask, detect a force value of a mask deformation, compare the force value of the mask deformation with an output force set value, and generate a first control feedback quantity to adjust a force deforming the mask, so as to control a deformation quantity of the mask; and an alignment subsystem configured to acquire images of the mask and a substrate, and adjust a position between the mask and the substrate according to the images, so as to align the mask with the substrate.

Described is a metrology system for determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate, and associated method. The metrology system comprises a processor being configured to computationally determine phase and amplitude information from a detected characteristic of scattered radiation having been reflected or scattered by the at least one structure as a result of illumination of said at least one structure with illumination radiation in a measurement acquisition, and use the determined phase and amplitude to determine the characteristic of interest.

A method for aligning a substrate for fabrication of an optical device is disclosed that includes receiving a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side of the substrate being oriented towards a scanner, the substrate having an alignment mark formed on the first side of the substrate, scanning the alignment mark with the scanner, and fabricating a first pattern for a first optical device on the first side of the substrate. The method includes positioning the substrate such that the second side is oriented toward the scanner, scanning the alignment mark on the first side with the scanner, through the second side, and fabricating a second pattern for a fourth optical device on the second side of the substrate.

An overlay measurement device measures an error between a first overlay mark and a second overlay mark respectively formed on different layers formed on a wafer. The device is configured to detect a height of the first overlay mark based on a change in the signal of the first detector according to a change in the relative position of the objective lens with respect to the wafer in the optical axis direction and detect a height of the second overlay mark based on a change in the signal of the second detector according to a change in the relative position of the objective lens with respect to the wafer in the optical axis direction.

A method of processing a wafer is provided. The method includes providing a reference plate below the wafer. The reference plate includes a reference pattern. The reference plate is imaged to capture an image of the reference pattern by directing light through the wafer. A first pattern is aligned using the image of the reference pattern. The first pattern is applied to a working surface of the wafer based on the aligning.

An inspection apparatus, including: an optical system configured to provide a beam of radiation to a surface to be measured and to receive redirected radiation from the surface; and a detection system configured to measure the redirected radiation, wherein the optical system includes an optical element to process the radiation, the optical element including a Mac Neille-type multilayer polarizing coating configured to produce a reduced chromatic offset of the radiation.

An apparatus for and method of sensing multiple alignment marks in which the optical axis of a detector is divided into multiple axes each of which can essentially simultaneously detect a separate alignment mark to generate a signal which can then be multiplexed and presented to a single detector or multiple detectors thus permitting more rapid detection of multiple marks.

A method for operating a target processing system for processing a target (23) on a chuck (13), the method comprising providing at least a first chuck position mark (27) and a second chuck position mark (28) on the chuck (13); providing an alignment sensing system (17) arranged for detecting the first and second chuck position marks (27, 28), the alignment sensing system (17) comprising at least a first alignment sensor (61) and a second alignment sensor (62); moving the chuck (13) to a first position based on at least one measurement of the alignment sensing system (17); and measuring at least one value related to the first position of the chuck.

A radiation system comprising a radiation source and a radiation conditioning apparatus, wherein the radiation source is configured to provide a radiation beam with wavelengths which extend from ultraviolet to infrared, and wherein the radiation conditioning apparatus is configured to separate the radiation beam into at least two beam portions and is further configured to condition the at least two beam portions differently.

A mark detection method includes: acquiring on-off information of marks on a photomask to be manufactured; comparing the on-off information with preset on-off information to determine whether the on-off information is consistent with the preset on-off information; and, correcting the on-off information according to the preset on-off information when it is determined that the on-off information is inconsistent with the preset on-off information. The mark detection method and apparatus and the computer-readable storage medium according to the present disclosure can automatically detect whether the on-off of marks is accurate, thereby improving the detection accuracy and reducing labor cost.