A system designed to couple a patterning device to a support structure having a plurality of burls includes a camera module, an actuator, and a controller. The camera module is designed to capture image data of a backside of the patterning device. The actuator is coupled to at least one burl of the plurality of burls and is designed to move the at least one burl. The controller is designed to receive the image data captured from the camera module and determine one or more locations of contamination on the backside of the patterning device from the image data. The controller is also designed to control the actuator to move the at least one burl of the plurality of burls away from the one or more locations of contamination on the backside of the patterning device, based on the determined locations of contamination.

The present application provides a dynamic illumination method based on a scan exposure machine, providing a mask used for exposure and a GDS file corresponding to the mask; dividing pattern information on the mask into n areas with the same width along the direction of movement of the mask during the exposure; performing SMO computation on the pattern information in the n areas, so as to generate n SMO files corresponding to the n areas respectively; performing combinatorial optimization on the n SMO files to obtain a DSMO file; generating a driver of a light source reflector array according to the DSMO file, the illumination; and controlling a reflector array of an exposure machine by calling the driver of the light source reflector array. The DSMO method is performed in each exposure slit area, so as to improve the illumination optimization for a pattern.

An exposure device, an exposure method and a photolithography method are provided. The exposure device includes an exposure light source and an optical-path assembly, the optical-path assembly is configured to guide light emitted by the exposure light source to an exposing position, the optical-path assembly includes a light valve array, the light emitted by the exposure light source is able to be guided to the light valve array and then guided to the exposing position after the light is transmitted or reflected by the light valve array, the light valve array includes a plurality of light valve units, and optical transmittance or reflectivity of each of the light valve units is adjustable.

An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system for illuminating an original including a periodic pattern, a projection optical system for forming an image of the original on a substrate, a controller configured to cause light from the illumination optical system to be obliquely incident on the original such that a light intensity distribution which is line-symmetric with respect to a line, passing through an origin of a pupil region of the projection optical system and orthogonal to a periodic direction of the periodic pattern, is formed in the pupil region by diffracted light beams including diffracted light of not lower than 2nd-order from the periodic pattern, and to control exposure of the substrate such that each point in a shot region of the substrate is exposed in not less than two focus states.

A projection exposure apparatus includes a light source, an illumination system, and a projection lens. A method for producing or setting the projection exposure apparatus includes determining a first imaging property to be optimized. Optimizing the first imaging property includes optimizing the setting of the illumination system and/or the structure of the mask and/or at least one first adjustable optical element of the projection lens with respect to the shape of one of its at least one optically effective surfaces or with respect to the optical effect for the purposes of setting an optimized wavefront of the working light. Optimizing the illumination system, mask and/or optical element of the projection lens is implemented so that a further manipulator of the projection exposure apparatus for manipulating the wavefront is set in the central position of its manipulation range during the optimization of the first imaging property.

A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate using a lithographic projection having an illumination system and projection optics, the method including: (1) obtaining a simulation model that models projection of radiation by the projection optics, wherein the simulation model models an effect of an obscuration in the projection optics, and configuring, based on the model, the portion of the patterning device pattern, and/or (2) obtaining a simulation model that models projection of radiation by the projection optics, wherein the simulation model models an anamorphic demagnification of radiation by the projection optics, and configuring, based on the model, the portion of the patterning device pattern taking into account an anamorphic manufacturing rule or anamorphic manufacturing rule ratio.

Methods of determining, and using, a process model that is a machine learning model. The process model is trained partially based on simulation or based on a non-machine learning model. The training data may include inputs obtained from a design layout, patterning process measurements, and image measurements.

A method to improve a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus, the method including computing a multi-variable cost function. The multi-variable cost function represents an interlayer characteristic, the interlayer characteristic being a function of a plurality of design variables that represent one or more characteristics of the lithographic process. The method further includes reconfiguring one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables and computing the multi-variable cost function with the adjusted one or more design variables, until a certain termination condition is satisfied.

A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus having an illuminator and projection optics, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of the lithographic process, at least some of the design variables being characteristics of the illumination produced by the illuminator and of the design layout, wherein the multi-variable cost function is a function of a three-dimensional resist profile on the substrate, or a three-dimensional radiation field projected from the projection optics, or both; and reconfiguring one or more characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a predefined termination condition is satisfied.

In examples, a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit comprises locating a photomask between a light source and a semiconductor wafer having a photoresist layer in a wafer scribe lane of the wafer, wherein the photomask comprises: a first mask scribe lane pattern; a second mask scribe lane pattern matching the first mask scribe lane pattern; and at least one circuit pattern of the integrated circuit located between the first and second mask scribe lane patterns. The method further includes illuminating the photomask to produce in the photoresist layer of the wafer scribe lane a first exposed portion corresponding to the second mask scribe lane pattern; locating the first mask scribe lane pattern between the light source and the first exposed portion; and illuminating the photomask, wherein the first mask scribe lane pattern substantially shields non-exposed portions of the photoresist layer of the wafer scribe lane from light exposure.