The lithography apparatus includes at least two exposure devices and one substrate device. The substrate device includes a substrate stage and a substrate supported by the substrate stage. The at least two exposure devices are disposed in symmetry to each other above the substrate with respect to a direction for scanning exposure and configured to simultaneously create two exposure fields onto the substrate to expose the portions of the substrate within the exposure fields.

A method for restoring an illumination system installed in an EUV apparatus is provided.

A metrology system may include a controller to receive a first metrology dataset associated with a first set of metrology target features on a sample including first features from a first exposure field on a first sample layer and second features from a second exposure field on a second sample layer, where the second exposure field partially overlaps the first exposure field. The controller may further receive a second metrology dataset associated with a second set of metrology target features including third features from a third exposure field on the second layer that overlaps the first exposure field and fourth features formed from a fourth exposure field on the first layer of the sample that overlaps the second exposure field. The controller may further determine fabrication errors based on the first and second metrology datasets and generate correctables to adjust a lithography tool based on the fabrication errors.

An optical element is configured to guide imaging light in projection lithography. The optical element has a main body and at least one optical surface carried by the main body. At least one compensation weight element, which is attached to the main body, serves for a weight compensation of a figure deformation of the optical surface caused by gravity. This results in an optical element with a small figure deformation at the use location.

The invention relates to a method for exposing at least one stored image (21) on a light-sensitive recording medium (14), with an exposure device (11), which picks up at least one recording medium (14) on a support (12), with at least one exposure head (16, 17), which is moved above the support (12) along a guiding axis (18) in the X direction and the guiding axis (18) and/or the support (12) are moved in the Y direction, with a control system, by which a traversing movement of the at least one exposure head (16, 17) is operated for exposing the at least one image (21) of the recording medium (14) and/or the recording medium (14), wherein the position of the recording medium (14) and/or the position of the at least one image (21) on the recording medium (14) are detected with at least one linear image acquisition device (25), which extends at least partially in the X direction.

Systems and methods that include providing for measuring a first topographical height of a substrate at a first coordinate on the substrate and measuring a second topographical height of the substrate at a second coordinate on the substrate are provided. The measured first and second topographical heights may be provided as a wafer map. An exposure process is then performed on the substrate using the wafer map. The exposure process can include using a first focal point when exposing the first coordinate on the substrate and using a second focal plane when exposing the second coordinate on the substrate. The first focal point is determined using the first topographical height and the second focal point is determined using the second topographical height.

A method for exposing a wafer substrate includes forming a reticle having a device pattern. A relative orientation between the device pattern and a mask field of an exposure tool is determined based on mask field utilization. The reticle is loaded on the exposure tool. The wafer substrate is rotated based on an orientation of the device pattern. Radiation is projected through the reticle onto the rotated wafer substrate by the exposure tool, thereby imaging the device pattern onto the rotated wafer substrate.

A method for controlling a scanning exposure apparatus configured for scanning an illumination profile over a substrate to form functional areas thereon. The method includes determining a control profile for dynamic control of the illumination profile during exposure of an exposure field including the functional areas, in a scanning exposure operation; and optimizing a quality of exposure of one or more individual functional areas. The optimizing may include a) extending the control profile beyond the extent of the exposure field in the scanning direction; and/or b) applying a deconvolution scheme to the control profile, wherein the structure of the deconvolution scheme is based on a dimension of the illumination profile in the scanning direction.

A metrology system may include a controller coupled to a metrology tool. The controller may receive a metrology target design including at least a first feature formed by exposing a first exposure field on a sample with a lithography tool, and at least a second feature formed by exposing a second exposure field on the sample with the lithography tool, where the second exposure field overlaps the first exposure field at a location of a metrology target on the sample. The controller may further receive metrology data associated with the metrology target fabricated according to the metrology target design, determine one or more fabrication errors during fabrication of the metrology target based on the metrology data, and generate correctables to adjust one or more fabrication parameters of the lithography tool in one or more subsequent lithography steps based on the one or more fabrication errors.

An optical apparatus may include a housing having an opened front face, an optical unit freely movable into and out of an internal space of the housing through the front face, and a positioning portion disposed on a back side of the optical unit in the internal space. A base plate of the optical unit may include first and second convex portions disposed on a base end face of the base plate. The second convex portion may be disposed at a position different from the first convex portion in a width direction of the base plate. The positioning portion may include a V block having a V groove shape at a part contacting the first convex portion, and a flat block having a flat surface shape at a part contacting the second convex portion. The optical unit may be positioned in the internal space through the contact.