A super-resolution system for nano-patterning is disclosed, comprising an exposure head that enables a super-resolution patterning exposures. The super-resolution exposures are carried out using electromagnetic radiation and plasmonic structures, and in some embodiments, plasmonic structures having specially designed super-resolution apertures, of which the bow-tie and C-aperture are examples. These apertures create small but bright images in the near-field transmission pattern. A writing head comprising one or more of these apertures is held in close proximity to a medium for patterning. In some embodiments, a data processing system is provided to re-interpret the data to be patterned into a set of modulation signals used to drive the multiple individual channels and multiple exposures, and a detection means is provided to verify the data as written.

An optical mask for use in a photolithography process, a method for fabricating the optical mask, and a method for fabricating an array of patterns on a substrate using the optical mask, wherein the optical mask includes an array of microstructures disposed on a mask substrate, and wherein the array of microstructures is arranged to transform a uniform optical exposure passing therethrough to an array of optical exposure patterns.

The present disclosure provides an optical compensation film, a photomask, and an exposure apparatus. The optical compensation film includes a first region of the optical compensation film and a second region of the optical compensation film. The first region of the optical compensation film is positioned to correspond to an overlapping portion of the prisms, and is configured to allow light to pass therethrough and impinge on the overlapping portion of the prisms. The second region of the optical compensation film is positioned to correspond to a non-overlapping portion of the prisms, and is configured to allow light to pass therethrough and impinge on the non-overlapping portion of the prisms. Light transmittance of the first region of the optical compensation film is greater than light transmittance of the second region of the optical compensation film.

An exposure apparatus includes: a first light source that generates first exposure light, a diaphragm having plurality of openings positioned between the first light source and an exposure photomask, a plurality of first projection optical systems that individually project an optical image realized by the first exposure light transmitted through each of the plurality of openings on an exposure target, a second light source that generates second exposure light, and a correction stepper. The correction stepper irradiates a light amount correction region with the second exposure light so as to limit an irradiation range of the exposure target to be irradiated with the second exposure light transmitted through the exposure photomask, and the light amount correction region is a region extending in a first direction by a width of a multi-opening region in a second direction in a plan view.

A method of lithography includes obtaining a profile of a single field of a substrate that having a photoresist layer thereon, in which the profile includes a first feature and a second feature having different heights. A depth of focus distribution map is generated according to the profile. A project lens is tuned based on the generated depth of focus distribution map, such that the project lens provides a first focus length in a first project pixel of the project lens and a second focus length in a second project pixel of the project lens, wherein the first focus length and the second focus lengths. The single field of the substrate is exposed by using the tuned project lens.

The embodiments described herein relate to a software application platform, which enhances image patterns resolution on a substrate. The application platform method includes running an algorithm to provide different target polygons for forming a pattern on a target. A minimum feature size which may be formed by a DMD is determined. For each target polygons smaller than the minimum feature size determining to line bias or shot bias the one or more target polygons to achieve an acceptable exposure contrast at the target polygon boundary. The one or more target polygons smaller than the minimum feature size are biased to form a digitized pattern on the substrate. Electromagnetic radiation is delivered to reflect off of a first mirror of the DMD when the centroid for the first mirror is within the one or more target polygons.

A system, device, and method for imparting or transferring a geometric pattern on the surface of a substrate. The device comprises, a housing forming at least a partially enclosed space, a light source body comprising an array of light emitters, a base disposed below the light source body and configured for supporting the substrate having a photoresist layer thereon, and a controller for activating a predetermined number of individual light emitters corresponding to the predetermined geometric pattern. Each individual light emitter within the array of light emitters is selectively activatable to emit a light. The array of light emitters comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes, a plurality of quantum dots, or both.

Embodiments described herein provide a method shifting mask pattern data during a digital lithography process to reduce line waviness of an exposed pattern. The method includes providing a mask pattern data having a plurality of exposure polygons to a processing unit of a digital lithography system. The processing unit has a plurality of image projection systems that receive the mask pattern data. Each image projection system corresponds to a portion of a plurality of portions of a substrate and receives an exposure polygon corresponding to the portion. The substrate is scanned under the plurality of image projection systems and pluralities of shots are projected to the plurality of portions while shifting the mask pattern data. Each shot of the pluralities of shots is inside the exposure polygon corresponding to the portion.

A projection exposure apparatus is disclosed, including a focal plane measuring system (8) and an alignment measuring system (9) both disposed between a reticle stage (3) and a substrate stage (4). The alignment measuring system (9) is capable of focusing. The focal plane measuring system (8) measures variation in the surface profile of a substrate (5), and the alignment measuring system (9) effectuates focusing based on data obtained from the measurement performed by the focal plane measuring system (8). After the completion of the focusing, coordinates of various points on the substrate (5) in the alignment measuring system (9) are those of the points that have experienced the profile variation of the substrate (5). A relative positional relationship between the reticle (2) and the substrate (5) that has undergone the profile variation can be computationally derived from the changes in the coordinates of the points, and compensation can be accomplished by moving the substrate stage (4). In this way, even when there are differences between measuring focal planes of the alignment measuring system (9) and the focal plane measuring system (8), the resulting errors can be compensated for through calculation and focusing. An exposure method for a projection apparatus is also disclosed.

Embodiments described herein provide a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process, to write full tone portions and grey tone portions in a single pass. One embodiment of the system includes a controller configured to provide mask pattern data to a lithography system. The controller is configured to divide a plurality of spatial light modulator pixels temporally by grey tone shots and full tone shots of a multiplicity of shots, and the controller is configured to vary a second intensity of a light beam generated by a light source and vary a first intensity of the light beam generated by the light source of each image projection system at the full tone shots.