A catoptric system having a reference axis and first, second, and third reflectors. The first reflector contains a pattern-source carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern. A combination of the second and third reflectors is configured to form an optical image of the pattern, with a demagnification coefficient N>1 in extreme UV light, and with only two beams of light that have originated at the first reflector as a result of irradiation of the first reflector with light incident upon it. An exposure apparatus employing the catoptric system and method of device manufacturing with the use of the exposure apparatus.

An apparatus may include a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate. The substrate holder may include a first chucking region having a first area and an adjacent region extending from the chucking region. The apparatus may also include a superstrate holder configured to hold a superstrate. The superstrate holder may include a second chucking region having a second area. The second area may be larger than the first area and the superstrate holder faces the substrate holder forming a first gap between the adjacent region surface and the superstrate and a second gap between the substrate and the superstrate. The apparatus may also include a gas supply system between the first gap and the second gap. The superstrate holder may alter a shape of the held superstrate to decrease the first gap and increase the second gap.

Embodiments described provide dynamic imaging systems that compensates for pattern defects resulting from distortion caused by warpage of the substrate. The methods and apparatus described are useful to create compensated exposure patterns. The dynamic imaging system includes an inspection system configured to provide 3D profile measurements and die shift measurements of the first substrate to the interface configured to provide compensated pattern data to the digital lithography system configured to receive the compensated pattern data from the interface and expose the photoresist with a compensated pattern.

A catoptric system having a reference axis and first, second, and third reflectors. The first reflector contains a pattern-source carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern. A combination of the second and third reflectors is configured to form an optical image of the pattern, with a demagnification coefficient N>1 in extreme UV light, and with only two beams of light that have originated at the first reflector as a result of irradiation of the first reflector with light incident upon it. An exposure apparatus employing the catoptric system and method of device manufacturing with the use of the exposure apparatus.

A drawing pattern includes at least one stepped pattern that is drawn at least partially on an inclined surface of a stepped structure and extends in a longitudinal direction in a plan view, and the drawing apparatus includes: a modulator that has a diffraction grating including a plurality of diffractive elements arrayed in an array direction; a rotation mechanism that rotates a substrate in a horizontal plane; and a controller that controls the rotation mechanism to adjust an orientation of the substrate on the horizontal plane such that the longitudinal direction of the at least one stepped pattern substantially coincides with an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the array direction in the plan view.

Disclosed is a method for lithographically producing a target structure on a non-planar initial structure by exposing a photoresist by means of a lithography beam. In the inventive method, the topography of a surface of the non-planar initial structure is detected. A test parameter for the lithography beam is used and an interaction of the lithography beam with the initial structure and the resultant change in the lithography beam and/or the target structure to be produced are determined. A correction parameter for the lithography beam is determined such that the change in the lithography beam and/or the target structure to be produced that is caused by the interaction of the lithography beam with the initial structure is reduced. The desired target structure on the initial structure is produced by exposing the photoresist by means of the lithography beam using the correction parameter.

A maskless exposure method includes spatially modulating a light output from a light source into a pattern beam having a mask pattern, condensing the modulated pattern beam into a first group of spot beams having a first focal position on a Z-axis substantially perpendicular to an exposure surface of an object layer, and into a second group of spot beams having a second focal position different from the first focal position, and scanning the object layer with the first and second groups of spot beams. The object layer has a first height and a second height different from the first height.

A scanning lithography tool that includes a reticle stage for clamping and imparting a bending moment onto a reticle by applying a force along a plane surface of the reticle to bend the reticle in a deterministic manner.

A lithography method comprises: providing a substrate with a target region; determining a topology of the substrate within the target region; determining a correcting telecentricity profile based on the topology of the substrate within the target region; providing a radiation beam; and projecting the radiation beam onto the target region of the substrate so as to form an image on the substrate. The radiation beam is such that a net direction of the total radiation received by one or more points in the target region of the substrate is chosen in dependence on the determined correcting telecentricity. The correcting telecentricity profile is such that the net direction of the total radiation received by at least one point in the target region of the substrate is chosen so as to at least partially correct for an overlay error introduced by a curvature of a surface of the substrate at said point.

The present application relates to a film mask comprising: a transparent substrate; a darkened light-shielding pattern layer provided on the transparent substrate; and groove portions provided in a region where the darkened light-shielding pattern layer is not provided, a method for manufacturing the same, a method for forming a pattern by using the same, and a pattern manufactured by using the same.