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.

A metrology target having a periodic or quasi-periodic structure, which is characterized by a plurality of parameters. At least one of these parameters varies locally monotonically, wherein the maximum size of this variation over a distance of 5 m is less than 10% of the size of the at least one parameter. In addition, the metrology target has at least one used structure and at least one auxiliary structure, wherein the auxiliary structure transitions progressively into the used structure with regard to the locally monotonically varying parameter. Also disclosed are an associated method and associated device for characterizing structured elements configured as wafers, masks or CGHs.

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 structure, 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.

Disclosed is an apparatus for lithography patterning. The apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to hold a substrate coated with a deposition enhancement layer (DEL), a radiation source for generating a patterned radiation towards a surface of the DEL, and a supply pipe for flowing an organic gas near the surface of the DEL, wherein elements of the organic gas polymerize upon the patterned radiation, thereby forming a resist pattern over the DEL.

The present subject matter provides a high-speed nanopatterning method and apparatus of two-color super-resolution photolithography. According to the present subject matter, a high-speed nanopatterning apparatus of two-color super-resolution photolithography comprises: a first light source for outputting photochemical reaction initiation light of a first wavelength causing a photochemical reaction to occur in an illuminated area of a photoresist; a first lens for enlarging a beam size of the photochemical reaction initiation light; a second light source for outputting inhibition light of a second wavelength suppressing the photochemical reaction in the illuminated area of the photoresist; a second lens for enlarging a beam size of the inhibition light; and a digital micromirror device including a plurality of micromirrors controlled at a first angle and a second angle and for reflecting a portion of the photochemical reaction initiation light output from the first light source or the inhibition light output from the second light source toward the photoresist through the plurality of micromirrors.

The present disclosure provides an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system. The system includes an EUV scanning module; an EUV collector to collect EUV radiation and direct the same to the EUV scanning module; a droplet generator for generating droplets of a molten form of a metal; a pulse laser generator to act on the droplets of the molten form of the metal to generate plasma as a source of the EUV radiation; and a target feeding system. The target feeding system includes a container for holding the metal, a heating device configured to heat the metal in the container to a temperature higher than a melting temperature of the metal, and a feeding tube having an upstream end connecting to the container and a downstream end connecting to the droplet generator such that the container is in fluid communication with the droplet generator.

A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction pillar having a circular cross section. The pillar has a pinned magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer. A first conductive contact is disposed above the magnetic tunnel junction pillar. A second conductive contact is disposed below the magnetic tunnel junction pillar.

Since a mask check wafer can utilize a different process than a production wafer, a high-contrast illumination setting with lower pupil fill ratio (PFR) that leads to a reduction of the productivity of the scanner can be utilized. By selecting a high-contrast illumination setting, which is different than that used on a production wafer, an improved ratio of particle printability to stochastic defects can be achieved. In combination, or instead higher dose resist can be utilized. This allows longer exposure of the wafer, such that the impact of photon shot noise is reduced, also resulting in an improved ratio of particle printability to stochastic defects. As a result, the particle printability can be enhanced further without leading to an excessive amount of stochastic defects. Because of this, the number of sites, and therefore the throughput, of a charged particle inspection and analysis can be significantly improved.

A method includes determining optical aberrations of an optical system, identifying an illumination profile that compensates for the optical aberrations of the optical system, and curing a layer of optical cement of an optical device using a modulated energy beam to achieve the identified illumination profile.

A system and method of leveraging sub-resolution assist feature (SRAF) to intentionally distort a feature of a pattern for identification and security purposes. A method of forming an identifier on a semiconductor structure includes: receiving, at a semiconductor manufacturing foundry, a specification of an identifier including a pattern comprising a combination of main features; designing a lithographic mask structure based on the received identifier specification, the lithographic mask structure including mask features corresponding to the specified main features and at least one sub-resolution assist feature (SRAF) structure in a geometrical relationship with a corresponding mask feature for forming, using a lithography process, a uniquely modified identifier pattern comprising a combination of modified main features; and then subsequently lithographically exposing, employing the mask structure, photoresist layers at an optical condition and subsequently developing the photoresist layers to transfer the uniquely modified identifier pattern to a surface of a semiconductor wafer.