A method is described for modifying the mechanical properties of NIL materials. The method includes applying an imprint mask to a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) material layer to create an imprinted NIL material layer, with the NIL material layer comprised of a NIL material. The method further includes detaching the imprinted NIL material layer from the imprint mask, with the modulus level of the NIL material below a flexibility threshold to cause a shape of the imprinted NIL material layer to remain unchanged after detachment. The modulus level of the NIL material of the imprinted NIL material layer is increased beyond a strength threshold to create a first imprint layer, with the imprint layer having a structure that remains unaffected by a subsequent process to form a second imprint layer matching a master mold pattern.

A method is described for utilizing NIL materials with switchable mechanical properties. The method comprises applying an imprint mask to a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) material layer. The NIL material layer is comprised of a NIL material with a modulus level below a flexibility threshold. The NIL material layer has an internal property, that when changed, causes a change in the modulus level of the NIL material. The method further comprises detaching the imprinted NIL material layer from the imprint mask, with the low modulus level of the NIL material causing a shape of the imprinted NIL material layer to remain unchanged after detachment. A modulus level of the NIL material is increased by changing an internal property of the NIL material, with the modulus level increased beyond a strength threshold to create a first imprint layer that has a structure that remains unaffected by a subsequent process.

A method is described for creating a modified mask with low surface energies for a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) imprinting process. The method includes applying a master mold to an imprint mask material to create an imprint mask. The method further includes modifying the imprint mask by applying a treatment to the imprint mask to cause a surface energy level of the imprint mask to fall below a sticking threshold. The modified imprint mask is applied to a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) material to create an imprinted NIL material layer. The surface energy level of the imprint mask causes a shape of the imprinted NIL material layer to be remain unchanged when the imprinted NIL material layer is detached from the modified imprint mask.

A method includes detecting data associated with a patterning device and/or a lithographic apparatus, performing an action from a plurality of actions when a determination not to proceed is made, and performing the action on the patterning device and/or a lithographic apparatus.

A simulation apparatus has: a first processing part configured to obtain a value of a parameter in a first set relating to the forming of the pattern; a second processing part configured to obtain a value of a parameter in a second set that is at least partially same as the parameter in the first set and relating to the forming of the pattern; and an integration processing part configured to evaluate, based on the value of the parameter in the first set and the value of the parameter in the second set, a state of the pattern formed on the substrate and a forming condition when the pattern is formed, and to determine based on the result of the evaluation whether or not to make at least one of the first processing part and the second processing part recalculate the value of the parameter in the corresponding set.

A method for improving a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus, the method including: obtaining a first source of the lithographic apparatus; classifying the first source into a class among a plurality of possible classes, based on one or more numerical characteristics of the first source, using a machine learning model, by a computer; determining whether the class is among one or more predetermined classes; only when the class is among the one or more predetermined classes, adjusting one or more source design variables to obtain a second source.

A method, system and program for determining a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes determining a contribution from a device out of a plurality of devices to a fingerprint of a parameter. The method including: obtaining parameter data and usage data, wherein the parameter data is based on measurements for multiple substrates having been processed by the plurality of devices, and the usage data indicates which of the devices out of the plurality of the devices were used in the processing of each substrate; and determining the contribution using the usage data and parameter data.

A method of aligning a pair of complementary diffraction patterns having a first complementary diffraction pattern and a second complementary diffraction pattern, the pair of complementary diffraction patterns obtained from performance of a metrology process on a structure formed by a lithographic process. The method includes performing at least a fine alignment stage to align the pair of complementary diffraction patterns. The alignment stage includes: interpolating measured values of the first complementary diffraction pattern over at least a portion of a detector area; and minimizing a residual between measured values in the second complementary diffraction pattern and corresponding interpolated values from the interpolation of the first complementary diffraction pattern, by one or both of translation and rotation of the second complementary diffraction pattern.

A laser unit management system may include a server configured to hold first information provided with access limitation that allows an access with a first access authorization, second information provided with access limitation that allows an access with a second access authorization, and third information provided with access limitation that allows both an access with the first access authorization and an access with the second access authorization; and a laser unit including a laser output section and a controller, the laser output section being configured to output pulsed laser light toward an exposure unit that is configured to perform wafer exposure, the controller being configured to store the first information, the second information, and the third information in the server. The second information may include wafer-exposure-related information on the exposure unit and laser-control-related information on the laser unit that are in association with each other.

A data transmission method of transmitting data of log information recorded in log data of a manufacturing apparatus to an external device includes: storing correspondence information between information of a first identifier and information of a second identifier, the first identifier being an identifier used to identify a thing about a process performed by the manufacturing apparatus and being shared by the manufacturing apparatus and the external device, the second identifier being an identifier used to identify a thing about a process performed by the manufacturing apparatus and being used by the manufacturing apparatus; and obtaining, based on the correspondence information, information of the first identifier corresponding to information of the second identifier recorded in log information, and transmitting data of the log information to which the obtained information of the first identifier has been added. The storing and the obtaining are executed by an information processing device.