An imprinting system according to an embodiment includes a first measuring device measuring an intensity of light reflected from an end of a shot area of a monitor substrate being an area on which imprinting has been performed, a dripping condition generating device generating a dripping condition of a resin-based mask material on the basis of the measured intensity of light, and an imprinting apparatus performing imprinting using the dripping condition. The imprinting apparatus includes a second measuring device measuring an intensity of light reflected from an end of a first shot area of a production substrate being an area on which imprinting has been performed, and a control unit adjusting arrangement of droplets of a resin-based mask material ejected on a second shot area of the production substrate being an area on which imprinting is to be performed on the basis of an intensity of light reflected from an end of the first shot area.

A system includes a plate configured for mounting of a reflective extreme ultra-violet (EUV) mask thereon and a zone plate configured to divide EUV light into zero-order light and first-order light and to pass the zero-order light and the first-order light to the reflective EUV mask. The system further includes a detector configured to receive EUV light reflected by the EUV mask and including a zero-order light detection region configured to generate a first image signal and a first-order light detection region configured to generate a second image signal, and a calculator configured to generate a compensated third image signal from the first image signal and the second image signal. The third image signal may be used to determine a distance between mask patterns of the EUV mask.

A projection system model is configured to predict optical aberrations of a projection system based upon a set of projection system characteristics and to determine and output a set of optical element adjustments based upon a merit function. The merit function comprises a set of parameters and corresponding weights. The method comprises receiving an initial merit function and executing an optimization algorithm to determine a second merit function. The optimization algorithm scores different merit functions based upon projection system characteristics of a projection system adjusted according to the output of the projection system model using a merit function having that set of parameters and weights.

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.

Lithography systems and methods are provided with enhanced performance based on broader utilization of the integrated metrology tool in the printing tool to handle the metrology measurements in the system in a more sophisticated and optimized way. Additional operation channels are disclosed, enabling the integrated metrology tool to monitor and/or allocate metrology measurements thereby and by a standalone metrology tool with respect to specified temporal limitations of the printing tool; to adjust and optimize the metrology measurement recipes; to provide better process control to optimize process parameters of the printing tool; as well as to group process parameters of the printing tool according to a metrology measurements landscape.

A method for automatic inline detection and wafer disposition includes the following steps. An exposure process is performed to wafers in an exposure apparatus. A virtual inspection is performed based on log files of the exposure process. A wafer automatic disposition is performed according to a result of the virtual inspection. An automatic inline detection and wafer disposition system includes a first computer system coupled to an exposure apparatus and a second computer system coupled to the first computer system. The exposure apparatus is configured to perform an exposure process to wafers, and the first computer system is configured to perform a virtual inspection based on log files of the exposure process. The second computer system is configured to receive a result of the virtual inspection and perform a wafer automatic disposition according to the result of the virtual inspection.

An imaging device has a photoconductive drum with a surface that is charged and selectively discharged to create a latent electrostatic image of an image to-be-printed for attracting toner for transfer to a media. A memory of the imaging device stores energy density values for use by the laser beam that can be accessed by a controller according to a predetermined number of media imaged by the photoconductive drum. During imaging, the controller controls the laser beam based on the stored energy density values. The energy density of the laser beam is increased or decreased when the laser beam is scanned along the photoconductive drum.

In a method of inspecting an outer surface of a mask pod, a stream of air is directed at a first location of a plurality of locations on the outer surface. One or more particles are removed by the directed stream of air from the first location on the outer surface. Scattered air from the first location of the outer surface is extracted and a number of particles in the extracted scattered air is determined as a sampled number of particles at the first location. The mask pod is moved and the stream of air is directed at other locations of the plurality of locations to determine the sampled number of particles in extracted scattered air at the other locations. A map of the particles on the outer surface of the mask pod is generated based on the sampled number of particles at the plurality of locations.

Disclosed is a method of determining a correction for a measurement of a target and an associated apparatus. The measurement is subject to a target-dependent correction parameter which has a dependence the target and/or a stack on which the target is comprised. The method comprises obtaining first measurement data relating to a measurement of a fiducial target, said first measurement data comprising at least a first and second set of intensity parameter values: and second measurement data relating to a measurement of the fiducial target, the second measurement data comprising a third set of intensity parameter values. A target-invariant correction parameter is determined from said first measurement data and second measurement data. the target-invariant correction parameter being a component of the target-dependent correction parameter which is not dependent on the target and/or a stack: and the correction is determined from said target-in-variant correction parameter.

A method including obtaining an image of a plurality of structures on a substrate, wherein each of the plurality of structures is formed onto the substrate by transferring a corresponding pattern of a design layout; obtaining, from the image, a displacement for each of the structures with respect to a reference point for that structure; and assigning each of the structures into one of a plurality of groups based on the displacement.