Alignment can be monitored by positioning at least one alignment verification location per alignment frame. The alignment verification location is a coordinate within the alignment frame. A distance between each of the alignment verification locations and a closest instance of an alignment target is determined. An alignment score can be determined based on the distance. The alignment score can include a number of the alignment frames between the alignment verification location and the alignment target. If the alignment score is below a threshold, then alignment setup can be performed.

Various embodiments of aligning wafers are described herein. In one embodiment, a photolithography system aligns a wafer by averaging individual via locations. In particular, some embodiments of the present technology determine the center locations of individual vias on a wafer and average them together to obtain an average center location of the set of vias. Based on a comparison of the average center location to a desired center location, the present technology adjusts the wafer position. Additionally, in some embodiments, the present technology compares wafer via patterns to a template and adjusts the position of the wafer based on the comparison.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an exposure apparatus which projects a pattern of an original onto a substrate by a projection optical system so as to expose the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a substrate stage, an alignment detecting system, and a controller. The substrate stage holds the substrate on which shot areas each including multiple chip areas are placed. The alignment detecting system detects multiple first alignment marks placed in a peripheral region in a first chip area in the shot area. The controller obtains the first amount of positional deviation for the first chip area according to results of detecting the multiple first alignment marks and controls exposure conditions for the first chip area in the shot area according to the first amount of positional deviation.

An alignment system, a dual-wafer-stage system and a measurement system are disclosed, the alignment system including a main frame (201, 301), a first wafer stage (205, 305), an alignment sensor (202, 302), a position acquisition module (208, 308) and a signal processing device (203, 303). The position acquisition module (208, 308) collects positional data from the first wafer stage (205, 305) and the reflector (204, 304) simultaneously. The reflector (204, 304) is arranged on the alignment sensor (202, 302). In other words, positional data of the alignment sensor (202, 302) and positional data of the first wafer stage (205, 305) are collected simultaneously. In addition, the data can be processed to indicate the relative position of the first wafer stage (205, 305) relative to the alignment sensor (202, 302) whose vibration has been zeroed. That is, a position where an alignment mark is aligned can be obtained with the relative vibration amplitude of the alignment sensor (202, 302) being zeroed. This can circumvent the impact of vibration of the alignment sensor (202, 302) and allow increased repeatability accuracy of alignment.

Various embodiments of aligning wafers are described herein. In one embodiment, a photolithography system aligns a wafer by averaging individual via locations. In particular, some embodiments of the present technology determine the center locations of individual vias on a wafer and average them together to obtain an average center location of the set of vias. Based on a comparison of the average center location to a desired center location, the present technology adjusts the wafer position. Additionally, in some embodiments, the present technology compares wafer via patterns to a template and adjusts the position of the water based on the comparison.

An optical system for producing lithographic structures is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for determining relative coordinates of a position of a writing field relative to a position of a preview field in such an optical system, and a method for producing lithographic structures using such an optical system.

Various embodiments of aligning wafers are described herein. In one embodiment, a photolithography system aligns a wafer by averaging individual via locations. In particular, some embodiments of the present technology determine the center locations of individual vias on a wafer and average them together to obtain an average center location of the set of vias. Based on a comparison of the average center location to a desired center location, the present technology adjusts the wafer position. Additionally, in some embodiments, the present technology compares wafer via patterns to a template and adjusts the position of the wafer based on the comparison.

An inspection method includes a rough alignment process of acquiring optical images of first and second patterns previously set to confirm whether a position misalignment amount in a rotation direction of a sample with respect to an X or Y direction is equal to or smaller than a first acceptable value, and conforming whether the position misalignment amount is equal to or smaller than the first acceptable value on the basis of an acquisition result, and a fine alignment process of acquiring optical images of third patterns positioned on different corners of a rectangular frame constituted of four sides along the X or Y direction on an optical image of the sample and rotating a stage until a position misalignment amount detected based on the optical images of the third patterns becomes equal to or smaller than a second acceptable value being smaller than the first acceptable value.

Various embodiments of aligning wafers are described herein. In one embodiment, a photolithography system aligns a wafer by averaging individual via locations. In particular, some embodiments of the present technology determine the center locations of individual vias on a wafer and average them together to obtain an average center location of the set of vias. Based on a comparison of the average center location to a desired center location, the present technology adjusts the wafer position. Additionally, in some embodiments, the present technology compares wafer via patterns to a template and adjusts the position of the wafer based on the comparison.

Various embodiments of aligning wafers are described herein. In one embodiment, a photolithography system aligns a wafer by averaging individual via locations. In particular, some embodiments of the present technology determine the center locations of individual vias on a wafer and average them together to obtain an average center location of the set of vias. Based on a comparison of the average center location to a desired center location, the present technology adjusts the wafer position. Additionally, in some embodiments, the present technology compares wafer via patterns to a template and adjusts the position of the wafer based on the comparison.