A measurement system to be used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices is provided independently from an exposure apparatus. The measurement system has measurement devices that each performs measurement processing on substrates (e.g., substrates that have gone through at least one processing but before being coated with a sensitive agent), and a carrying system for performing delivery of substrates to/from the measurement devices. The measurement devices include a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate under a setting of a first condition, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate (e.g., another substrate included in the same lot as the substrate on which acquiring position information is performed under the setting of the first condition in the first measurement device) under a setting of a first condition.

A measurement apparatus that measures a position of a mark formed between first and surfaces of a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a stage that holds and moves the substrate, a first detector that detects an image of the mark, a second detector that detects a height position of the first surface, and a processor that determines, based on the detected height position, an offset amount used to set the focus of the first detector to the mark. The processor includes a first mode in which the offset amount is determined based on a first distance set as a distance from the first surface to the mark, and a second mode in which the offset amount is determined based on a second distance set as a distance from the second surface to the mark.

There is provided a pattern forming apparatus including a holding unit configured to suction and hold a substrate, and an optical system configured to detect, from a suction surface side of the substrate, an alignment mark formed on the substrate held by the holding unit. The pattern forming apparatus is provided with a wavelength separation element for performing wavelength separation between pattern forming light for forming a pattern on the substrate and alignment mark detection light for detecting the alignment mark.

A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first overlay grating over a substrate. The method includes forming a layer over the first overlay grating. The method includes forming a second overlay grating over the layer. The second overlay grating has a third strip portion and a fourth strip portion, the third strip portion and the fourth strip portion are elongated in the first elongated axis and are spaced apart from each other, there is a second distance between a third sidewall of the third strip portion and a fourth sidewall of the fourth strip portion, the third sidewall faces away from the fourth strip portion, the fourth sidewall faces the third strip portion, the first distance is substantially equal to the second distance, and the first trench extends across the third strip portion and the fourth strip portion.

An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a feature of an object comprises: a measurement radiation source; a measurement radiation delivery system; a measurement system; a pump radiation source; and a pump radiation delivery system. The measurement radiation source is operable to produce measurement radiation and the measurement radiation delivery system is operable to irradiate at least a part of a top surface of the object with the measurement radiation. The measurement system is operable to receive at least a portion of the measurement radiation scattered from the top surface and is further operable to determine a characteristic of the feature of the object from at least a portion of the measurement radiation scattered from the top surface. The pump radiation source is operable to produce pump radiation and the pump radiation delivery system is operable to irradiate at least a part of the top surface of the object with the pump radiation so as to produce a mechanical response (for example an acoustic wave) in the object.

Two pairs of alignment targets (one aligned, one misaligned by a bias distance) are formed on different masks to produce a first pair of conjugated interference patterns. Other pairs of alignment targets are also formed on the masks to produce a second pair of conjugated interference patterns that are inverted the first. Misalignment of the dark and light regions of the first interference patterns and the second interference patterns in both pairs of conjugated interference patterns is determined when patterns formed using the masks are overlaid. A magnification factor (of the interference pattern misalignment to the target misalignment) is calculated as a ratio of the difference of misalignment of the relatively dark and relatively light regions in the pairs of interference patterns, over twice the bias distance. The interference pattern misalignment is divided by the magnification factor to produce a self-referenced and self-calibrated target misalignment amount, which is then output.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an optically transparent substrate, comprising a major surface having a peripheral edge region with an orientation feature formed therein, and a texture formed on the peripheral edge region, the texture having an opacity that is greater than an opacity of the major surface.

The instant disclosure includes an alignment system. The alignment system includes a first set of alignment marks, a second set of alignment marks, and a third set of alignment marks. The first, second and third alignment marks correspondingly includes a plurality of segments separated into groups. Each of the group being symmetric to a respective other group. The third set of alignment marks are diagonal to the first set of alignment marks and the second set of alignment marks.

Two pairs of alignment targets (one aligned, one misaligned by a bias distance) are formed on different masks to produce a first pair of conjugated interference patterns. Other pairs of alignment targets are also formed on the masks to produce a second pair of conjugated interference patterns that are inverted the first. Misalignment of the dark and light regions of the first interference patterns and the second interference patterns in both pairs of conjugated interference patterns is determined when patterns formed using the masks are overlaid. A magnification factor (of the interference pattern misalignment to the target misalignment) is calculated as a ratio of the difference of misalignment of the relatively dark and relatively light regions in the pairs of interference patterns, over twice the bias distance. The interference pattern misalignment is divided by the magnification factor to produce a self-referenced and self-calibrated target misalignment amount, which is then output.

On a substrate conforming to a layout method for a plurality of marks for detection using a plurality of mark detection systems of which the detection centers are arranged at a predetermined spacing along an X-axis direction, a plurality of shot areas are formed in both an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction orthogonal thereto in an XY plane, and sets including at least two marks separated in the X-axis direction are repeatedly arranged along the X-axis direction at spacing of a length in the X-axis-direction of each shot area, and the marks belonging to each set are separated from each other in the X-axis direction by a spacing determined based arrangement in the X-axis direction of the plurality of mark detection systems and the length. It is thereby possible to reliably detect a plurality of marks on a substrate using a plurality of mark detection systems.