Integrated circuits and methods for overlap measure are provided. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a plurality of functional cells including at least one gap disposed adjacent to at least one functional cell of the plurality of functional cells and a first overlay test pattern cell disposed within the at least one gap, wherein the first overlay test pattern cell includes a first number of patterns disposed along a first direction at a first pitch. The first pitch is smaller than a smallest wavelength on a full spectrum of humanly visible lights.

The present invention provides a detection apparatus for detecting a position of a detection target including a diffraction grating pattern, comprising: an illuminator configured to illuminate the detection target with illumination light including a plurality of wavelengths; a wavelength selector including an incident surface on which diffracted light from the detection target is incident, and configured to select light of a specific wavelength from the diffracted light; and a detector configured to receive the light of the specific wavelength selected by the wavelength selector and detect the position of the detection target, wherein positions on the incident surface where light components of the plurality of wavelengths included in the illumination light are incident are different from each other, and wherein the wavelength selector controls each of the plurality of elements in accordance with the position on the incident surface.

Disclosed is a substrate, associated patterning device and a method for measuring a position of the substrate. The method comprises performing an alignment scan of an alignment mark to obtain simultaneously: a first measurement signal detected in a first measurement channel and a second measurement signal detected in a second measurement channel. The first and second measurement signals are processed by subtracting a first direction component of the first measurement signal from a first direction component of the second measurement signal to obtain a first processed signal, the first direction components relating to said first direction. The position of an alignment mark is determined with respect to the first direction from the first processed signal.

A method includes forming a first photomask including N mask chip regions and a first mask scribe lane region surrounding each of the N mask chip regions, forming a second photomask including M mask chip regions and a second mask scribe lane region surrounding each of the M mask chip regions, performing a first semiconductor process including a first photolithography process using the first photomask on a semiconductor wafer; and performing a second semiconductor process including a second photolithography process using the second photomask on the semiconductor wafer. The first photolithography process is an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography process, the first photomask is an EUV photomask, N is a natural number of 2 or more, and M is two times N.

An apparatus of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The apparatus including a controller configured to: expose a first region of a photoresist layer with a light pattern, expose a second region of the photoresist layer with at least in part the same light pattern, wherein the second region and the first region overlap in an overlap region of the photoresist layer, and wherein light pattern is configured to form, in exposing the first region, a first portion of individual markings in the overlap region of the photoresist layer, and to form, in exposing the second region, a second portion of individual markings in the overlap region of the photoresist layer. By measuring the composite pattern formed in photoresist by overlapping the first exposure with the second exposure, the relative position of the two exposures can be determined and controlled.

A measurement system used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices includes: a plurality of measurement devices in which each device performs measurement processing on a substrate; and a carrying system to perform delivery of a substrate with the plurality of measurement devices. The plurality of measurement devices includes a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate. Position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate can be acquired under a setting of a first predetermined condition in the first measurement device, and position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate can be acquired under a setting of a second predetermined condition different from the first predetermined condition in the second measurement device.

A lithographic apparatus having a substrate table, a projection system, an encoder system, a measurement frame and a measurement system. The substrate table has a holding surface for holding a substrate. The projection system is for projecting an image on the substrate. The encoder system is for providing a signal representative of a position of the substrate table. The measurement system is for measuring a property of the lithographic apparatus. The holding surface is along a plane. The projection system is at a first side of the plane. The measurement frame is arranged to support at least part of the encoder system and at least part of the measurement system at a second side of the plane different from the first side.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor processing system including an overlay (OVL) shift measurement device. The OVL shift measurement device is configured to determine an OVL shift between a first wafer and a second wafer, where the second wafer overlies the first wafer. A photolithography device is configured to perform one or more photolithography processes on the second wafer. A controller is configured to perform an alignment process on the photolithography device according to the determined OVL shift. The photolithography device performs the one or more photolithography processes based on the OVL shift.

A multi-column metrology tool may include two or more measurement columns distributed along a column direction, where the two or more measurement columns simultaneously probe two or more measurement regions on a sample including metrology targets. A measurement column may include an illumination sub-system to direct illumination to the sample, a collection sub-system including a collection lens to collect measurement signals from the sample and direct it to one or more detectors, and a column-positioning sub-system to adjust a position of the collection lens. A measurement region of a measurement column may be defined by a field of view of the collection lens and a range of the positioning system in the lateral plane. The tool may further include a sample-positioning sub-system to scan the sample along a scan path different than the column direction to position metrology targets within the measurement regions of the measurement columns for measurements.

A lithographic apparatus having a substrate table, a projection system, an encoder system, a measurement frame and a measurement system. The substrate table has a holding surface for holding a substrate. The projection system is for projecting an image on the substrate. The encoder system is for providing a signal representative of a position of the substrate table. The measurement system is for measuring a property of the lithographic apparatus. The holding surface is along a plane. The projection system is at a first side of the plane. The measurement frame is arranged to support at least part of the encoder system and at least part of the measurement system at a second side of the plane different from the first side.