A virtual fabrication environment for semiconductor device fabrication that determines a lowest lithography exposure dose range in which one or more defects are still reparable by deposition and etch operations is discussed. Further techniques for repairing line edge roughness caused by lithography are described.

A metrology system may include a controller coupled to a scanning metrology tool that images a sample in motion along a scan direction. The controller may receive an image of a metrology target on the sample from the scanning metrology tool, where the metrology target comprises a first measurement group including cells distributed along a transverse orthogonal to the scan direction, and a second measurement group separated from the first measurement group along the scan direction including a cells distributed along the transverse direction, the second measurement group. The controller may further generate at least a first metrology measurement based on at least one of the first set of cells in the first metrology group, and generate at least a second metrology measurement based on at least one of the first set of cells in the second metrology group.

A control system for controlling a laser, comprising a sensor for sensing a physical value indicative of a characteristic of a laser beam emitted by the laser, a switch, a first controller and a second controller. Each controller is configured, to receive a further sensor value from the sensor, adjust a received setpoint value based on the received further sensor value to give an output value and cause the laser to operate in accordance with the output value. The switch is configured to switch between the controllers such that output values are provided from each controller in a cyclic fashion.

A laser chamber of an excimer laser apparatus includes a container including a first member and a second member and configured to accommodate a laser gas in the container and a seal member disposed between two seal surfaces facing each other, a seal surface of the first member and a seal surface of the second member. A laser-gas-side surface of the seal member is made of fluorine-based rubber, and an atmosphere-side surface of the seal member is formed of a film configured to suppress atmosphere transmission.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes dividing a number of dies along an x axis in a die matrix in each exposure field in an exposure field matrix delineated on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the x axis is parallel to one edge of a smallest rectangle enclosing the exposure field matrix. A number of dies is divided along a y axis in the die matrix, wherein the y axis is perpendicular to the x axis. Sequences SNx0, SNx1, SNx, SNxr, SNy0, SNy1, SNy, and SNyr are formed. p*(Nbx+1)2 stepping operations are performed in a third direction and first sequence exposure/stepping/exposure operations and second sequence exposure/stepping/exposure operations are performed alternately between any two adjacent stepping operations as well as before a first stepping operation and after a last stepping operation. A distance of each stepping operation in order follows the sequence SNx.

A method includes placing a substrate on a stage of a lithography system, measuring a first height of the substrate at a first location on the substrate, measuring a second height of the substrate at a second location on the substrate, and performing a lithographic patterning process on the substrate, comprising directing a patterned beam of radiation at the substrate, moving the stage laterally to align the first location of the substrate with the patterned beam, moving the stage vertically to a first vertical position, the first vertical position based on the first height, moving the stage laterally to align the second location of the substrate with the patterned beam, and moving the stage vertically to a second vertical position, the second vertical position based on the second height.

A method of controlling a feedback system with a data matching module of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a slit integrated energy (SLIE) sensor data and diffractive optical elements (DOE) data. The method performs a data match, by the data matching module, of a time difference of the SLIE sensor data and the DOE data to identify a mismatched set of the SLIE sensor data and the DOE data. The method also determines whether the time difference of the SLIE sensor data and the DOE data of the mismatched set is within an acceptable range. Based on the determination, the method automatically validates a configurable data of the mismatched set such that the SLIE sensor data of the mismatched set is valid for a reflectivity calculation.

An optical system comprising: an illumination system configured, to form a periodic illumination mode comprising radiation in a pupil plane of the optical system having a spatial intensity profile which is periodic in at least one direction, a measurement system configured to measure a dose of radiation which is received in an field plane of the optical system as a function of position in the field plane, and a controller configured to: select one or more spatial frequencies in the field plane at which variation in the received dose of radiation as a function of position is caused by speckle, and determine a measure of the variation of the received dose of radiation as a function of position at the selected one or more spatial frequencies, the measure of the variation in the received dose being indicative of speckle in the field plane.

The invention relates to a method and a device for characterizing a mask for microlithography in a characterization process carried out using an optical system, wherein the optical system comprises an illumination optical unit and an imaging optical unit and wherein in the characterization process structures of the mask are illuminated by the illumination optical unit, the mask is imaged onto a detector unit by the imaging optical unit and image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit. A method according to the invention comprises the following steps: determining a temporal variation of at least one variable that is characteristic of the thermal state of the optical system, and modifying the characterization process depending on the temporal variation determined.

According to one embodiment, a correction plot in which a slit width is set different depending on overlay deviation in a shot region is generated. Then, a light-exposure scanning speed defined by a relative speed between a photomask stage with a photomask mounted thereon and a stage with a processing object mounted thereon is set, to obtain a desired light-exposure amount at each coordinate position, in accordance with the slit width in the correction plot. Then, a light-exposure process is performed, while controlling the slit width of a light-exposure slit, the photomask stage, and the stage, in accordance with the correction plot and the light-exposure scanning speed.