A method for cleaning a reflective photomask, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, and a system for forming a semiconductor structure are provided. The method for cleaning a reflective photomask includes placing a photomask in a first chamber, and performing a dry cleaning operation on the photomask in the first chamber, wherein the dry cleaning operation includes providing hydrogen radicals to the first chamber, generating hydrocarbon gases as a result of reactions of the hydrogen radicals, and removing the hydrocarbon gases from the first chamber.

A method including: obtaining a thin-mask transmission function of a patterning device and a M3D model for a lithographic process, wherein the thin-mask transmission function is a continuous transmission mask (CTM) and the M3D model at least represents a portion of M3D attributable to multiple edges of structures on the patterning device; determining a M3D mask transmission function of the patterning device by using the thin-mask transmission function and the M3D model; and determining an aerial image produced by the patterning device and the lithographic process, by using the M3D mask transmission function.

A semiconductor substrate stage for carrying a substrate is provided. The semiconductor substrate stage includes a base layer, a magnetic shielding layer disposed on the base layer, a carrier layer disposed on the magnetic shielding layer, and a receiver disposed on the carrier layer. The receiver is configured to receive a microwave signal from a signal source electrically isolated from the receiver, and the microwave signal is used for controlling the movement of the semiconductor substrate stage.

An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which at least a part of the liquid supply system (which provides liquid between the projection system and the substrate) is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate during scanning. The part is moved to reduce the relative velocity between that part and the substrate so that the speed at which the substrate may be moved relative to the projection system may be increased.

The present application relates to a carbon dioxide snow cleaning apparatus comprising: a carbon dioxide source; a carbon dioxide snow nozzle in fluid communication with the carbon dioxide source; a charging element; and a collection surface. Also described is a method of cleaning a surface, the method comprising the steps of: (i) passing a stream of carbon dioxide out of a carbon dioxide snow nozzle to form a carbon dioxide snow stream; (ii) charging the carbon dioxide snow stream; (iii) directing the charged carbon dioxide snow stream onto the surface to be cleaned; (iv) collecting particles removed by the charged carbon dioxide snow stream from the surface to be cleaned on a collection surface. Also described is the use of such apparatus in a lithographic apparatus and the use of such an apparatus or method.

A component of a lithographic apparatus, the component having a contaminant trap surface provided with recesses configured to trap contaminant particles and to reduce specular reflection of DUV radiation. The recesses can have at least one dimension less than or equal to about 2 μm, desirably less than 1 μm.

A layer is formed over a wafer. The layer contains a material that is sensitive to an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. A first baking process is performed to the layer. The first baking process is performed with a first humidity level that is greater than about 44%. After the first baking process, the layer is exposed to EUV radiation. A second baking process is performed to the layer. The second baking process is performed with a second humidity level that is greater than about 44%. The layer is rinsed with a liquid that contains water before the second baking process or after the second baking process. After the exposing, the layer is developed with a developer solution that contains water.

A method for fabricating a wafer includes providing a wafer table, wherein the wafer table includes support pins that are movable with respect to each other; identifying features of a layer to be formed on a wafer, wherein the features have a tolerance for overlay errors below a threshold; moving one or more support pins based on the features; after the moving of the one or more support pins, mounting the wafer on the wafer table; and after the mounting of the wafer on the wafer table, forming the layer on the wafer.

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.

An EUV lithographic apparatus includes a wafer stage and a particle removing assembly for cleaning a wafer for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithographic apparatus. The wafer stage includes a measurement side and an exposure side. The particle removing assembly includes particle removing electrodes, an exhaust device and turbomolecular pumps. The particle removing electrodes is configured to direct debris from the chamber by suppressing turbulence such that the debris can be exhausted from the wafer stage to the outside of the processing apparatus. In some embodiments, turbomolecular pumps are turned off in the measurement side of the wafer stage so that an exhaust flow can be guided to an exposure side of the wafer stage. In some embodiments, the speed of voltage rise to the electrodes of the wafer chuck is adjusted.