In some embodiments, a reticle structure is provided. The reticle structure includes a reticle stage and a reticle mounted on the reticle stage. The reticle stage includes plural first burls and plural second burls, in which the second burls are disposed on a center of the reticle stage and the first burls disposed on an edge of the reticle stage such that the first burls surround the second burls. The reticle includes a base material and a pattern layer overlying the base material. The base material is secured on the first and second burls of the reticle stage. The pattern layer includes plural first gratings, and each of the first burls is vertically aligned with one of the first gratings.

A wafer alignment apparatus includes a light source, a light detection device, and a rotation device configured to rotate a wafer. The light source is configured to provide a light directed to the wafer. The light detection device is configured to detect reflected light intensity from the wafer to locate at least one wafer alignment mark of wafer alignment marks separated by a plurality of angles. At least two of those angles are equal.

A patterning device alignment system including a multipath sensory array including a first collimating light path and one or more other light paths, a first detector positioned at a first end of the first collimating light path, and a second detector positioned at a first end of the one or more other light paths, the first detector configured to receive a reflected illumination beam from an illuminated patterning device and calculate a tilt parameter of the patterning device, and the second detector configured to receive a second reflected illumination beam from a beam splitter and calculate an X-Y planar location position and a rotation position of the patterning device.

Reticle pods include inner pods where motion limiting features restrict translational motion of the cover and the baseplate relative to one another. The motion limiting features are in addition to gross alignment features included in the inner pod. The motion limiting features resist the translational motion before the gross alignment features would resist the motion. Motion limiting features can include elastic bodies providing friction against contact surfaces, or pins received on elastic contact surfaces or in diaphragms or motion limiting cups.

A patterning device alignment system including a multipath sensory array including a first collimating light path and one or more other light paths, a first detector positioned at a first end of the first collimating light path, and a second detector positioned at a first end of the one or more other light paths, the first detector configured to receive a reflected illumination beam from an illuminated patterning device and calculate a tilt parameter of the patterning device, and the second detector configured to receive a second reflected illumination beam from a beam splitter and calculate an X-Y planar location position and a rotation position of the patterning device.

The preset invention provides a method of obtaining an array of a plurality of regions on a substrate, including obtaining, using a prior distribution representing a probability distribution of parameters of a regression model used to estimate the array, a first posterior distribution representing the probability distribution of the parameters, obtaining, using the first posterior distribution as the prior distribution representing the probability distribution of the parameters, a second posterior distribution representing the probability distribution of the parameters, and updating the regression model by deciding the parameters based on the second posterior distribution and obtaining, using the updated regression model, the array of the plurality of regions on a substrate from the second position measurement data.

A method of aligning a substrate within an apparatus. The method includes determining a substrate grid based on measurements of a plurality of targets, each at different locations on a substrate. The determining includes repetitions of updating the substrate grid after each measurement of a target, and using the updated grid to align a measurement of a subsequent target.

A measurement system to be used in a micro-device manufacturing line is equipped with: a plurality of measurement devices which performs measurement processing on each substrate; and a controller that can control the plurality of measurement devices, and the plurality of measurement devices includes at least one first measurement device which acquires position information of a plurality of marks formed on a substrate.

Provided is a lithography apparatus capable of detecting the abnormal holding of an original in a shorter period of time. The lithography apparatus is configured to form a pattern on a substrate through use of the original, and includes: a holding unit configured to hold the original on which a first mark is formed; a measuring unit configured to pick up an image of the first mark; and a control unit configured to: cause the measuring unit to obtain the image of the first mark on the original held by the holding unit with a focus position of the measuring unit being adjusted to a reference position; and determine that the original is being abnormally held by the holding unit when a change in a first contrast, which is a contrast of the image of the first mark with respect to a reference contrast, falls out of an allowable range.

A detection apparatus detects an orientation reference of an object to be detected which includes an edge including the orientation reference. The apparatus includes a first detection system configured to detect the edge such that the orientation reference is detected, and a second detection system configured to detect, by projecting a pattern to a surface of the object and detecting an image formed by reflected light from the surface, a position of the surface in a direction perpendicular to the surface. After a focusing operation of the first detection system is performed based on the position of the surface detected by the second detection system, the first detection system detects the orientation reference.