The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an IC method. First pattern densities (PDs) of a plurality of templates of an IC design layout are received. Then a high PD outlier template and a low PD outlier template from the plurality of templates are identified. The high PD outlier template is split into multiple subsets of template and each subset of template carries a portion of PD of the high PD outlier template. A PD uniformity (PDU) optimization is performed to the low PD outlier template and multiple individual exposure processes are applied by using respective subset of templates.

Disclosed is an apparatus for lithography patterning. The apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to hold a substrate coated with a deposition enhancement layer (DEL), a radiation source for generating a patterned radiation towards a surface of the DEL, and a supply pipe for flowing an organic gas near the surface of the DEL, wherein elements of the organic gas polymerize upon the patterned radiation, thereby forming a resist pattern over the DEL.

An electron beam irradiation apparatus includes a first electrode being annular, arranged along the optical axis of the electron beam, at the downstream from the deflector, and in the magnetic field of the objective lens, to which a first potential being positive is variably applied, a second electrode being annular, arranged in the magnetic field of the objective lens and between the deflector and the first electrode, to which a second potential being positive and higher than the first potential is applied, and a third electrode being annular, arranged in the magnetic field of the objective lens and to be opposite to the second electrode with respect to the first electrode, to which a third potential lower than the first potential is applied.

A multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a region setting unit configured to set, as an irradiation region for a beam array to be used, the region of the central portion of an irradiation region for all of multiple beams of charged particle beams implemented to be emittable by a multiple beam irradiation mechanism, and a writing mechanism, including the multiple beam irradiation mechanism, configured to write a pattern on a target object with the beam array in the region of the central portion having been set in the multiple beams implemented.

A method of patterning a semiconductor device includes following steps. First of all, a substrate is provided, and a first target pattern is formed in the substrate. Next, a second target pattern is formed on the substrate, across the first target pattern. Then, a third pattern is formed on a hard mask layer formed on the substrate, by using an electron beam apparatus, wherein two opposite edges of the third pattern are formed under an asymmetry control.

Disclosed is a method for lithography patterning. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a deposition enhancement layer (DEL) over the substrate, and flowing an organic gas near a surface of the DEL. During the flowing of the organic gas, the method further includes irradiating the DEL and the organic gas with a patterned radiation. Elements of the organic gas polymerize upon the patterned radiation, thereby forming a resist pattern over the DEL. The method further includes etching the DEL with the resist pattern as an etch mask, thereby forming a patterned DEL.

Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a layout for a metallization layer of an integrated circuit includes a first region having a plurality of unidirectional lines of a first width and a first pitch and parallel with a first direction. The layout also includes a second region having a plurality of unidirectional lines of a second width and a second pitch and parallel with the first direction, the second width and the second pitch different than the first width and the first pitch, respectively. The layout also includes a third region having a plurality of unidirectional lines of a third width and a third pitch and parallel with the first direction, the third width and the third pitch different than the first and second widths and different than the first and second pitches.

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for forming a resist array on a material to be patterned using chemical-mechanical planarization. The resist array may include an arrangement of two different materials that are adapted to react to activation energy differently relative to each other to enable selective removal of only one of the materials (e.g., one is reactive and the other is not reactive; one is slightly reactive and the other is very reactive; one is reactive in one domain and the other in an opposite domain). The first material may be disposed as isolated nodes between the second material. A subset of nodes may be selected from among the nodes in the array and the selected nodes may be exposed to activation energy to activate the nodes and create a mask from the resist array. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a method that includes slicing a first sub-polygon out of the pattern layout and writing the first sub-polygon onto the substrate using a beam with a first beam setting that is associated with the first sub-polygon. The method additional includes slicing a second sub-polygon out of the remaining pattern layout that does not include the first sub-polygon. The second sub-polygon interfaces with the first sub-polygon on at least one edge. Also, the method includes, without turning off the beam after writing the first sub-polygon onto the substrate, writing the second sub-polygon onto the substrate with a second beam setting that is associated with the second sub-polygon.

A reagent that enhances acid generation of a photoacid generator and composition containing such reagent is disclosed.