In a method of inspecting an outer surface of a mask pod, a stream of air is directed at a first location of a plurality of locations on the outer surface. One or more particles are removed by the directed stream of air from the first location on the outer surface. Scattered air from the first location of the outer surface is extracted and a number of particles in the extracted scattered air is determined as a sampled number of particles at the first location. The mask pod is moved and the stream of air is directed at other locations of the plurality of locations to determine the sampled number of particles in extracted scattered air at the other locations. A map of the particles on the outer surface of the mask pod is generated based on the sampled number of particles at the plurality of locations.

According to example embodiments, there is provided a photoresist inspection method. The photoresist inspection method includes: providing a photoresist on a substrate; irradiating the photoresist with an electron beam and an excitation beam; detecting fluorescent light generated by the photoresist in response to the excitation beam; and evaluating the photoresist based on the fluorescent light.

A method and a system for inspecting an extreme ultra violet mask and a mask pod for such masks is provided. An EUV mask inspection tool inspects a mask retrieved from a mask pod placed on the load port positioned exterior of the mask inspection tool. The inspection process is performed during a selected period of time. After the inspection process is initiated, a robotic handling mechanism such as a robotic arm or an AMHS picks up the mask pod and inspects the mask pod for foreign particles. A mask pod inspection tool determines whether the mask pod needs cleaning or replacing based on a selected swap criteria. The mask pod is retrieved from the mask pod inspection tool and placed on the load port before the selected period of time lapses. This method and system promotes a reduction in the overall time required for inspecting the mask and the mask pod.

A method for determining a deformation of a resist in a patterning process. The method involves obtaining a resist deformation model of a resist having a pattern, the resist deformation model configured to simulate a fluid flow of the resist due to capillary forces acting on a contour of at least one feature of the pattern; and determining, via the resist deformation model, a deformation of a resist pattern to be developed based on an input pattern to the resist deformation model.

The present application discloses a method for measuring critical dimension. The method for measuring critical dimension includes providing a substrate; forming a resist layer over the substrate; monitoring a volatile byproduct evolved from the resist layer to obtain a first amount of the volatile byproduct; exposing the resist layer to a radiation source; heating the resist layer; monitoring the volatile byproduct evolved from the resist layer to obtain a second amount of the volatile byproduct; and deducting the critical dimension according to a difference between the first amount of the volatile byproduct and the second amount of the volatile byproduct.

The present application discloses a method for measuring critical dimension. The method for measuring critical dimension includes providing a substrate; forming a resist layer over the substrate; monitoring a volatile byproduct evolved from the resist layer to obtain a first amount of the volatile byproduct; exposing the resist layer to a radiation source; heating the resist layer; monitoring the volatile byproduct evolved from the resist layer to obtain a second amount of the volatile byproduct; and deducting the critical dimension according to a difference between the first amount of the volatile byproduct and the second amount of the volatile byproduct.

A method involving obtaining a resist deformation model for simulating a deformation process of a pattern in resist, the resist deformation model being a fluid dynamics model configured to simulate an intrafluid force acting on the resist, performing, using the resist deformation model, a computer simulation of the deformation process to obtain a deformation of the developed resist pattern for an input pattern to the resist deformation model, and producing electronic data representing the deformation of the developed resist pattern for the input pattern.

A substrate inspection system includes an imaging unit provided in a substrate processing apparatus and configured to acquire image data by imaging a surface of a substrate for color information on which a film is formed; a film thickness measurement unit provided in the substrate processing apparatus and configured to measure a film thickness of a substrate for film thickness measurement on which a film is formed under same conditions as on the substrate for color information; and a model creation unit configured to create a film thickness model corresponding to a correlation between information about color change on the surface of the substrate for color information caused by forming the film, which is acquired based on the image data, and the film thickness of the substrate for film thickness measurement, which is measured by the film thickness measurement unit.

An inspection apparatus includes: a stage configured to receive a photomask; a radiation source configured to inspect the photomask; a mirror configured to direct a first radiation beam from the radiation source to the photomask at a first tilt angle; an aperture stop configured to receive a second radiation beam reflected from the photomask through an aperture of the aperture stop, wherein the aperture is tangent at a center of the aperture stop; and a detector configured to generate an image of the photomask according to the second radiation beam.

An acoustic scatterometer has an acoustic source operable to project acoustic radiation onto a periodic structure and formed on a substrate. An acoustic detector is operable to detect the −1st acoustic diffraction order diffracted by the periodic structure and while discriminating from specular reflection (0th order). Another acoustic detector is operable to detect the +1st acoustic diffraction order diffracted by the periodic structure, again while discriminating from the specular reflection (0th order). The acoustic source and acoustic detector may be piezo transducers. The angle of incidence of the projected acoustic radiation and location of the detectors and are arranged with respect to the periodic structure and such that the detection of the −1st and +1st acoustic diffraction orders and discriminates from the 0th order specular reflection.