Asml Netherlands B.v.

Luis Alberto Colina Santamaria Colina

Jozef Maria Finders

Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren

Steven George Hansen

Mircea Dusa

Alexander Hendrikus Martinus Van Der Hoff

Eric Henri Jan Hendrickx

Geert Vandenberghe

A method for configuring the optical transfer of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic apparatus is presented. The method includes adjusting an intensity of a first illumination shape relative to a second illumination shape, the first and the second illumination shapes defining respectively a first illumination area and a second illumination area within a pupil plane of an illumination system of the lithographic apparatus, while maintaining the first and second illumination areas substantially constant, and illuminating the patterning device pattern with the first and second illumination shapes.

Correction of optical proximity effects by intensity modulation of an illumination arrangement

A mask pattern for imaging a marker structure on a substrate with a lithographic apparatus, the marker structure being configured to determine optical alignment or overlay, includes constituent parts to define the marker structure. The constituent parts include a plurality of segments, each segment having substantially a size of a device feature and a segment shape. The mask pattern includes at least one assist feature located at a critical part of the segment shape. The at least one assist feature has substantially a size below a resolution of the lithographic projection and is configured to counteract optical aberrations or optical limitations generated in the lithographic projection at the critical part.

Marker structure, mask pattern, alignment method and lithographic method and apparatus

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Veldhoven, Netherlands

Luis Alberto Colina Santamaria Colina