Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Single-Digit Nanometer Electron-Beam Lithography with an Aberration-Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope
Published on: September 14, 2018
In-line wavefront aberration adjustment of a projection lens for a lithographic tool using the dominant mode method
Abstract:
Aberration adjustment is of great importance in the lithographic process of integrated circuit manufacturing due to the pressure variance, lens thermal effects, overlay correction, and 3D mask effects. With the objective of removing the crosstalk effect, as well as reducing computational complexity during in-line application, a dominant mode method is proposed to adjust the aberrations of the projection lens for a lithographic tool. Theoretical definitions and corresponding calculations of dominant modes are proposed to select the compensators of the projection lens and to build the control matrix for compensator settings. The proposed method is successfully applied in a practical aberration adjustment of the projection lens in a lithographic tool, and the results demonstrate its feasibility and performance.
Related Concept Videos
Incomplete Dominance
Adjusting a Traverse
The Anchoring-and-Adjustment Heuristic
What is a Mode?
There can be more than one mode in a data set if multiple values have the same highest frequency. For instance, suppose that the Statistics exam scores of 20 students are: 50; 53; 59; 59; 63; 63; 72; 72; 72; 72; 72; 76; 78; 81; 83; 84; 84; 84; 90; 93. Here, the mode is 72, as it occurs most frequently, five times.
A data set with two modes is called bimodal. For example,...
Fischer Projections
Newman Projections
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as...

