Determining the combination of patterns to be applied to a substrate in a lithography step

1. A direct write exposure apparatus configured to process a plurality of substrates, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate having a usable patterning area;

a patterning system configured to project different patterns onto the substrate; and

a processing system configured to at least:

select a first set of patterns from a collection of different patterns;

determine a first combination of one or more patterns, from the first set of patterns, that are to be applied on a first substrate of the plurality of substrates of a lot;

select a second set of patterns from the collection of different patterns;

determine a second combination of one or more patterns, different from the first combination of one or more patterns from the second set of patterns, that are to be applied on a second, subsequent, substrate of the plurality of substrates of the same lot; and

output information to the patterning system to enable a modulating device to modulate individual elements of the modulating device to produce the first combination of one or more patterns and the second combination of one or more patterns,

wherein the first and/or second combination has two or more patterns, wherein a first pattern of the two or more patterns has a different area than a second pattern of the two or more patterns, and wherein the first combination has a different spatial arrangement of its one or more patterns than the one or more patterns of the second combination.

2. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the patterning system is configured to:

provide radiation modulated according to a desired pattern; and

project the modulated radiation onto a desired location on the usable patterning area of the substrate.

3. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the patterning system comprises:

a patterning device configured to provide the radiation modulated according to the desired pattern; and

a projection system configured to project the modulated radiation onto the desired location on the usable patterning area of the substrate.

4. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine the first combination and the second combination using a substrate utilization criterion.

5. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the substrate utilization criterion comprises an optimization function based on dimensions of the usable patterning area and dimensions of the different patterns.

6. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the substrate utilization criterion comprises a manufacturing parameter or criterion.

7. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the manufacturing parameter or criterion comprises a productivity utilization criterion indicative of a desired production of the one or more patterns relative an available production of the one or more patterns, or wherein the manufacturing parameter or criterion is associated with a substrate defect location.

8. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the manufacturing parameter or criterion is applied in the optimization function as a constraint.

9. The direct write exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine the first combination and/or the second combination based on at least a manufacturing parameter representing a desired production of the one or more patterns relative to an available production of the one or more patterns, representing a substrate defect location, and/or representing a feasibility of physically separating the one or more patterns as produced on the substrate.

10. A method comprising:

receiving dimensions of a usable patterning area of a substrate to be processed by an exposure apparatus;

receiving dimensions of different patterns available for patterning onto the substrate;

determining a plurality of different combinations of one or more patterns, selected from the different patterns, each of the combinations of one or more patterns fitting onto the usable patterning area in a non-overlapping manner, wherein the determining the combinations of one or more patterns uses a substrate utilization criterion; and

selecting a subset of one or more combinations from the plurality of determined combinations for application onto the substrate,

wherein the determining and/or selecting is based on at least a manufacturing parameter representing a desired production of the one or more patterns relative to an available production of the one or more patterns, representing a substrate defect location, and/or representing a feasibility of physically separating the one or more patterns as produced on the substrate with a first cut of the substrate, along a line extending all the way, from one edge part of an outer periphery of the substrate to an opposite edge part of the outer periphery of the substrate.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the substrate utilization criterion comprises an optimization function based on the dimensions of the usable patterning area and the dimensions of the different patterns.

12. A method of operating a direct write exposure apparatus configured to process a plurality of substrates, the method comprising:

performing the method according to claim 10 ;

controlling the direct write exposure apparatus to expose the substrate with the combination of one or more patterns as determined;

determining a further, different, combination of one or more patterns that are to be applied onto a subsequent substrate of the plurality of substrates using the substrate utilization criterion; and

controlling the direct write exposure apparatus to expose the subsequent substrate with the further combination of one or more patterns as determined.

13. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate having a usable patterning area;

a patterning device configured to provide radiation modulated according to a desired pattern;

a projection system configured to project the modulated radiation onto a desired location on the usable patterning area of the substrate, wherein the patterning device and projection system are configured to project different patterns onto the substrate; and

a processing system configured to process a plurality of substrates by performance, for each of the plurality of substrates, of a:

determination of a plurality of different combinations of one or more patterns, selected from the different patterns, using a substrate utilization criterion, and

selection of a subset of one or more combinations from the plurality of determined combinations for application onto the substrate,

wherein the determination and/or selection is based on at least a manufacturing parameter representing a desired production of the one or more patterns relative to an available production of the one or more patterns, representing a substrate defect location, and/or representing a feasibility of physically separating the one or more patterns as produced on the substrate with a first cut of the substrate, along a line extending all the way, from one edge part of an outer periphery of the substrate to an opposite edge part of the outer periphery of the substrate.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the processing system is further configured to perform, for each of the plurality of substrates, control of the exposure apparatus to expose each of the substrates with the respective subset of one or more combinations of one or more patterns as selected for the respective substrate.

15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the substrate utilization criterion comprises an optimization function based on dimensions of the usable patterning area and dimensions of the different patterns.

16. The exposure apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the optimization function comprises a weighted combination of the substrate utilization criterion and the manufacturing parameter.

17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the different patterns have different dimensions.

18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the combination of the one or more patterns fits onto the usable patterning area in a non-overlapping manner.

19. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of substrates form a lot of substrates.

20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the processing system is configured to:

cause the exposure apparatus to apply a first combination of one or more patterns from the subset on a first substrate of the plurality of substrates of a lot; and

cause the exposure apparatus to apply a second different combination of one or more patterns from the subset on a second, subsequent, substrate of the plurality of substrates of the same lot.