Systems and methods for fabricating metrology targets with sub-resolution features

A lithography system, comprising:

• an illumination source;
• a pattern mask configured to be illuminated by the illumination source, the pattern mask including a device pattern mask area and a metrology target pattern mask area, wherein the device pattern mask area includes a set of device pattern elements distributed with a device pitch, wherein the metrology target pattern mask area includes a set of metrology target pattern elements;
• and
• an optical element configured to expose a sample with an image of the pattern mask for the fabrication of one or more printed device structures based on the set of device pattern elements and one or more printed metrology target structures based on the set of metrology target pattern elements, wherein the one or more printed metrology target structures include a set of metrology target elements distributed with a metrology target pitch different than the device pitch, wherein the metrology target pitch is determined via one or more simulations, wherein regions of the metrology target pattern mask area corresponding to the one or more printed metrology target structures include metrology target pattern elements separated by sub-resolution gaps smaller than a resolution of the optical element such that the sub-resolution gaps are not included on the one or more printed metrology target structures, wherein regions of the metrology target pattern mask area corresponding to spaces between the one or more printed metrology target structures include sub-resolution pattern elements having widths smaller than the resolution of the optical element such that the sub-resolution pattern elements are not included on the one or more printed metrology target structures.