Forming multiple aerial images in a single lithography exposure pass

A photolithography system comprising:

• a light source;
• a lithography scanner apparatus comprising:
• a mask positioned to interact with a pulsed light beam from the light source, and
• a wafer holder;
• and
• a control system coupled to the light source, the control system configured to:
• cause the light source to emit the pulsed light beam toward the lithography scanner apparatus during a single exposure pass such that, during the single exposure pass, at least a first aerial image and a second aerial image are formed on a wafer received at the wafer holder based on pulses of light in a set of pulses of light that pass through the mask along a direction of propagation, the set of pulses of light including a first group of pulses of light having a first primary wavelength and a second group of pulses of light having a second primary wavelength that is different from the first primary wavelength, the first aerial image being at a first plane on the wafer and the second aerial image being at a second plane on the wafer, the first plane and the second plane being separated from each other by a separation distance along the direction of propagation, and a three-dimensional semiconductor component is formed based on an interaction between light in the first aerial image and a material in a first portion of the wafer and an interaction between light in the second aerial image and a material in a second portion of the wafer, and
• control a property of the first group of pulses to thereby control an amount of light in the first aerial image and control a property of the second group of pulses to thereby control an amount of light in the second aerial image, the amount of light in the second aerial image being different from that in the first aerial image.