Lithographic patterning method and system therefore

A system for performing a lithographic patterning method for creating features on a surface of a substrate, wherein the system comprises:

• a lithography server, the lithography server being configured for at least one of controlling the lithographic patterning method and for acquiring data for monitoring or evaluating one or more resist processing operations of the lithographic patterning method;
• an applicator for applying a resist material to a surface of a substrate for providing a resist material layer;
• an exposure unit configured to selectively expose, dependent on a location and based on patterning data, the resist material layer to a surface treatment operation, so as to provide exposed locations and non-exposed locations, wherein the resist material in the exposed locations is chemically modified during the selective exposing;
• and
• a developer unit for developing the resist material layer such as to selectively remove the resist material locally, dependent on whether a location is an exposed location or a non-exposed location;
• wherein the lithography server is configured for obtaining, during or after one or more of the resist processing operations, data indicative of a chemical modification of the resist material for monitoring or evaluating the one or more resist processing operations,
• wherein the lithography server cooperates with a scanning probe microscopy device for detecting the chemical modification and providing the data, wherein the scanning probe microscopy device is configured for scanning at least a part of the surface, wherein the scanning probe microscopy device includes a probe comprising a cantilever and a probe tip arranged on the cantilever, wherein the scanning probe microscopy device is configured for following the surface with the probe tip in a probing area, wherein the probing area coincides with at least one location of the exposed locations and non-exposed locations, for locally detecting the chemical modification;
• wherein the lithography server is configured for performing, based on the locally detected chemical modifications, an operation of modifying one or more operational parameters of at least one of the applicator, the exposure unit, or the developer unit, for modifying a resist processing operation during operation of the method via the applicator, the exposure unit, or the developer unit.