Method for monitoring a reticle

A method for monitoring a reticle, comprising:

• providing a reticle having embedded scatter elements (SE's), wherein the SE's are one or more specific volumes of damage that were created with a laser at one or more positions embedded within the reticle to thereby alter the transmission levels through the reticle at particular regions of the reticle;
• determining whether a periodic inspection is due for the reticle or a wafer produced by such reticle;
• performing an inspection on the reticle or the wafer when such periodic inspection is due;
• and
• using the reticle in a lithography process when the inspection indicates that the reticle or a wafer fabricated from such reticle has a predetermined level of uniformity of values of a particular parameter at a plurality of positions of the reticle or wafer.