System and method for an adjusting optical proximity effect for an exposure apparatus

A method for matching a first OPE curve for a first exposure apparatus used to transfer an image to a wafer to a second OPE curve of a second exposure apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• retaining the wafer with a wafer stage, the wafer stage being tiltable about a first tilting axis;
• estimating the first OPE curve with lithographic modeling of the first exposure apparatus with the wafer stage at a plurality of alternative adjustment angles;
• and
• adjusting a tilt of a wafer stage that retains the wafer to adjust the first OPE curve until the first OPE curve approximately matches the second OPE curve.

A first exposure apparatus for transferring an image to a wafer, the first exposure apparatus having an initial first OPE curve that is different than a second OPE curve of a second exposure apparatus, the first exposure apparatus comprising:

• a wafer stage that retains the wafer;
• a wafer stage mover for moving the wafer stage and the wafer along a scan axis and about a tilting axis that is orthogonal to the scan axis;
• and
• an OPE adjuster that controls the wafer stage mover to rotate the wafer stage and the wafer about the tilting axis to adjust the initial first OPE curve of the first exposure apparatus.