Method and apparatus for enhanced dipole lithography

A lithography exposure method, comprising:

• providing a lithography system that includes:
• a source for providing energy;
• an imaging system configured to direct the energy onto a substrate;
• and
• a diffractive optical element (DOE) incorporated with the imaging system, the DOE having a first dipole located in a first direction and a second dipole located in one of the first direction and a second direction perpendicular the first direction, wherein the first dipole includes a first energy-transmitting region spaced a first distance from a center of the DOE, wherein the second dipole includes a second energy-transmitting region spaced a second distance from the center of the DOE, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance;
• aligning a photomask with the substrate;
• and
• performing an exposure process with the lithography system such that an image of the photomask is transferred onto the substrate.

A method for lithography processing in a lithography system, comprising:

• providing a photomask having a first region and a second region, the first region including a dense pattern of features with a pitch not less than 80 nm, the second region including an isolated pattern of features with a spacing ranging from about 60 nm to about 200 nm;
• and
• performing an exposure process with the lithography system to transfer the dense pattern of features and the isolated pattern of features onto a substrate;
• wherein performing the exposure process includes one of:
• performing a single exposure process with a dual dipole diffractive optical element (DOE) having a first dipole structure aligned in a first direction and a second dipole structure aligned in one of the first direction and a second direction perpendicular the first direction;
• and
• performing a double exposure process including a first exposure with a first single dipole DOE having one of the first dipole structure and the second dipole structure and a second exposure process with a second single dipole DOE having the other one of the first dipole structure and the second dipole structure.