Patent ID: 8722179

Claim:
A substrate for lithographic exposure comprising: a first lithographic alignment mark on a surface of the lithographic substrate, the first lithographic alignment mark comprising a first lithographic pattern comprising at least one lithographic mark feature formed by a first material and at least one further region formed by a second material, the first and second materials having different material characteristics with respect to a substrate treatment process such that a first step height in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate is created between the at least one lithographic mark feature and the at least one further region by applying the substrate treatment process; and a second lithographic alignment mark comprising at least one lithographic mark feature of the second lithographic alignment mark and at least one further region of the second lithographic mark formed adjacent to the at least one lithographic mark feature of the second lithographic alignment mark, such that a second step height in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate is created between the at least one lithographic mark feature of the second lithographic alignment mark and the at least one further region of the second lithographic alignment mark by applying the substrate treatment process, wherein the second step height is substantially different from the first step height, wherein either the second lithographic alignment mark comprises a second lithographic pattern having different planar features from planar features of the first lithographic pattern, or the at least one lithographic mark feature of the second lithographic alignment mark is formed by a third material having different material characteristics with respect to the substrate treatment process compared to the first material.