Patent ID: 7763404

Claim:
A method of improving an optical metrology process comprising: providing a substrate having a material layer thereon; depositing a resist layer on the material layer, wherein the resist layer comprises a first set of optical properties optimized, tuned and/or enhanced for an exposure process, the resist layer including one or more non-polymeric silicon additives; exposing the resist layer to patterned radiation created using a reticle and a radiation source, wherein the radiation source has a wavelength below approximately 300 nm; creating a plurality of un-enhanced structures in the resist layer by developing the exposed resist layer, wherein the plurality of un-enhanced structures comprise at least one un-enhanced measurement structure; and creating a plurality of enhanced structures in the resist layer by enhancing the plurality of un-enhanced structures, wherein at least one enhanced measurement structure is created by enhancing the at least one un-enhanced measurement structure using at least one of the non-polymeric silicon additives, the plurality of enhanced structures being characterized by a second set of optical properties.