Abstract: A method, system and program for determining a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes determining a contribution from a device out of a plurality of devices to a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes obtaining parameter data and usage data, wherein the parameter data is based on measurements for multiple substrates having been processed by the plurality of devices, and the usage data indicates which of the devices out of the plurality of the devices were used in the processing of each substrate; and determining the contribution using the usage data and parameter data.

Abstract: A method for controlling a scanning exposure apparatus configured for scanning an illumination profile over a substrate to form functional areas thereon. The method includes determining a control profile for dynamic control of the illumination profile during exposure of an exposure field including the functional areas, in a scanning exposure operation; and optimizing a quality of exposure of one or more individual functional areas. The optimizing may include a) extending the control profile beyond the extent of the exposure field in the scanning direction; and/or b) applying a deconvolution scheme to the control profile, wherein the structure of the deconvolution scheme is based on a dimension of the illumination profile in the scanning direction.

Abstract: A method for configuring an apparatus for providing structures to a layer on a substrate, the method including: obtaining first data including substrate specific data as measured and/or modeled before the providing of the structures to the layer on the substrate; and determining a configuration of the apparatus for at least two different control regimes based on the first data and the use of a common merit function including parameters associated with the at least two control regimes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring focus performance of a lithographic apparatus, and corresponding patterning device and lithographic apparatus. The method comprises using the lithographic apparatus to print one or more first printed structures and second printed structures. The first printed structures are printed by illumination having a first non-telecentricity and the second printed structures being printed by illumination having a second non-telecentricity, different to said first non-telecentricity. A focus dependent parameter related to a focus-dependent positional shift between the first printed structures and the second printed structures on said substrate is measured and a measurement of focus performance based at least in part on the focus dependent parameter is derived therefrom.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for selecting a structure for focus monitoring. The method comprises: simulating a Bossung response with focus of a focus dependent parameter, for one or more different structures; and selecting a structure for focus monitoring in a manufacturing process based on the results of said simulating step. The simulating step may be performed using a computational lithography simulation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring focus performance of a lithographic apparatus. The method comprises using the lithographic apparatus to print at least one focus metrology pattern on a substrate, the printed focus metrology pattern comprising at least a first periodic array of features, and using inspection radiation to measure asymmetry between opposite portions of a diffraction spectrum for the first periodic array in the printed focus metrology pattern. A measurement of focus performance is derived based at least in part on the asymmetry measured. The first periodic array comprises a repeating arrangement of a space region having no features and a pattern region having at least one first feature comprising sub-features projecting from a main body and at least one second feature; and wherein the first feature and second feature are in sufficient proximity to be effectively detected as a single feature during measurement. A patterning device comprising said first periodic array is also disclosed.

Abstract: A lithographic process is one that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. During the lithographic process, the focus needs to be controlled. There is disclosed a method for determining a fingerprint of a performance parameter associated with a substrate, such as a focus value to be used during the lithographic process. A reference fingerprint of the performance parameter is determined for a reference substrate. A reference substrate parameter of the reference substrate is determined. A substrate parameter for a substrate, such as a substrate with product structures, is determined. Subsequently, the fingerprint of the performance parameter is determined based on the reference fingerprint, reference substrate parameter and the substrate parameter. The fingerprint may then be used to control the lithographic process.

Abstract: A method for determining a wavefront parameter of a patterning process. The method includes obtaining a reference performance (e.g., a contour, EPE, CD) of a reference apparatus (e.g., a scanner), a lens model for a patterning apparatus configured to convert a wavefront parameter of a wavefront to actuator movement, and a lens fingerprint of a tuning apparatus (e.g., a to-be-matched scanner). Further, the method involves determining the wavefront parameter (e.g., a wavefront parameter such as tilt, offset, etc.) based on the lens fingerprint of the tuning apparatus, the lens model, and a cost function, wherein the cost function is a difference between the reference performance and a tuning apparatus performance.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining, for each particular feature of a plurality of features of a device pattern of a substrate being created using a patterning process, a modelled or simulated relation of a parameter of the patterning process between a measurement target for the substrate and the particular feature; and based on the relation and measured values of the parameter from the metrology target, generating a distribution of the parameter across at least part of the substrate for each of the features, the distribution for use in design, control or modification of the patterning process.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining, for each particular feature of a plurality of features of a device pattern of a substrate being created using a patterning process, a modelled or simulated relation of a parameter of the patterning process between a measurement target for the substrate and the particular feature; and based on the relation and measured values of the parameter from the metrology target, generating a distribution of the parameter across at least part of the substrate for each of the features, the distribution for use in design, control or modification of the patterning process.

Abstract: Focus metrology patterns and methods are disclosed which do not rely on sub-resolution features. Focus can be measured by measuring asymmetry of the printed pattern (T), or complementary pairs of printed patterns (TN/TM). Asymmetry can be measured by scatterometry. Patterns may be printed using EUV radiation or DUV radiation. A first type of focus metrology pattern comprises first features (422) interleaved with second features (424) A minimum dimension (w1) of each first feature is close to a printing resolution. A maximum dimension (w2) of each second feature in the direction of periodicity is at least twice the minimum dimension of the first features. Each first feature is positioned between two adjacent second features such that a spacing (w1?) and its nearest second feature is between one half and twice the minimum dimension of the first features. A second type of focus metrology pattern comprises features (1122, 1124) arranged in pairs.

Abstract: A method of determining topographical variation across a substrate on which one or more patterns have been applied. The method includes obtaining measured topography data representing a topographical variation across a substrate on which one or more patterns have been applied by a lithographic process; and combining the measured topography data with knowledge relating to intra-die topology to obtain derived topography data having a resolution greater than the resolution of the measured topography data. Also disclosed is a corresponding level sensor apparatus and lithographic apparatus having such a level sensor apparatus, and a more general method of determining variation of a physical parameter from first measurement data of variation of the physical parameter across the substrate and intra-die measurement data of higher resolution than the first measurement data and combining these.

Abstract: A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

Abstract: A method for controlling a scanning exposure apparatus configured for scanning an illumination profile over a substrate to form functional areas thereon. The method includes determining a control profile for dynamic control of the illumination profile during exposure of an exposure field including the functional areas, in a scanning exposure operation; and optimizing a quality of exposure of one or more individual functional areas. The optimizing may include a) extending the control profile beyond the extent of the exposure field in the scanning direction; and/or b) applying a deconvolution scheme to the control profile, wherein the structure of the deconvolution scheme is based on a dimension of the illumination profile in the scanning direction.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a lithographic process, and associated lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining height variation data relating to a substrate supported by a substrate support and fitting a regression through the height variation data, the regression approximating the shape of the substrate; residual data between the height variation data and the regression is determined; and variation of the residual data is monitored over time. The residual data may be deconvolved based on known features of the substrate support.

Abstract: A method, system and program for determining a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes determining a contribution from a device out of a plurality of devices to a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes obtaining parameter data and usage data, wherein the parameter data is based on measurements for multiple substrates having been processed by the plurality of devices, and the usage data indicates which of the devices out of the plurality of the devices were used in the processing of each substrate; and determining the contribution using the usage data and parameter data.

Abstract: A method including obtaining a measurement result from a target on a substrate, by using a substrate measurement recipe; determining, by a hardware computer system, a parameter from the measurement result, wherein the parameter characterizes dependence of the measurement result on an optical path length of the target for incident radiation used in the substrate measurement recipe and the determining the parameter includes determining dependence of the measurement result on a relative change of wavelength of the incident radiation; and if the parameter is not within a specified range, adjusting the substrate measurement recipe.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a lithography process, wherein processing parameters of the lithography process include a first group of processing parameters and a second group of processing parameters, the method including: obtaining a change of the second group of processing parameters; determining a change of a sub-process window (sub-PW) as a result of the change of the second group of processing parameters, wherein the sub-PW is spanned by only the first group of processing parameters; and adjusting the first group of processing parameters based on the change of the sub-PW.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a lithographic process, and associated lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining height variation data relating to a substrate supported by a substrate support and fitting a regression through the height variation data, the regression approximating the shape of the substrate; residual data between the height variation data and the regression is determined; and variation of the residual data is monitored over time. The residual data may be deconvolved based on known features of the substrate support.

Abstract: A method for improving the yield of a lithographic process, the method including: determining a parameter fingerprint of a performance parameter across a substrate, the parameter fingerprint including information relating to uncertainty in the performance parameter; determining a process window fingerprint of the performance parameter across the substrate, the process window being associated with an allowable range of the performance parameter; and determining a probability metric associated with the probability of the performance parameter being outside an allowable range. Optionally a correction to the lithographic process is determined based on the probability metric.