Abstract: A method of determining a control setting for a lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining a first correction for a current layer on a current substrate based on first metrology data associated with one or more previous substrates, and obtaining a second correction for the current layer on the current substrate. The second correction is based on a residual determined based on second metrology data associated with a previous layer on the current substrate. The method further includes determining the control setting for the lithographic apparatus for patterning the current layer on the current substrate by combining the first correction and the second correction.

Abstract: A method for determining a plurality of corrections for control of at least one manufacturing apparatus used in a manufacturing process for providing product structures to a substrate in a plurality of layers, the method including: determining the plurality of corrections including a correction for each layer, based on an actuation potential of the applicable manufacturing apparatus used in the formation of each layer, wherein the determining includes determining corrections for each layer simultaneously in terms of a matching parameter.

Abstract: A method of determining a control setting for a lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining a first correction for a current layer on a current substrate based on first metrology data associated with one or more previous substrates, and obtaining a second correction for the current layer on the current substrate. The second correction is based on a residual determined based on second metrology data associated with a previous layer on the current substrate. The method further includes determining the control setting for the lithographic apparatus for patterning the current layer on the current substrate by combining the first correction and the second correction.

Abstract: A method for determining lithographic matching performance includes obtaining first monitoring data from recurrent monitoring for stability control for an available EUV scanner. For a DUV scanner, second monitoring data is similarly obtained from recurrent monitoring for stability control. The EUV first monitoring data are in a first layout. The DUV second monitoring data are in a second layout. A cross-platform overlay matching performance between the first lithographic apparatus and the second lithographic apparatus is determined based on the first monitoring data and the second monitoring data. This is done by reconstructing the first and/or second monitoring data into a common layout to allow comparison of the first and second monitoring data.

Abstract: A method for determining a model to predict overlay data associated with a current substrate being patterned. The method involves obtaining (i) a first data set associated with one or more prior layers and/or current layer of the current substrate, (ii) a second data set including overlay metrology data associated with one or more prior substrates, and (iii) de-corrected measured overlay data associated with the current layer of the current substrate; and determining, based on (i) the first data set, (ii) the second data set, and (iii) the de-corrected measured overlay data, values of a set of model parameters associated with the model such that the model predicts overlay data for the current substrate, wherein the values are determined such that a cost function is minimized, the cost function comprising a difference between the predicted data and the de-corrected measured overlay data.

Abstract: A method for correcting values of one or more feed-forward parameters used in a process of patterning substrates, the method including: obtaining measured overlay and/or alignment error data of a patterned substrate; and calculating one or more correction values for the one or more feed-forward parameters in dependence on the measured overlay and/or alignment error data.

Abstract: A device manufacturing method includes: exposing a first substrate using a lithographic apparatus to form a patterned layer having first features; processing the first substrate to transfer the first features into the first substrate; determining displacements of the first features from their nominal positions in the first substrate; determining a correction to at least partly compensate for the displacements; and exposing a second substrate using a lithographic apparatus to form a patterned layer having the first features, wherein the correction is applied for or during the exposing the second substrate.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate is disclosed the method including: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining a plurality of corrections for control of at least one manufacturing apparatus used in a manufacturing process for providing product structures to a substrate in a plurality of layers, the method including: determining the plurality of corrections including a correction for each layer, based on an actuation potential of the applicable manufacturing apparatus used in the formation of each layer, wherein the determining includes determining corrections for each layer simultaneously in terms of a matching parameter.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for correcting values of one or more feed-forward parameters used in a process of patterning substrates, the method including: obtaining measured overlay and/or alignment error data of a patterned substrate; and calculating one or more correction values for the one or more feed-forward parameters in dependence on the measured overlay and/or alignment error data.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate is disclosed the method comprising: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A device manufacturing method includes: exposing a first substrate using a lithographic apparatus to form a patterned layer having first features; processing the first substrate to transfer the first features into the first substrate; determining displacements of the first features from their nominal positions in the first substrate; determining a correction to at least partly compensate for the displacements; and exposing a second substrate using a lithographic apparatus to form a patterned layer having the first features, wherein the correction is applied for or during the exposing the second substrate.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured to measure a property of a substrate is disclosed. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameter values for the plurality of substrates using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameter values; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured to measure a property of a substrate is disclosed. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameter values for the plurality of substrates using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameter values; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.