Abstract: Variation in position of test marks formed of overlapping exposed features imaged by an imaging structure such as that of a lithography tool are characterized at high speed and with extremely high accuracy by imaging test marks formed in resist or on a target or wafer by a lithographic process, collecting irradiance distribution data and fitting a mathematical function to respective portions or regions of output data corresponding to a test mark of a test mark pattern such as respective maxima or minima regions or other regions of the irradiance distribution data to determine actual location and shift of position of respective patterns of test marks. Metrology fields are formed of patterns of test marks on test wafers or production wafers preferably including a critical dimension exposed at different focus distances and/or illumination conditions to capture position/aberration data for the imaging structure.

Abstract: Broadband modems using data compression insure the physical connection between modems is solid prior to initiating error recovery procedures since its error detection runs on the compressed data. Escape sequences applicable to Transparent Mode of the Compression function enable both duplex and simplex compression functions and provide a more reliable mechanism for completion of error recovery procedures in the presence of subsequent line disturbances. Transparent Mode is used during the re-synchronization procedure. No special compression code words are required to accomplish the procedure, and there is no reduction in the number of code words available for actual compression encoding. The procedure works regardless of whether compression is being used in both directions, only one direction, or neither direction. A new Transparent Mode Command to request that the remote modem send a RESET Command is defined. The new command is termed RRESET.