Abstract: A method for grouping patterns associated with one or more design layouts of a semiconductor. The method involves obtaining a set of patterns (e.g., from one or more design layouts), where a pattern of the set of patterns includes a non-intersected feature portion (e.g., parallel bars) within a bounding box of the pattern. A non-intersected feature portion of a pattern is encoded to a pattern representation having elements, where each element has a first component indicating a type of an individual non-intersected feature portion, and a second component indicating a width of the individual non-intersected feature portion projected along a designated edge of an area enclosing the pattern. The set of patterns are grouped into one or more groups by comparing the pattern representations associated with the set of patterns.

Abstract: Disclosed is an object table for holding an object, comprising: an electrostatic clamp arranged to clamp the object on the object table; a neutralizer arranged to neutralize a residual charge of the electrostatic clamp; a control unit arranged to control the neutralizer, wherein the residual charge is an electrostatic charge present on the electrostatic clamp when no voltage is applied to the electrostatic clamp.

Abstract: A method of using a dual stage lithographic apparatus, wherein the lithographic apparatus includes: two substrate supports each arranged to move and support a substrate, a measure field in which selectively one of the two substrate supports is positioned to measure a feature of the substrate supported by the respective one of the two substrate supports, and an expose field in which selectively one of the two substrate supports is positioned to expose the substrate supported by the respective one of the two substrate supports to a patterned beam of radiation, the method including thermal relaxation of a substrate loaded on one of the two substrate supports, wherein the thermal relaxation is at least partially performed at the expose field and/or in transfer between the measure field and the expose field.

Abstract: A structure for use on a base surface of a substrate holder, wherein the structure is substantially planar with a substrate holder facing surface that is both securable to the base surface of the substrate holder and also removable from the base surface of the substrate holder, the structure having a plurality of apertures therethrough that are arranged such that a plurality of burls on the base surface may pass through the respective apertures, wherein the diameter of the apertures is in the range 50 ?m to 1000 ?m and the pitch between adjacent apertures is in the range 1 mm to 3 mm.

Abstract: Etch bias is determined based on a curvature of a contour in a substrate pattern. The etch bias is configured to be used to enhance an accuracy of a semiconductor patterning process relative to prior patterning processes. In some embodiments, a representation of the substrate pattern is received, which includes the contour in the substrate pattern. The curvature of the contour of the substrate pattern is determined and inputted to a simulation model. The simulation model includes a correlation between etch biases and curvatures of contours. The etch bias for the contour in the substrate pattern is outputted by the simulation model based on the curvature.

Abstract: Diffraction gratings for a phase-stepping measurement system for determining an aberration map for a projection system are disclosed. The gratings are two-dimensional diffraction gratings for use as wafer level gratings in an EUV lithographic apparatus. In particular, the diffraction gratings include a substrate provided with a two-dimensional array of circular through-apertures and are self-supporting. In some embodiments, a ratio of the radius of the circular apertures to the distance between the centers of adjacent apertures may be selected to minimize the gain and cross-talk errors of a wavefront reconstruction algorithm. For example, the ratio may be between 0.34 and 0.38. In some embodiments, the circular apertures are distributed such that a distance between the centers of adjacent apertures is non-uniform and varies across the diffraction grating. For example, a local pitch of the grating may vary randomly across the diffraction grating.

Abstract: A method, computer program and associated apparatuses for metrology. The method includes determining a reconstruction recipe describing at least nominal values for use in a reconstruction of a parameterization describing a target. The method includes obtaining first measurement data relating to measurements of a plurality of targets on at least one substrate, the measurement data relating to one or more acquisition settings and performing an optimization by minimizing a cost function which minimizes differences between the first measurement data and simulated measurement data based on a reconstructed parameterization for each of the plurality of targets. A constraint on the cost function is imposed based on a hierarchical prior. Also disclosed is a hybrid model method comprising obtaining a coarse model operable to provide simulated coarse data; and training a data driven model to correct the simulated coarse data so as to determine simulated data for use in reconstruction.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.

Abstract: A method at tuning a lithographic process for a particular patterning device. The method includes: obtaining wavefront data relating to an objective lens of a lithographic apparatus, the wavefront data measured subsequent to an exposure of a pattern on a substrate using the particular patterning device; determining a pattern specific wavefront contribution from the wavefront data and a wavefront reference, the pattern specific wavefront contribution relating to the patterning device; and tuning the lithographic process for the particular patterning device using the pattern specific wavefront contribution.

Abstract: A method of operating a lithographic apparatus that comprises: a projection system configured to provide exposure radiation for patterning a substrate underneath the projection system; a first stage configured to support a first substrate; a second stage configured to support a second substrate; and a third stage accommodating a component that includes at least one of a sensor and a cleaning device; wherein the method comprises starting a pre-exposure scrum sweep operation after starting a substrate exchange operation; wherein during the pre-exposure scrum sweep operation, the third stage moves away from underneath the projection system while the second stage moves to underneath the projection system; wherein during the substrate exchange operation, the first substrate is unloaded from the first stage.

Abstract: A method for generating metrology sampling scheme for a patterning process, the method including: obtaining a parameter map of a parameter of a patterning process for a substrate; decomposing the parameter map to generate a fingerprint specific to an apparatus of the patterning process and/or a combination of apparatuses of the patterning process; and based on the fingerprint, generating a metrology sampling scheme for a subsequent substrate at the apparatus of the patterning process and/or the combination of apparatuses of the patterning process, wherein the sampling scheme is configured to distribute sampling points on the subsequent substrate so as to improve a metrology sampling density.

Abstract: An assembly comprises a space configured for placing a medium to receive a first radiation for generating a second radiation. In operation, the second radiation propagates coaxially with the first radiation after the medium. The assembly further comprises an optical element after the medium for transmitting or reflecting the first radiation with a surface area. The assembly is configured such that, in operation, a cleaning gas is in contact with the surface area. A reactive medium is generated from at least a part of the cleaning gas by the second radiation for removing a contamination from the surface area.

Abstract: Described herein is a metrology system and a method for converting metrology data via a trained machine learning (ML) model. The method includes accessing a first (MD1) SEM data set (e.g., images, contours, etc.) acquired by a first scanning electron metrology (SEM) system (TS1) and a second (MD2) SEM data set acquired by a second SEM system (TS2), where the first SEM data set and the second SEM data set being associated with a patterned substrate. Using the first SEM data set and the second SEM data set as training data, a machine learning (ML) model is trained (P303) such that the trained ML model is configured to convert (P307) a metrology data set (310) acquired (P305) by the second SEM system to a converted data set (311) having characteristics comparable to metrology data being acquired by the first SEM system. Furthermore, measurements may be determined based on the converted SEM data.

Abstract: A method of correcting a metrology image for an out-of-band leakage signal contribution resultant from leakage of measurement radiation at suppressed wavelengths. The method includes: obtaining at least one correction image, the correction image obtained using measurement radiation with all wavelengths or wavelength bands maximally suppressed by a radiation modulation device; obtaining a metrology image using measurement radiation including modulated broadband radiation, modulated by the radiation modulation device to obtain a configured spectrum; and using the at least one correction image to correct the metrology image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a parameter of a structure fabricated in or on a substrate and compensated for a drift error. The methods comprising: illuminating, at a plurality of times, at least part of the structure with electromagnetic radiation, the at least part of the structure being at a first orientation; sensing, at the plurality of times, a plurality of average reflectances of the at least part of the structure; and determining, based on the plurality of average reflectances, an estimation of the parameter at one or more further times.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nozzle for a droplet generator for a laser-produced plasma radiation source is disclosed. The method comprises disposing a glass capillary in a throughbore of a metal fitting, heating the metal fitting; and applying a pressure to the glass capillary such that the glass capillary conforms to the shape of, and forms a direct glass-to-metal seal with, the throughbore. Also disclosed is a nozzle for a droplet generator for a laser-produced plasma radiation source, and the radiation source itself, wherein the nozzle comprises the glass capillary for emitting fuel as droplets and the metal fitting for coupling the glass capillary to a body of the droplet generator, the glass capillary being conformed to a shape of a throughbore of the metal fitting, and wherein the glass capillary forms a direct glass-to-metal seal with the throughbore.

Abstract: A positioning device, including: a first positioning module arranged to support and position a first substrate, a second positioning module arranged to support and position a second substrate, a first positioning field in which the first and second positioning modules can be alternatingly positioned to carry out a first processing sequence, a second positioning field in which the first and second positioning modules can be alternatingly positioned to carry out a second processing sequence, wherein when one of the first and second positioning modules is carrying out or finishing the first processing sequence, the other of the first and second positioning modules has finished the second processing sequence and is positioned closer to the one of the first and second positioning modules.

Abstract: A defect prediction method for a device manufacturing process involving processing a pattern onto a substrate, the method comprising: identifying a processing window limiting pattern (PWLP) from the pattern; determining a processing parameter under which the PWLP is processed; and determining or predicting, using the processing parameter, existence, probability of existence, a characteristic, or a combination thereof, of a defect produced from the PWLP with the device manufacturing process.

Abstract: Systems and methods of imaging a sample using a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The charged-particle beam apparatus may include a compound objective lens comprising a magnetic lens and an electrostatic lens, the magnetic lens comprising a cavity, and an electron detector located immediately upstream from a polepiece of the magnetic lens and inside the cavity of the magnetic lens. In some embodiments, deflectors may be located between the electron detector and the opening of the polepiece adjacent to the sample to achieve a large field of view. Electron distributions among the detectors can be manipulated without changing the landing energy by changing the potential of the control electrode(s) in the electrostatic objective lens. The electron source can be operated with several discrete potentials to cover different landing energies, while the potential difference between electron source and the extractor is fixed.