Abstract: An apparatus includes an illumination system, a projection system, and an inspection system. The illumination system illuminates a pattern of a patterning device. The projection system projects an image of the pattern onto a substrate. The inspection system includes a radiation source, an optical element, and a detector. The radiation source generates radiation. The optical element directs the radiation toward a target on the substrate. The detector includes a photosensitive device and a squarecore optical fiber. The photosensitive device receives at least a portion of radiation scattered by the target and generates a measurement signal based on the received portion of the radiation. The squarecore optical fiber is coupled to the photosensitive device, guides the portion of the radiation to the photosensitive device, and homogenizes the guided portion of the radiation such that an intensity cross-section of the received portion of the radiation at the photosensitive device is approximately uniform.

Abstract: A lens element of a charged particle system comprises an electrode having a central opening. The lens element is configured for functionally cooperating with an aperture array that is located directly adjacent said electrode, wherein the aperture array is configured for blocking 5 part of a charged particle beam passing through the central opening of said electrode. The electrode is configured to operate at a first electric potential and the aperture array is configured to operate at a second electric potential different from the first electric potential. The electrode and the aperture array together form an aberration correcting lens.

Abstract: A broadband radiation device, comprising: a pulse shaper configured to impose a temporal profile onto an input pump pulse so as to generate a temporally-modulated pump pulse, the temporally-modulated pump pulse having a different temporal profile than the input pump pulse; and a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) having a hollow core for confining in use a working medium under a pressure, the HC-PCF being operable to receive the temporally-modulated pump pulse; wherein the temporally-modulated pump pulse is configured to be spectrally broadened by a soliton self-compression process to form broadband output radiation while propagating through the hollow core of the HC-PCF; and said temporal profile is configured so as to configure a spectrum of the broadband output radiation to have target spectrum characteristics.

Abstract: A method of spatially aligning a patterning device and a substrate, wherein the patterning device and the substrate are separated by an optical path comprising one or more moveable optical components is described, the method comprising: —performing a plurality of alignment measurements, wherein for each alignment measurement the moveable optical components are arranged in respective predetermined positions, —combining the alignment measurements, and—spatially aligning the patterning device and the substrate based on the combination of the alignment measurements.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electron-optical assembly testing system for testing an electron-optical assembly, the system comprising: a source of charged particles configured to emit a beam of charged particles; an electron-optical assembly holder configured to hold an electron-optical assembly to be tested such that, when the system is in use with an electron-optical assembly held by the electron-optical assembly holder, the electron-optical assembly is illuminated by the beam; and a sub-beam detector for detecting sub-beams of charged particles that have been transmitted through the electron-optical assembly.

Abstract: The invention provides a magnet assembly for a planar electromagnetic motor, the magnet assembly comprising: —a first plurality of superconductive (SC) coils, inside an outer circumference and arranged in a planar pattern such as a rectangular pattern, —a second plurality of SC coils, arranged along an outer boundary of the planar pattern, a coil of the first plurality of SC coils having a first in-plane shape and a coil of the second plurality of SC coils having a second in-plane shape, different from the first in-plane shape, wherein the second plurality of SC coils is arranged at least partly inside the outer circumference.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining a focus parameter value used to expose at least one structure on a substrate. The method comprises obtaining measurement data relating to a measurement of said at least one structure, wherein the at least one structure comprises a single periodic structure per measurement location and decomposing said measurement data into component data comprising one or more components of said measurement data. At least one of said components is processed to extract processed component data having a reduced dependence on non-focus related effects and a value for the focus parameter is determined from said processed component data. Associated apparatuses and patterning devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: Detectors and detection systems are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first plurality of the sensing elements and a second plurality of the sensing elements, and a plurality of sections configured to connect the first plurality to an output, and connect the second plurality to an output. Switching regions may be provided between the sensing elements that are configured to connect two or more sensing elements. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy and/or beam intensity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of updating of a first model by training a second model, the first model relating to a first process range and trained using a first set of measurement signals relating to a first set of structures. The method comprises: obtaining a second set of measurement signals, the second set of measurement signals relating to a second set of structures comprising said first set of structures or a subset thereof; and training the second model using said second set of measurement signals and corresponding reference values for the parameter of interest as training data. The training comprises optimizing a cost function in terms of the second model while constraining the second model to infer values for the parameter of interest from the first set of measurement signals.

Abstract: A charged particle system may include a first charged particle beam source provided on a first axis, and a second charged particle beam source provided on a second axis. There may also be provided a deflector arranged on the first axis. The deflector may be configured to deflect a beam generated from the second charged particle beam source toward a sample. A method of operating a charged particle beam system may include switching between a first state and a second state of operating a deflector. In the first state, a first charged particle beam generated from a first charged particle beam source may be blanked and a second charged particle beam generated from a second charged particle beam source may be directed toward a sample. In the second state, the second charged particle beam may be blanked and the first charged particle beam may be directed toward the sample.

Abstract: A substrate restraining system comprising: a substrate table and a plurality of circumferentially arranged restrainers each comprising a spring, wherein the spring has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the spring is radially displaceable, and wherein a base of the proximal end of the spring is fixed to the substrate table at a fixing location.

Abstract: Described is a metrology system for determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate, and associated method. The metrology system comprises a processor being configured to computationally determine phase and amplitude information from a detected characteristic of scattered radiation having been reflected or scattered by the at least one structure as a result of illumination of said at least one structure with illumination radiation in a measurement acquisition, and use the determined phase and amplitude to determine the characteristic of interest.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and a method in which multiple, e.g., two or more pulses from a single laser source are applied to source material prior to application of a main ionizing pulse in which the multiple pulses are generated by a common laser source. The first pulse is directed towards the source material when the source material is at a first position and the second pulse is directed towards the source material when the source material is at a second position.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an electrical connector for high power in a low pressure environment, the connector comprising: a male connection part configured to be connected to a first power interface, a female connection part for receiving the male connection part and configured to be connected to a second power interface, a first conductive shield enclosing the male connection part and the female connection part, the first conductive shield being electrically connected to at least one of the male connection part and the female connection part, and an isolating part enclosing the first conductive shield.

Abstract: An improved system is disclosed for wafer outer portion inspection in a charged particle beam system, such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The system uses multiple conductive rings around the wafer to correct an e-field distortion occurring at the wafer outer portion. The rings are applied with different complimentary voltages in order achieve a precise compensation of the e-field distortion.

Abstract: Systems, non-transitory computer readable medium, and methods for determining one or more parameters used by an e-beam for an overlay measurement are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises determining an acquisition time for the overlay measurement of a wafer stack based on a plurality of characteristics of the wafer stack and a plurality of backscattered electron (BSE) yields detected at a plurality of features on the wafer stack. The method also comprises determining the one or more parameters including a landing energy of the e-beam based on optimization of the acquisition time for the overlay measurement.

Abstract: A multi-beam apparatus for observing a sample with high resolution and high throughput is proposed. In the apparatus, a source-conversion unit forms plural and parallel images of one single electron source by deflecting plural beamlets of a parallel primary-electron beam therefrom, and one objective lens focuses the plural deflected beamlets onto a sample surface and forms plural probe spots thereon. A movable condenser lens is used to collimate the primary-electron beam and vary the currents of the plural probe spots, a pre-beamlet-forming means weakens the Coulomb effect of the primary-electron beam, and the source-conversion unit minimizes the sizes of the plural probe spots by minimizing and compensating the off-axis aberrations of the objective lens and condenser lens.

Abstract: A method of calibrating analog-to-digital converters, ADCs, of a charged particle-optical device comprises: providing, for each of the ADCs, image data of charged particles detected from a sample output by the ADC; calculating, for each of the ADCs, at least one statistical value from a distribution of the image data output by the ADC; and changing at least one setting of at least one of the ADCs based on the calculated at least one statistical values so as to compensate for any mismatch between the at least one statistical value of the ADCs.

Abstract: An improved particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus including an improved load lock unit is disclosed. An improved load lock system may comprise a plurality of supporting structures configured to support a wafer and a conditioning plate including a heat transfer element configured to adjust a temperature of the wafer. The load lock system may further comprise a gas vent configured to provide a gas between the conditioning plate and the wafer and a controller configured to assist with the control of the heat transfer element.

Abstract: Inspection systems and methods are disclosed. An inspection system may include a first energy source configured to provide a first landing energy beam and a second energy source configured to provide a second landing energy beam. The inspection system may also include a beam controller configured to selectively deliver one of the first and second landing energy beams towards a same field of view, and to switch between delivery of the first and second landing energy beams according to a mode of operation of the inspection system.