Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying a liquid target material to a radiation source, comprising a first reservoir, a pressurizing system configured to pressurize a hydraulic fluid, and a separating device configured to separate the hydraulic fluid from the liquid target material in the first reservoir and to transfer a pressure from the hydraulic fluid to the liquid target material. The invention also relates to an associated method of supplying liquid target material to a radiation source.

Abstract: A method of reducing effects of heating and/or cooling a reticle in a lithographic process includes conditioning the reticle to adjust an initial temperature of the reticle to a predetermined temperature, reducing stress in the reticle to reduce parasitic thermal effects, calibrating a reticle heating model by exposing the reticle and a non-production substrate to a dose of radiation, and processing a production substrate by exposing the reticle and a production substrate to a dose of radiation based on the reticle heating model. The method can increase calibration accuracy and speed of the reticle heating model, reduce conditioning times of the reticle, reduce stress in the reticle, avoid rework of production substrates, and increase throughput, yield, and accuracy.

Abstract: A measurement process is performed for each of a plurality of locations on a product of a fabrication process at which a parameter of interest characterizing the fabrication process is believed to be nominally the same, to derive measured signals for each location including at least one image. A dimensional reduction method is applied to a dataset of the measured signals, to obtain components of the dataset, including components indicative of variation between the images. For at least one of these components, one or more associated ones of the measured signals are identified, comprising at least one set of corresponding pixels in the respective images for the plurality of locations. The contribution of the identified measured signals in the dataset is reduced or eliminated to obtain a processed signal, and the parameter of interest is obtained from the processed signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a probe spot in multiple modes of operation of a charged-particle beam apparatus are disclosed. The method may comprise activating a charged-particle source to generate a primary charged-particle beam and selecting between a first mode and a second mode of operation of the charged-particle beam apparatus. In the flooding mode, the condenser lens may focus at least a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam passing through an aperture of the aperture plate to form a second portion of the primary charged-particle beam, and substantially all of the second portion is used to flood a surface of a sample. In the inspection mode, the condenser lens may focus a first portion of the primary charged-particle beam such that the aperture of the aperture plate blocks off peripheral charged-particles to form the second portion of the primary charged-particle beam used to inspect the sample surface.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for reducing vibration of a chamber may include obtaining predefined motion data associated with a transferring device stiffly coupled to a chamber; determining movement of the transferring device based on the predefined motion data before the transferring device moves; determining, based on the movement, a first force to be applied to the chamber caused by the movement; and causing a support device of the chamber to apply a second force to the chamber to counteract the first force when the transferring device moves.

Abstract: Systems and structures for venting and flow conditioning operations in charged particle beam systems. In some embodiments, a system may include a chamber configured to provide a vacuum environment; a vent valve; and a mass flow controller coupled to the chamber on a first side of the mass flow controller and to the vent valve on a second side of the mass flow controller.

Abstract: A charged particle device projects charged-particle beams along beampaths towards a sample location. The device comprises: a charged-particle lens assembly for manipulating the beams and a controller. The lens assembly comprises plates each having an aperture array for passage of beampaths. The plates are at different plate locations along the beampaths. The controller controls the charged-particle device such that charged particles of the beams have different energy values at the different plate locations along the beampaths. The lens assembly comprises a corrector comprising an individual correctors configured to perform aberration correction at respective apertures independently of each other. The corrector is associated with the plate at the plate location at which the energy value is smallest, the strength of an electric field adjacent to the plate is greatest and/or a ratio of the energy value to strength of an electric field adjacent to the plate is smallest.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining a complex-valued field relating to a structure, comprising: obtaining image data relating to a series of images of the structure, for which at least one measurement parameter is varied over the series and obtaining a trained network operable to map a series of images to a corresponding complex-valued field. The method comprises inputting the image data into said trained network and non-iteratively determining the complex-valued field relating to the structure as the output of the trained network. A method of training the trained network is also disclosed.

Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.

Abstract: A system and method for defect inspection using voltage contrast in a charged particle system are provided. Some embodiments of the system and method include positioning the stage at a first position to enable a first beam of the plurality of beams to scan a first surface area of the wafer at a first time to generate a first image associated with the first surface area; positioning the stage at a second position to enable a second beam of the plurality of beams to scan the first surface area at a second time to generate a second image associated with the first surface area; and comparing the first image with the second image to enable detecting whether a defect is identified in the first surface area of the wafer.

Abstract: Embodiments herein describe methods, devices, and systems for a reticle gripper damper and isolation system for handling reticles and reducing vibrations in a reticle handler for lithography apparatuses and systems. A reticle handler apparatus includes a reticle handler arm, a reticle baseplate configured to hold the reticle, and a gripper arranged to connect the reticle baseplate to the reticle handler arm. The gripper includes a static structure that is coupled to the reticle handler arm, an isolation structure that is coupled to the static structure, and one or more damping elements. The gripper is configured to reduce vibrations of the reticle in the reticle handler apparatus using the one or more damping elements.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of improving a measurement of a parameter of interest. The method comprises obtaining metrology data comprising a plurality of measured values of the parameter of interest, relating to one or more targets on a substrate, each measured value relating to a different measurement combination of a target of said one or more targets and a measurement condition used to measure that target and asymmetry metric data relating to asymmetry for said one or more targets. A respective relationship is determined for each of said measurement combinations relating a true value for the parameter of interest to the asymmetry metric data, based on an assumption that there is a common true value for the parameter of interest over said measurement combinations. These relationships are used to improve a measurement of the parameter of interest.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: a source of charged particles configured to emit a beam of charged particles along a primary beam axis of the apparatus; a condenser lens configured to cause the beam to concentrate around the primary beam axis; an aperture; a first multi-pole lens; a second multi-pole lens; wherein the first multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the condenser lens and upstream with respect to the second multi-pole lens; wherein the second multi-pole lens is downstream with respect to the first multi-pole lens and upstream with respect to the aperture.

Abstract: A clamp assembly is disclose, the clamp assembly comprising a clamp (50) configurable to clamp a support member (110) to a lower base surface (49) of the clamp by electrostatic adhesion, and an arrangement configurable to direct a gas to the lower base surface (49) of the clamp. The arrangement is configurable to humidify the gas by exposing the gas to a liquid. Also disclosed is a method of discharging a lower base surface of a clamp, The method comprises the steps of humidifying a gas by exposing the gas to a liquid, and directing the humidified gas to a lower base surface of the clamp.

Abstract: An optical system for directing first and second laser pulses along an optical axis to a target to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation from said target. The optical system comprises a first optical component configured to redistribute a first laser pulse to form a shaped laser pulse having a hollow region. The optical system comprise a second optical component configured to focus the shaped laser pulse toward the target. The optical system comprises a third optical component configured to focus a second laser pulse toward the target within the hollow region of the shaped laser pulse. The first, second and third optical components are coaxially arranged on the optical axis.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for positioning a sensor over a target on a moveable object, comprising the following steps: a. moving the object to move the target to a desired position, b. moving the sensor in a direction towards a measured momentary position of the target, c. when the sensor is over the target. moving the sensor along with the target to the desired position of the target.

Abstract: Systems with valves that increase cycle life and reduce particle generation. Embodiments may include a first movable member, a second movable member, and a third movable member; a first link coupled to the first movable member and the second movable member such that when the second movable member is moved laterally and the third movable member is stopped, the first link exerts a force on the first movable member that causes the first movable member to move towards a surface and press against the surface to form a vacuum seal; and a second link coupled to the first movable member and the third movable member such that when the first link causes the first movable member to move, the second link exerts a force on the first movable member that limits movement of the first movable member such that the first movable member moves towards the surface with limited offset.

Abstract: Systems and methods for image analysis include obtaining a plurality of simulation images and a plurality of non-simulation images both associated with a sample under inspection, at least one of the plurality of simulation images being a simulation image of a location on the sample not imaged by any of the plurality of non-simulation images; and training an unsupervised domain adaptation technique using the plurality of simulation images and the plurality of non-simulation images as inputs to reduce a difference between first intensity gradients of the plurality of simulation images and second intensity gradients of the plurality of non-simulation images.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for providing beams for defect detection and defect location identification associated with a sample of charged particle beam systems. In some embodiments, a method may include obtaining an image of a sample; determining defect characteristics from the image; generating an updated image based on the determined defect characteristics and the image; and aligning the updated image with a reference image.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for multi-modal operations of a multi-beam inspection system are disclosed. An apparatus for generating multi-modal beamlets may include an aperture array which includes a first group of apertures having a first size and a second group of apertures having a second size different from the first size, the second group of apertures adjoining the first group of apertures, in which the first group of apertures and the second group of apertures are in different pass-or-block statuses. A multi-beam apparatus of multi-modal inspection operations may include the aforementioned apparatus, a source configured to emit charged particles, a condenser system configured to set a projection area of the charged particles, and circuitry for controlling the first and second groups of apertures.