Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a charged particle source module for generating and emitting a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, comprising: a frame including a first frame part, a second frame part, and one or more rigid support members which are arranged between said first frame part and said second frame part; a charged particle source arrangement for generating a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, wherein said charged particle source arrangement, such as an electron source, is arranged at said second frame part; and a power connecting assembly arranged at said first frame part, wherein said charged particle source arrangement is electrically connected to said connecting assembly via electrical wiring.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and a projection system configured to project a radiation beam onto the substrate held by the substrate holder. There is also a fluid handling system configured to confine immersion liquid to a space between a part of the projection system and a surface of the substrate so that the radiation beam can irradiate the surface of the substrate by passing through the immersion liquid. An excitation device is provided to generate surface acoustic waves in the substrate and propagating toward the immersion liquid.

Abstract: Provided is an optical element for a lithographic apparatus. The optical element includes a capping layer that includes oxygen vacancies therein. The oxygen vacancies prevent attack of the capping layer by preventing hydrogen and other species from penetrating the capping layer and underlying layers. The capping layer provides a low hydrogen recombination rate enabling hydrogen to clean the surface of the optical element. The capping layer may include an alloyed metal, a mixed metal oxide or a doped metal oxide and it may be a ruthenium capping layer that includes one or more dopants therein.

Abstract: A method for configuring an apparatus for providing structures to a layer on a substrate, the method including: obtaining first data including substrate specific data as measured and/or modeled before the providing of the structures to the layer on the substrate; and determining a configuration of the apparatus for at least two different control regimes based on the first data and the use of a common merit function including parameters associated with the at least two control regimes.

Abstract: In a lithographic process, product units such as semiconductor wafers are subjected to lithographic patterning operations and chemical and physical processing operations. Alignment data or other measurements are made at stages during the performance of the process to obtain object data representing positional deviation or other parameters measured at points spatially distributed across each unit. This object data is used to obtain diagnostic information by performing a multivariate analysis to decompose a set of vectors representing the units in the multidimensional space into one or more component vectors. Diagnostic information about the industrial process is extracted using the component vectors. The performance of the industrial process for subsequent product units can be controlled based on the extracted diagnostic information.

Abstract: A pressure control valve has: a passageway having a flow opening; an member displaceable relative to the opening for obstructing the opening by differing amounts; a piezo actuator; and a linkage mechanism adapted to amplify a dimensional change in the piezo actuator and to use the amplified dimensional change to displace the member relative to the opening, wherein the linkage mechanism comprises a frame attached to a wall and fixed at a first end in relation to the passageway, a portion of the frame moveable in a first direction while being substantially restrained in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the piezo actuator extending between the wall and the movable portion such that an expansion of the piezo actuator results in movement of the movable portion in the first direction by an amount greater than the expansion of the piezo actuator, the moveable portion connected to the member.

Abstract: A method includes irradiating a target structure with sequential illumination shots, directing scattered beams from the target structure towards an imaging detector, generating a detection signal using the imaging detector, and determining a property of the target structure based on at least the detection signal. An integration time for each illumination shot of the sequential illumination shots is selected so to reduce a low frequency error.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for measuring intensity using off-axis illumination. An example method can include illuminating a region of a surface of a substrate with a first radiation beam at a first incident angle and, in response, measuring a first set of photons diffracted from the region. The example method can further include illuminating the region with a second radiation beam at a second incident angle and, in response, measuring a second set of photons diffracted from the region. The example method can further include generating measurement data for the region based on the measured first set of photons and the measured second set of photons.

Abstract: A method includes treating a burled surface of an object using radiation or heat and setting parameters of the radiation or heat to effectuate a predetermined surface strength, hardness, roughness, coefficient of friction, chemical resistance, wear resistance, and/or corrosion of the burled surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining a parameter of interest relating to at least one target on a substrate. The method comprises obtaining metrology data comprising at least one asymmetry signal, said at least one asymmetry signal comprising a difference or imbalance in a measurement parameter from the target; obtaining a trained model having been trained or configured to relate said at least one asymmetry signal to the parameter of interest, the trained model comprising at least one proxy for at least one nuisance component of the at least one asymmetry signal; and inferring said parameter of interest for said at least one target from said at least one asymmetry signal using the trained model.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for assessing samples using a plurality of charged particle beams. In one arrangement, at least a subset of a beam grid of a plurality of charged particle beams and respective target portions of a sample surface are scanned relative to each other to process the target portions. Signal charged particles from the sample are detected to generate detection signals. A sample surface topographical map is generated that represents a topography of the sample surface by analyzing the detection signals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metrology system comprising: a pre-alignment metrology tool operable to measure a plurality of targets on a substrate to obtain measurement data; and a processing unit. The processing unit is operable to: process said measurement data to determine for each target at least one position distribution which describes variation of said position value over at least part of said target; and determine a measurement correction from said at least one position distribution which corrects for within-target variation in each of said targets, said measurement correction for correcting measurements performed by an alignment sensor.

Abstract: An actuator assembly including a first piezo actuator and a second piezo actuator. The piezo actuator has a correction unit configured to determine an output voltage difference representing a difference between a voltage at the output terminal of the first piezo actuator and a voltage at the output terminal of the second piezo actuator, and a first power correction for correcting the first power signal and/or a second power correction for correcting the second power signal, based on the output voltage difference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an multi-array lens configured in use to focus a plurality of beamlets of charged particles along a multi-beam path, wherein each lens in the array comprises: an entrance electrode; a focussing electrode and a support. The focusing electrode is down beam of the entrance electrode along a beamlet path and is configured to be at a potential different from the entrance electrode. The support is configured to support the focusing electrode relative to the entrance electrode. The focusing electrode and support are configured so that in operation the lens generates a rotationally symmetrical field around the beamlet path.

Abstract: A method of controlling a semiconductor manufacturing process, the method including: obtaining first metrology data based on measurements performed after a first process step; obtaining second metrology data based on measurements performed after the first process step and at least one additional process step; estimating a contribution to the process of: a) a control action which is at least partially based on the second metrology data and/or b) the at least one additional process step by using at least partially the second metrology data; and determining a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) or a correction for the first process step using the first metrology data and the estimated contribution.

Abstract: An EUV collector mirror has a reflection surface (16) to reflect usable EUV light which impinges on the reflection surface (16) from a source region (17) to a subsequent EUV optics. The reflection surface (16) carries a pump light grating structure (19) configured to retroreflect pump light (22) which impinges upon the pump light grating structure (19) from the source region (17) back to the source region (17). The pump light (22) has a wavelength deviating from the wavelength of the usable EUV light. Such EUV collector mirror enables a high conversion efficiency between the energy of pump light of a laser discharged produced plasma (LDPP) EUV light source on the one hand and the resulting usable EUV energy on the other.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate and associated patterning device. The substrate comprises at least one target arrangement suitable for metrology of a lithographic process, the target arrangement comprising at least one pair of similar target regions which are arranged such that the target arrangement is, or at least the target regions for measurement in a single direction together are, centrosymmetric. A metrology method is also disclosed for measuring the substrate. A metrology method is also disclosed comprising which comprises measuring such a target arrangement and determining a value for a parameter of interest from the scattered radiation, while correcting for distortion of the metrology apparatus used.

Abstract: A method for calculating a spatial map associated with a component, the spatial map indicating spatial variations of thermal expansion parameters in the component, the method comprising: providing or determining a temperature distribution in the component as a function of time; calculating the spatial map associated with the component using the provided or determined temperature distribution in the component and optical measurements of a radiation beam that has interacted directly or indirectly with the component, the optical measurements being time synchronized with the provided or determined temperature distribution in the component.

Abstract: A micromirror array comprises a substrate, a plurality of minors for reflecting incident light and, for each mirror (20) of the plurality of minors, at least one piezoelectric actuator (21) for displacing the minor, wherein the at least one piezoelectric actuator is connected to the substrate. The micromirror array further comprises one or more pillars (24) connecting the minor to the at least one piezoelectric actuator. Also disclosed is a method of forming such a micromirror array. The micromirror array may be used in a programmable illuminator. The programmable illuminator may be used in a lithographic apparatus and/or in an inspection apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an adjustable beam separator is disclosed. The adjustable beam separator is configured to change a path of a secondary particle beam. The adjustable beam separator comprises a first Wien filter and a second Wien filter. Both Wien filters are aligned with a primary optical axis. The first Wien filter and the second Wien filter are independently controllable via a first excitation input and a second excitation input, respectively. The adjustable beam separator is configured move the effective bending point of the adjustable beam separator along the primary optical axis based on the first excitation input and the second excitation input.