Abstract: Disclosed is a method for an inverse design method for topology optimized alignment marks. A first alignment mark to be used on a substrate is produced, such that the first alignment mark has a topology of at least two pixels with different properties. One or more properties of each of the at least two pixels is determined. The topology of the first alignment mark is optimized based on the one or more properties of the at least two pixels. A second alignment mark, based on optimizing the first alignment mark, is formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A cleaning device for removing contamination particles from a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning device comprises an oxygen source configured to emit oxygen and thereby oxidize the contamination particles and the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning device comprises an electron source configured to emit electrons and thereby negatively charge oxidized contamination particles and the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning device comprises a contamination particle collector configured to receive a positive electric charge and thereby attract negatively charged contamination particles ejected from the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cantilever probe arrangement for a photoacoustic sub-surface atomic force microscope comprising: a cantilever arm; at least one probe element attached to the cantilever arm and comprising a cross-sectional area which decreases away from the cantilever arm towards a tip of the probe element; and at least one focusing structure operable to focus acoustic waves generated on the cantilever arm on said tip of the at least one probe element.

Abstract: A charged particle beam inspection method includes measuring a sample under multiple different signal acquisition modalities. Each modality may comprise a different set of inspection parameters that may be optimized for different purposes such as high resolution or high acquisition speed. Measurements from the different signal acquisition modalities may be combined to form a synthesized image using a deconvolution or other optimization task. The synthesized image may achieve superior resolution at higher throughput than is achievable with a single high-resolution or high-speed scan.

Abstract: A pellicle support system for use in a lithographic apparatus, the system including: a pellicle; a pellicle support arranged to secure the pellicle relative to the surface of a patterning device so that an enclosed region is defined between the pellicle and the patterning device; and at least one conduit arranged to supply fluid to the enclosed region for increasing the pressure in the enclosed region.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising an enclosure, a microwave generator, and a magnetic source. The enclosure can define an environment, wherein the environment encompasses a surface (402), wherein the enclosure is configured to contain plasma. The microwave generator can be configured to provide microwave radiation (411) into the enclosure. The magnetic source can be configured to generate a magnetic field adjacent the surface which, together with the microwave radiation, generates plasma by electron cyclotron resonance, thereby increasing the concentration of plasma adjacent the surface.

Abstract: Systems and apparatuses may include a component of a sample holder of a charged particle system, the component comprising a body portion comprising a noble metal; a coating layer covering at least a portion of an outer surface area of the body portion, wherein the coating layer is configured to reduce particles of the noble metal from being removed from the body portion to mitigate contaminants in the charged particle system.

Abstract: A measurement device for measuring a substrate, the measurement device including: an optical sensor configured to make a measurement of a substrate surface by emitting a radiation beam; and a fluid supply configured to supply a conditioning fluid traversing the beam and flowing in a slit between the measurement device and the substrate surface, wherein the optical sensor is configured to perform a first measurement process while the measurement device is moving relative to the substrate at a first speed, and to perform a second measurement process while the measurement device is moving relative to the substrate at a second speed higher than the first speed, and wherein the fluid supply is configured to supply the conditioning fluid at a first flow rate during the first measurement process, and to supply the conditioning fluid at a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate during the second measurement process.

Abstract: A method for selecting a threshold value for processing an image to determine characteristics of a pattern. The method includes accessing an image representation of a pattern and generating multiple two-dimensional (2D) profiles of a feature of the pattern using different threshold values, wherein each 2D profile of the 2D profiles corresponds to a respective threshold value. The 2D profiles are evaluated to determine a KPI value of the 2D profiles and a specified threshold value from a range of threshold values is selected based on the evaluation of the 2D profiles.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure for an immersion lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion liquid to a space between a bottom surface of the fluid handling structure and a surface of a substrate and/or a substrate support supporting the substrate, the structure having: a feature in the bottom surface having a substantially polygonal shape defined by a plurality of sides; an opening configured to supply immersion fluid to the space; an extractor configured to extract immersion fluid from the space; and an immersion fluid recovery arrangement outside the feature and proximate a side of the feature, wherein the immersion fluid recovery arrangement includes an immersion fluid manipulator configured to form an elongate wiper zone extending at an angle to the side of the feature and an immersion fluid recovery opening for extracting immersion fluid.

Abstract: An electrostatic reticle clamp includes a dielectric body, electrodes configured to apply a charge to a first side of the body for electrostatically clamping a reticle on a second side of the dielectric body, a plurality of burls on the second side of the dielectric body and configured to contact the reticle, a conductive coating disposed on a surface of a subset of the burls, a power source, and a controller configured to provide voltage from the power source to the conductive coating.

Abstract: An object holder configured to support an object, the object holder including: a base body formed from a board, and a contact surface on a side of the board with a predetermined flatness for contacting the object, wherein, on the side of the board, a notch absorption layer is provided, which has such a low volume density that the notch absorption layer can be compressed by a compaction in the layer volume in the case of mechanical action by a foreign particle, without compromising the flatness of the contact surface, wherein, on the side of the board a multilayer laminate is provided, which comprises the notch absorption layer and a top layer, which is arranged on the notch absorption layer, and wherein the notch absorption layer and/or top layer comprises boron and/or carbon.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for and method of using an in-system utility stage to provide service functions for wafer tables and other components in the photolithographic system in which the utility stage can access multiple tools without any need to open an enclosure containing the utility stage and the wafer tables and other components thus increasing throughput and decreasing downtime.

Abstract: A manipulator for manipulating a charged particle beam in a projection system, the manipulator comprising a substrate having opposing major surfaces in each of which is defined an aperture and a through-passage having an interconnecting surface extending between the apertures; wherein the interconnecting surface comprises one or more electrodes; the manipulator further comprising a potential divider comprising two or more resistive elements connected in series, the potential divider comprising an intermediate node between each pair of adjacent resistive elements, wherein at least one resistive element is formed within the substrate so as to extend between the opposing major surfaces; wherein the intermediate node is electrically connected to at least one of the one or more electrodes.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a mapped intensity metric are described. Determining the mapped intensity metric includes determining an intensity metric for a manufacturing system. The intensity metric is determined based on a reflectivity of a location on a substrate and a manufacturing system characteristic. Determining the mapped intensity metric also includes determining a mapped intensity metric for a reference system. The reference system has a reference system characteristic. The mapped intensity metric is determined based on the intensity metric, the manufacturing system characteristic, and the reference system characteristic, to mimic determination of the intensity metric for the manufacturing system using the reference system. In some embodiments, the reference system is virtual, and the manufacturing system is physical.

Abstract: A radiation source including: a hollow core optical fiber having a body having a hollow core for confining a working medium, the hollow core optical fiber being operable to receive pulsed pump radiation such that the received pulsed pump radiation propagates through the hollow core from an input end to an output end of the hollow core optical fiber, wherein one or more source parameters of the radiation source are configured such that the pulsed pump radiation undergoes a soliton self-compression process so as to change a spectrum of the pulsed pump radiation to form output radiation; and at least one dispersion control mechanism being operable to change dispersion characteristics in a first portion of the optical fiber so as to spectrally shift a dispersive wave generated in the soliton self-compression process.

Abstract: Objective lens array assemblies and associated methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, the objective lens array assembly focuses a multi-beam of sub-beams on a sample. Planar elements define a plurality of apertures aligned along sub-beam paths. An objective lens array projects the multi-beam towards a sample. Apertures of one or more of the planar elements compensate for off-axis aberrations in the multi-beam.

Abstract: A substrate table, for use in an immersion lithographic apparatus, having a support area defining a support plane to support a substrate to be patterned and an upper surface surrounding the support area, wherein: the upper surface has an outer region that is substantially planar and a transition region proximate the support area; and the transition region is not co-planar with the outer region so as to ameliorate a level transition between the outer region and a non-standard substrate, which has a thickness different than a distance between the support plane and a nominal plane defined by the outer region.

Abstract: A method of measuring a topography of a surface of an object, the method includes: forming a first image of a pattern on a beam spot region with a radiation beam; moving the object relative to the beam spot region; receiving a portion of the radiation beam reflected from the object and splitting the reflected radiation into first and second portions such that a first portion of the radiation, which corresponds to a first portion of the first image, is spatially separate from a second portion of the radiation, which corresponds to a second portion of the first image; determining an intensity of the first and second portions of the radiation; and determining a height of the object by combining the intensity of the first portion of the radiation determined at a first time and the intensity of the second portion of the radiation determined at a second time.

Abstract: Systems and apparatuses may include at least three conductors including a first conductor that is electrically isolated from a chassis, the first conductor being electrically connected to a node of an AC power source, the node of the AC power source being electrically connected to a ground reference, and the first conductor configured to provide a path for noise current generated by the EMI filter to flow to the AC power source to enable the noise current to pass to the AC power source without passing through the chassis. Each conductor may include an inductor, the inductors being magnetically coupled such that a sum of currents flowing through the inductors is substantially zero. Systems may include shielded cables electrically connected to a chamber to provide a low-impedance path for noise currents to flow, wherein at a mechanical interface, a column is mechanically coupled to and electrically isolated from the chamber.