Abstract: In an immersion lithography apparatus in which immersion liquid is supplied to a localized space, the space is substantially polygonal in plan substantially parallel to the substrate. In an embodiment, two corners of the space have a radius of curvature no greater than the width of a transition zone between the space configured to contain liquid and a surrounding configured not to contain liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed is method of optimizing bandwidth of measurement illumination for a measurement application, and an associated metrology apparatus. The method comprises performing a reference measurement with reference measurement illumination having a reference bandwidth and performing one or more optimization measurements, each of said one or more optimization measurements being performed with measurement illumination having a varied candidate bandwidth. The one or more optimization measurements are compared with the reference measurement; and an optimal bandwidth for the measurement application is selected based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method, and associated system, for determining an optimized set of measurement locations for measurement of a parameter related to a structure applied to a substrate by a semiconductor manufacturing process. The method includes determining a first set of parameter values from a first set of measurements of first structures across a first plurality of locations, for example from target measurements and determining a second set of parameter values from a second set of measurements of second structures across a second plurality of locations, for example using an SEM or e-beam tool on product structures. A correlation is determined between the first set of parameter values and the second set of parameter values and used to determine the optimized set of measurement locations.

Abstract: A method including: obtaining a relationship between a performance indicator of a substrate measurement recipe and a parameter of the substrate measurement recipe; deriving a range of the parameter from the relationship, wherein absolute values of the performance indicator satisfy a first condition or a magnitude of variation of the performance indicator satisfies a second condition, when the first parameter is in the range; selecting a substrate measurement recipe that has the parameter in the range; and inspecting a substrate with the selected substrate measurement recipe.

Abstract: A process of characterizing a process window of a patterning process, the process including: obtaining a set of inspection locations for a pattern, the pattern defining features to be applied to a substrate with a patterning process, the set of inspection locations corresponding to a set of the features, the set of features being selected from among the features according to sensitivity of the respective features to variation in one or more process characteristics of the patterning process; patterning one or more substrates under varying process characteristics of the patterning process; and determining, for each of the variations in the process characteristics, whether at least some of the set of features yield unacceptable patterned structures on the one or more substrates at corresponding inspection locations.

Abstract: A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of the lithographic process, and reconfiguring the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a predefined termination condition is satisfied. The multi-variable cost function may be a function of one or more pattern shift errors. Reconfiguration of the characteristics may be under one or more constraints on the one or more pattern shift errors.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus is disclosed in which liquid is supplied to a space between a projection system and a substrate, and a plate structure is provided to divide the space into two parts. The plate structure has an aperture to allow transmission of the projection beam, has through holes in it to reduce the damping effect of the presence of the plate and optionally has one or more inlets and outlets to provide various flows around the aperture in the plate. An embodiment of the invention may reduce the transportation of contaminants, stray light, temperature gradients, and/or the effect of bubbles on the imaging quality.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises comprise a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and a sensor configured to sense a position of an alignment mark provided onto the substrate held by the substrate table. The sensor comprises a source of radiation configured to illuminate the alignment mark with a radiation beam, a detector configured to detect the radiation beam, having interacted with the alignment mark, as an out of focus optical pattern, and a data processing system. The data processing system is configured to receive image data representing the out of focus optical pattern, and process the image data for determining alignment information, comprising applying a lensless imaging algorithm to the out of focus optical pattern.

Abstract: A method of reducing effects of reticle heating and/or cooling in a lithographic process, the method including calibrating a linear time invariant reticle heating model using a system identification method; predicting distortions of the reticle using the reticle heating model and inputs in the lithographic process; and calculating and applying a correction in the lithographic process on the basis of the predicted distortions of the reticle.

Abstract: A method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. The method includes the steps of defining the optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by the optical imaging system; defining a first model representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system and the process, and calibrating the model, where the first model generates values corresponding to a latent image slope. The method further includes the step of defining a second model for estimating a line width roughness of a feature to be imaged, where the second model utilizes the latent image slope values to estimate the line width roughness.

Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and a sensor is filled with a liquid.

Abstract: A method including computing a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function representing a metric characterizing a degree of matching between a result when measuring a metrology target structure using a substrate measurement recipe and a behavior of a pattern of a functional device, the metric being a function of a plurality of design variables including a parameter of the metrology target structure, and adjusting the design variables and computing the cost function with the adjusted design variables, until a certain termination condition is satisfied.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process monitoring method, and an associated metrology apparatus.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus, method, and system are described herein. An example inspection apparatus includes an optical system and an imaging system. The optical system may be configured to output an illumination beam incident on a target including one or more features, the illumination beam polarized with a first polarization when incident on the target. The imaging system may be configured to obtain intensity data representing at least a portion of the illumination beam scattered by the one or more features, where the portion of the illumination beam has a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. The inspection apparatus may be further configured to generate image data representing an image of each of the feature(s) based on the intensity data, and determine a measurement of a parameter of interest associated with the feature(s) based on an amount of the portion of the illumination beam having the second polarization.

Abstract: A method of determining an optimal operational parameter setting of a metrology system is described. Free-form substrate shape measurements are performed. A model is applied, transforming the measured warp to modeled warp scaling values. Substrates are clamped to a chuck, causing substrate deformation. Alignment marks of the substrates are measured using an alignment system with four alignment measurement colors. Scaling values thus obtained are corrected with the modeled warp scaling values to determine corrected scaling values. An optimal alignment measurement color is determined, based on the corrected scaling values. Optionally, scaling values are selected that were measured using the optimal alignment measurement color and a substrate grid is determined using the selected scaling values. A substrate may be exposed using the determined substrate grid to correct exposure of the substrate.

Abstract: A radiation source, e.g. for EUV for use in a lithographic apparatus, generates radiation by illuminating droplets of fuel with first radiation to form a plasma and collects second radiation omitted by the plasma using a collector (CO). The collector has an aperture and the fuel passes along a vertical trajectory through that aperture before being irradiated by the first radiation. In an embodiment the first radiation is directed along a beam, the final part of which is coincident with the final part of the trajectory of the fuel droplets. In an embodiment a gas flow is arranged coincident with the fuel trajectory and/or the beam of first radiation.

Abstract: Target structures such as overlay gratings (Ta and Tb) are formed on a substrate (W) by a lithographic process. The first target is illuminated with a spot of first radiation (456a, Sa) and simultaneously the second target is illuminated with a spot of second radiation (456b, Sb). A sensor (418) detects at different locations, portions (460x?, 460x+) of said first radiation that have been diffracted in a first direction by features of the first target and portions (460y?, 460y+) of said second radiation that have been diffracted in a second direction by features of the second target. Asymmetry in X and Y directions can be detected simultaneously, reducing the time required for overlay measurements in X and Y. The two spots of radiation at soft x-ray wavelength can be generated simply by exciting two locations (710a, 710b) in a higher harmonic generation (HHG) radiation source or inverse Compton scattering source.

Abstract: A method, involving illuminating at least a first periodic structure of a metrology target with a first radiation beam having a first polarization, illuminating at least a second periodic structure of the metrology target with a second radiation beam having a second different polarization, combining radiation diffracted from the first periodic structure with radiation diffracted from the second periodic structure to cause interference, detecting the combined radiation using a detector, and determining a parameter of interest from the detected combined radiation.

Abstract: This disclosure includes a variety of methods of describing a shape in a hierarchical manner, and uses of such a hierarchical description. In particular, this disclosure includes a method comprising: fitting one or more sub-shapes of a first order against a shape; determining an error of the fitting; and fitting one or more sub-shapes of a second order against the error.