Abstract: A waveguide including: a first section, the first section configured to generate, by a non-linear optical process, a broadened wavelength spectrum of pulsed radiation provided to an input end of the waveguide; a second section, the second section including an output end of the waveguide, the second section configured to exhibit a larger absolute value of group velocity dispersion than the first section; wherein a length of the second section is configured to reduce a peak intensity of one or more peaks in the broadened wavelength spectrum by at least 20%.

Abstract: An assembly for collimating broadband radiation, the assembly including: a convex refractive singlet lens having a first spherical surface for coupling the broadband radiation into the lens and a second spherical surface for coupling the broadband radiation out of the lens, wherein the first and second spherical surfaces have a common center; and a mount for holding the convex refractive singlet lens at a plurality of contact points having a centroid coinciding with the common center.

Abstract: A stage apparatus including: an object table configured to hold an object; a positioning device configured to position the object table and the object held by the object table; and a remote temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the object table and/or the object, wherein the remote temperature sensor comprises a passive temperature sensing element.

Abstract: Systems and methods for wafer grounding and wafer grounding location adjustment are disclosed. A first method may include receiving a first value of an electric characteristic associated with the wafer being grounded by an electric signal; determining a first control parameter using at least the first value; and controlling a characteristic of the electric signal using the first control parameter and the first value. A second method for adjusting a grounding location for a wafer may include terminating an electric connection between the wafer and at least one grounding pin in contact the wafer; adjusting a relative position between the wafer and the grounding pin; and restoring the electric connection between the grounding pin and the wafer. A third method may include causing a grounding pin to penetrate through a coating on the wafer by impact; and establishing an electrical connection between the grounding pin and the wafer.

Abstract: A method for controlling a lithographic apparatus, and associated apparatuses. The method is configured to provide product structures to a substrate in a lithographic process and includes determining optimization data. The optimization data includes measured and/or simulated data of at least one performance parameter associated with the product structures and/or their arrangement which are to be applied to the substrate in the lithographic process. Substrate specific metrology data as measured and/or modelled before the providing of product structures to the substrate is determined, the substrate specific metrology data including metrology data relating to a characteristic of the substrate to which the structures are being applied and/or the state of the lithographic apparatus at the time that the structures are applied to the substrate.

Abstract: A charged particle assessment tool includes: an objective lens configured to project a plurality of charged particle beams onto a sample, the objective lens having a sample-facing surface defining a plurality of beam apertures through which respective ones of the charged particle beams are emitted toward the sample; and a plurality of capture electrodes adjacent respective ones of the beam apertures and configured to capture charged particles emitted from the sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a modular wafer table and methods for refurbishing a scrapped wafer to manufacture the modular wafer table. The method comprises removing one or more burls from a surface of a wafer table; polishing the surface of the wafer table after removing the one or more burls to form a core module; forming a burl module having a plurality of burls thereon; and bonding the core module to the burl module.

Abstract: A fluid handling system for a lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling system configured to confine immersion liquid to a liquid confinement space between a part of a projection system and a surface of a substrate in the lithographic apparatus wherein a radiation beam projected from the projection system can irradiate the surface of the substrate by passing through the immersion liquid, the fluid handling system including: a liquid extraction member, having an inlet side and an outlet side, that is arranged to extract the immersion liquid from the liquid confinement space by a fluid flow from the inlet side to the outlet side; and a further liquid supply to the outlet side of the liquid extraction member arranged so that the outlet side receives liquid from a different source than the liquid confinement space.

Abstract: Disclosed is fiber alignment monitoring tool for monitoring of beam alignment of a beam generated by a source module with respect to an optical fiber. The fiber alignment monitoring tool comprises a coupling arrangement for coupling the fiber alignment monitoring tool to a beam adjustment tool of said source module; and a beam alignment sensor operable to sense beam alignment and provide a beam alignment signal indicating beam alignment status, said beam alignment status describing a position status and/or angle status of said beam.

Abstract: A method for generating metrology sampling scheme for a patterning process, the method including: obtaining a parameter map of a parameter of a patterning process for a substrate; decomposing the parameter map to generate a fingerprint specific to an apparatus of the patterning process and/or a combination of apparatuses of the patterning process; and based on the fingerprint, generating a metrology sampling scheme for a subsequent substrate at the apparatus of the patterning process and/or the combination of apparatuses of the patterning process, wherein the sampling scheme is configured to distribute sampling points on the subsequent substrate so as to improve a metrology sampling density.

Abstract: A lithographic process is performed on a set of semiconductor substrates consisting of a plurality of substrates. As part of the process, the set of substrates is partitioned into a number of subsets. The partitioning may be based on a set of characteristics associated with a first layer on the substrates. A fingerprint of a performance parameter is then determined for at least one substrate of the set of substrates. Under some circumstances, the fingerprint is determined for one substrate of each subset of substrates. The fingerprint is associated with at least the first layer. A correction for the performance parameter associated with an application of a subsequent layer is then derived, the derivation being based on the determined fingerprint and the partitioning of the set of substrates.

Abstract: Disclosed is an illumination source comprising a gas delivery system comprising a gas nozzle. The gas nozzle comprises an opening in an exit plane of the gas nozzle. The gas delivery system is configured to provide a gas flow from the opening for generating an emitted radiation at an interaction region. The illumination source is configured to receive a pump radiation having a propagation direction and to provide the pump radiation in the gas flow. A geometry shape of the gas nozzle is adapted to shape a profile of the gas flow such that gas density of the gas flow first increases to a maximum value and subsequently falls sharply in a cut-off region along the propagation direction.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a process, the method including obtaining a multi-dimensional probability density function representing an expected distribution of values for a plurality of process parameters; obtaining a performance function relating values of the process parameters to a performance metric of the process; and using the performance function to map the probability density function to a performance probability function having the process parameters as arguments.

Abstract: Substrates to be processed are partitioned based on pre-processing data that is associated with substrates before a process step. The data is partitioned using a partition rule and the substrates are partitioned into subsets in accordance with subsets of the data obtained by the partitioning. Corrections are applied, specific to each subset. The partition rule is obtained using decision tree analysis on a training set of substrates. The decision tree analysis uses pre-processing data associated with the training substrates before they were processed, and post-processing data associated with the training substrates after being subject to the process step. The partition rule that defines the decision tree is selected from a plurality of partition rules based on a characteristic of subsets of the post-processing data. The associated corrections are obtained implicitly at the same time.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a mask rule check violation (MRC) associated with a mask feature using a detector having geometric properties corresponding to the MRC. The detector (e.g., elliptical shaped) is configured to include a curved portion to detect a curvature violation, include an enclosed area (e.g., a fully enclosed area or a partially enclosed area having an opening), include a predefined orientation axis configured to guide relative positioning of the detector with a mask feature, and include a length to detect a critical dimension violation. The orientation axis of the detector is aligned with a normal axis at a location on the mask feature. Based on the orientation axis aligned with the normal axis of the mask feature, an MRC violation is determined corresponding to a region of the mask feature that intersects the enclosed area.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring a parameter of interest from a target and associated apparatuses. The method comprises obtaining measurement acquisition data relating to measurement of a target on a production substrate during a manufacturing phase; obtaining a calibration correction database and/or a trained model having been trained on said calibration correction database, operable to correct for effects in the measurement acquisition data; correcting for effects in the measurement acquisition data using first correction data from said calibration correction database and/or using said trained model so as to obtain corrected measurement data and/or a corrected parameter of interest which is/are corrected for at least said effects; and updating said calibration correction data and/or said trained model with said corrected measurement data and/or corrected parameter of interest.

Abstract: A charged particle apparatus configured to project a multi-beam of charged particles along a multi-beam path toward a sample, the charged particle apparatus comprising: a charged particle source configured to emit a charged particle beam toward a sample; a charged particle-optical device configured to project sub-beams of a multi-beam of charged particles along the multi-beam path toward the sample, the sub-beams of the multi-beam of charged particles derived from the charged particle beam; a tube surrounding the multi-beam path configured to operate at a first potential difference from a ground potential; and a support configured to support the sample at a second potential difference from the ground potential, the first potential difference and the second potential difference having a difference so as to accelerate the multi-beam of charged particles towards the sample; wherein the first potential difference is greater than the second potential difference.

Abstract: Systems and methods for in-die metrology using target design patterns are provided. These systems and methods include selecting a target design pattern based on design data representing the design of an integrated circuit, providing design data indicative of the target design pattern to enable design data derived from the target design pattern to be added to second design data, wherein the second design data is based on the first design data. Systems and methods can further include causing structures derived from the second design data to be printed on a wafer, inspecting the structures on the wafer using a charged-particle beam tool, and identifying metrology data or process defects based on the inspection. In some embodiments the systems and methods further include causing the charged-particle beam tool, the second design data, a scanner, or photolithography equipment to be adjusted based on the identified metrology data or process defects.

Abstract: Methods for training a process model and determining ranking of simulated patterns (e.g., corresponding to hot spots). A method involves obtaining a training data set including: (i) a simulated pattern associated with a mask pattern to be printed on a substrate, (ii) inspection data of a printed pattern imaged on the substrate using the mask pattern, and (iii) measured values of a parameter of the patterning process applied during imaging of the mask pattern on the substrate; and training a machine learning model for the patterning process based on the training data set to predict a difference in a characteristic of the simulated pattern and the printed pattern. The trained machine learning model can be used for determining a ranking of hot spots. In another method a model is trained based on measurement data to predict ranking of the hot spots.

Abstract: A dark field metrology device includes an objective lens arrangement and a zeroth order block to block zeroth order radiation. The objective lens arrangement directs illumination onto a specimen to be measured and collects scattered radiation from the specimen, the scattered radiation including zeroth order radiation and higher order diffracted radiation. The dark field metrology device is operable to perform an illumination scan to scan illumination over at least two different subsets of the maximum range of illumination angles; and simultaneously perform a detection scan which scans the zeroth order block and/or the scattered radiation with respect to each other over a corresponding subset of the maximum range of detection angles during at least part of the illumination scan.