Abstract: An image analysis method for identifying features in an image of a part of an array of features formed by a multi-step process, the method comprising: analyzing variations in features visible in the image; and associating features of the image with steps of the multi-step process based at least in part on results of the analyzing.

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 determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

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: A method is provided for determining surface parameters of a patterning device, comprising the steps of: positioning the patterning device with respect to a path of an exposure radiation beam using a first measurement system, providing the patterning device at a first focal plane of a chromatic lens arranged in a second measurement system, illuminating a part of a surface of the patterning device with radiation through the chromatic lens, wherein the radiation comprises a plurality of wavelengths, determining a position of the illuminated part of the patterning device in a first and second direction, collecting at least a portion of radiation reflected by the patterning device through the chromatic lens, measuring an intensity of the collected portion of radiation as a function of wavelength, to obtain spectral information of the illuminated area, and determining the surface parameters of the patterning device at the determined position from the spectral information.

Abstract: A system and method for generating predictive images for wafer inspection using machine learning are provided. Some embodiments of the system and method include acquiring the wafer after a photoresist applied to the wafer has been developed; imaging a portion of a segment of the developed wafer; acquiring the wafer after the wafer has been etched; imaging the segment of the etched wafer; training a machine learning model using the imaged portion of the developed wafer and the imaged segment of the etched wafer; and applying the trained machine learning model using the imaged segment of the etched wafer to generate predictive images of a developed wafer. Some embodiments include imaging a segment of the developed wafer; imaging a portion of the segment of the etched wafer; training a machine learning model; and applying the trained machine learning model to generate predictive after-etch images of the developed wafer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.

Abstract: Holding apparatus 100 for electrostatic holding component 1 (e.g., semiconductor wafer), includes base body 10 with at least one plate 10A, protruding burls 11 on upper side of plate and end faces 12 of which span a burls support plane for supporting component, and electrode device 20 in layered form in spacings between burls and insulator layer 21 which is connected to plate, dielectric layer 23 of inorganic dielectric and electrode layer 22 between insulator and dielectric layers. Between burls support plane and dielectric layer upper side, predetermined gap spacing A is set. Electrode device has openings 24 and is on plate upper side between burls, which protrude therethrough. Insulator layer includes inorganic dielectric and is connected with adhesive 13 to base body upper side between burls. Electrode device is embedded in adhesive. Spacing between burls and electrode device is filled with adhesive. A production method is also described.

Abstract: A detector may be provided with an array of sensing elements. The detector may include a semiconductor substrate including the array, and a circuit configured to count a number of charged particles incident on the detector. The circuit of the detector may be configured to process outputs from the plurality of sensing elements and increment a counter in response to a charged particle arrival event on a sensing element of the array. Various counting modes may be used. Counting may be based on energy ranges. Numbers of charged particles may be counted at a certain energy range and an overflow flag may be set when overflow is encountered in a sensing element. The circuit may be configured to determine a time stamp of respective charged particle arrival events occurring at each sensing element. Size of the sensing element may be determined based on criteria for enabling charged particle counting.

Abstract: A method including: determining a first simulated partial image formed, by a lithographic projection apparatus, from a first radiation portion propagating along a first group of one or more directions; determining a second simulated partial image formed, by the lithographic projection apparatus, from a second radiation portion propagating along a second group of one or more directions; and determining an image by incoherently adding the first partial image and the second partial image, wherein the first group of one or more directions and the second group of one or more directions are different.

Abstract: Methods for processing data from a metrology process and for obtaining calibration data are disclosed. In one arrangement, measurement data is obtained from a metrology process. The metrology process includes illuminating a target on a substrate with measurement radiation and detecting radiation redirected by the target. The measurement data includes at least a component of a detected pupil representation of an optical characteristic of the redirected radiation in a pupil plane. The method further includes analyzing the at least a component of the detected pupil representation to determine either or both of a position property and a focus property of a radiation spot of the measurement radiation relative to the target.

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor memory device comprising a plurality of memory cells for storing one or more data values, the method comprising: exposing a pattern on a wafer for creating structures for a plurality of memory cells for the semiconductor memory device, wherein the pattern is exposed by means of one or more charged particle beams; and varying an exposure dose of the one or more charged particle beams during exposure of the pattern to generate a set of one or more non-common features in one or more structures of at least one of the memory cells, so that the structures of the at least one memory cell differ from the corresponding structures of other memory cells of the semiconductor memory device.

Abstract: A method of unloading an object from a support table, the object clamped to the support table during an exposure process by: applying a first pressure to a central region of the support table under a central portion of the object; and applying a second pressure to a peripheral region of the support table under a peripheral portion of the object, wherein during clamping the first pressure and the second pressure are controlled such that liquid is retained between the object and a seal member that is positioned radially between the central region and the peripheral region at an upper surface of the support table and protrudes towards the object, the method including: increasing the first pressure towards ambient pressure; removing at least some of the liquid retained between the object and the seal member by decreasing the second pressure; and increasing the second pressure towards the ambient pressure.

Abstract: A coupling arrangement including a first fitting, a second fitting, and a rotational coupler which when turned presses the first fitting against the second fitting, in which the fittings engage rotationally to inhibit relative rotation of the fittings. For example, one of the fittings may have protrusions and the other fitting may have recesses arranged to receive the protrusions.

Abstract: A wafer inspection system is disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the system includes an electron detector that includes circuitry to detect secondary electrons or backscattered electrons (SE/BSE) emitted from a wafer. The electron beam system also includes a current detector that includes circuitry to detect an electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) from the wafer. The electron beam system further includes a controller having one or more processors and a memory, the controller including circuitry to: acquire data regarding the SE/BSE; acquire data regarding the EBIC; and determine structural information of the wafer based on an evaluation of the SE/BSE data and the EBIC data.

Abstract: A method includes exposing number of fields on a substrate, obtaining data about a field and correcting exposure of the field in subsequent exposures. The method includes defining one or more sub-fields of the field based on the obtained data. Data relating to each sub-field is processed to produce sub-field correction information. A subsequent exposure of the one or more sub-fields is corrected using the sub-field correction information. By controlling a lithographic apparatus by reference to data of a particular sub-field within a field, overlay error can be reduced or minimized for a critical feature, rather than being averaged over the whole field. By controlling a lithographic apparatus with reference to a sub-field rather than only the whole field, a residual error can be reduced in each sub-field.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for a metrology measurement on an area of a substrate comprising at least a portion of a target structure. The method comprises receiving a radiation information representing a portion of radiation scattered by the are, and using a filter in a Fourier domain for removing or suppressing at least a portion of the received radiation information that does not relate to radiation that has been scattered by the target structure for obtaining a filtered radiation information for the metrology measurement, wherein characteristics of the filter are based on target information about the target structure.

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 modeled 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 patterning device, includes: an absorber layer on a patterning device substrate; and a reflective or transmissive layer on the patterning device substrate, wherein the absorber layer and the reflective or transmissive layer together define a pattern layout having a main feature and an attenuated sub-resolution assist feature paired with the main feature, wherein: the main feature is configured to generate, upon transferring the device pattern to a layer of patterning material on a substrate, the main feature in the layer of patterning material, and upon the transferring the pattern to the layer of patterning material, the attenuated sub-resolution assist feature is configured to avoid generating a feature in the layer of patterning material and to produce a different radiation intensity than the main feature.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is provided having a substrate table including a drain configured to receive immersion fluid which leaks into a gap between an edge of a substrate on the substrate table and an edge of a recess in which the substrate is located. A thermal conditioning system is provided to thermally condition at least the portion of the recess supporting the substrate by directing one or more jets of fluid onto a reverse side of the section supporting the substrate.