Abstract: A sensor apparatus comprising an acoustic assembly arranged to transmit an acoustic signal to a substrate and receive at least part of the acoustic signal after the acoustic signal has interacted with the substrate, a transducer arranged to convert the at least part of the acoustic signal to an electronic signal, and, a processor configured to receive the electronic signal and determine both a topography of at least part of the substrate and a position of a target of the substrate based on the electronic signal. The sensor apparatus may for part of a lithographic apparatus or a metrology apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stage apparatus comprising: an object support configured to support an object; a positioning device configured to position the object support; a first connection arrangement configured to connect the object support to the positioning device, the first connection arrangement comprising at least one damped connection; and a second connection arrangement configured to connect the object support to the positioning device, the second connection arrangement comprising at least one substantially rigid connection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cooling an objective lens of a charged-particle beam system are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the method for cooling an objective lens of a charged-particle beam system comprises receiving a fluid via a fluid input port of a bobbin, circulating the fluid that absorbs heat generated by a plurality of electromagnetic coils of the objective lens, via a plurality of channels distributed in the bobbin, and dispensing the fluid circulated by the plurality of channels via a fluid output port of the bobbin. The bobbin may further comprise a bottom flange proximal to a wafer and a top flange distal from the wafer. The bobbin having the plurality of channels may comprise an additively manufactured monolithic structure.

Abstract: Membranes for EUV lithography are disclosed. In one arrangement, a membrane has a stack having layers in the following order: a first capping layer including an oxide of a first metal; a base layer including a compound having a second metal and an additional element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, C and N; and a second capping layer including an oxide of a third metal, wherein the first metal is different from the second metal and the third metal is the same as or different from the first metal.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has: a conduit through which a gas can flow; a gas mover configured to cause the gas to flow in the conduit; a wall in contact with the gas in the conduit and defining a membrane aperture therein; and an acoustic filter including a flexible membrane fixed in the membrane aperture. The acoustic filter reduces transmission of acoustic disturbances without adding any flow resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining a stage position or correction therefor in a lithographic process. The method comprises obtaining transmission data describing the transmission of alignment radiation onto the substrate; obtaining position data relating to a stage position of said stage and/or a sensor position of said sensor. A weighting is determined for the position data based on said transmission data. The position based on said transmission data, position data and weighting.

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 method for controlling a lithographic apparatus configured to pattern an exposure field on a substrate including at least a sub-field, the method including: obtaining an initial spatial profile associated with a spatial variation of a performance parameter associated with a layer on the substrate across at least the sub-field of the exposure field; and decomposing the initial spatial profile into at least a first component spatial profile for controlling a lithographic apparatus at a first spatial scale and a second component spatial profile for controlling the lithographic apparatus at a second spatial scale associated with a size of the sub-field, wherein the decomposing includes co-optimizing the first and second component spatial profiles based on correcting the spatial variation of the performance parameter across the sub-field.

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: Disclosed is an illumination source comprising a gas delivery system being configured to provide a gas target for generating an emitted radiation at an interaction region of the gas target, and an interferometer for illuminating at least part of the gas target with an interferometer radiation to measure a property of the gas target.

Abstract: A base plate configured to be attached to a semiconductor substrate, wherein the base plate is configured to remain attached to the semiconductor substrate during a sequence of processing steps performed on the semiconductor substrate, and the base plate is made from a material having a Young's modulus larger than 300 GPa.

Abstract: A method for determining a correction for an apparatus used in a process of patterning substrates, the method including: obtaining a group structure associated with a processing history and/or similarity in fingerprint of to be processed substrates; obtaining metrology data associated with a plurality of groups within the group structure, wherein the metrology data is correlated between the groups; and determining the correction for a group out of the plurality of groups by applying a model to the metrology data, the model including at least a group-specific correction component and a common correction component.

Abstract: A method for determining a training pattern in a layout patterning process. The method includes generating a plurality of features from patterns in a pattern set; grouping the patterns in the pattern set into individual groups based on similarities in the plurality of generated features; and selecting representative patterns from the individual groups to determine the training pattern. In some embodiments, the method is a method for training a machine learning model in a layout patterning process. The method may include, for example, providing representative patterns from the individual groups to the machine learning model to train the machine learning model to predict a continuous transmission mask (CTM) map for optical proximity correction (OPC) in the layout patterning process.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimal electron beam metrology guidance are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the method may include receiving an acquired image of a sample, determining a set of image parameters based on an analysis of the acquired image, determining a set of model parameters based on the set of image parameters, generating a set of simulated images based on the set of model parameters. The method may further comprise performing measurement of critical dimensions on the set of simulated images and comparing critical dimension measurements with the set of model parameters to provide a set of guidance parameters based on comparison of information from the set of simulated images and the set of model parameters. The method may further comprise receiving auxiliary information associated with target parameters including critical dimension uniformity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pellicle assembly comprising a pellicle frame defining a surface onto which a pellicle is attached. The pellicle assembly comprises one or more three-dimensional expansion structures that allow the pellicle to expand under stress. The invention also relates to a pellicle assembly for a patterning device comprising one or more actuators for moving the pellicle assembly towards and way from the patterning device.

Abstract: A pattern grouping method may include receiving an image of a first pattern, generating a first fixed-dimensional feature vector using trained model parameters applying to the received image, and assigning the first fixed-dimensional feature vector a first bucket ID. The method may further include creating a new bucket ID for the first fixed-dimensional feature vector in response to determining that the first pattern does not belong to one of a plurality of buckets corresponding to defect patterns, or mapping the first fixed-dimensional feature vector to the first bucket ID in response to determining that the first pattern belongs to one of a plurality of buckets corresponding to defect patterns.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical component, being configured to function as an optical frequency converter in a broadband radiation source device. The optical component comprises a gas cell, and a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber at least partially enclosed within said gas cell. The local cavity volume of said gas cell, where said hollow-core photonic crystal fiber is enclosed within the gas cell, comprises a maximum value of 36 cm3 per cm of length of said hollow-core photonic crystal fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a diagnostic system configured to diagnostically interact with a current target (110c) traveling along a trajectory (TR) and before the current target enters a target space; a first detection apparatus (120) configured to detect first light; a second detection apparatus (130) configured to detect second light; and a control system (150) in communication with the first and second detection apparatuses. The first light includes: light (140) produced from an interaction between the current target and the diagnostic system, and light (142) emitted from a plasma produced by a previous target. The second light includes the light (142) emitted from the plasma produced by the previous target. The control system (150) is configured to: produce an analysis signal based on first and second signals produced from respective outputs of the first and second detection apparatuses; and estimate a property of the current target based on the produced analysis signal.

Abstract: A substrate holder for use in a lithographic apparatus, the substrate holder including: a main body; a plurality of first burls provided on a first side of the main body and having end surfaces to support a substrate, wherein the first burls each include CrN; and a plurality of second burls provided on a second side of the main body.

Abstract: Methods of performing metrology. In one arrangement a substrate has a layer. The layer comprises a two-dimensional material. A target portion of the layer is illuminated with a beam of radiation and a distribution of radiation in a pupil plane is detected to obtain measurement data. The measurement data is processed to obtain metrology information about the target portion of the layer. The illuminating, detecting and processing are performed for plural different target portions of the layer to obtain metrology information for the plural target portions of the layer.