Abstract: Some embodiments are related to a method of or apparatus for forming an image of a buried structure that includes: emitting primary charged particles from a source; receiving a plurality of secondary charged particles from a sample; and forming an image based on received secondary charged particles that have an energy within a first range.

Abstract: Apparatuses and systems for damping vibration of a vacuum vessel mounted with a pump include a pump body and a damping element coupled to the pump body, wherein the pump body and the damping element form a mass-based damper, and wherein the pump body forms a mass component of the mass-based damper; and the damping element forms a damping component of the mass-based damper. The apparatuses and systems also include a pump body configured to be secured to a column of a charged-particle inspection apparatus, a sensor coupled to the pump body, an actuator coupled to the pump body, and a circuitry communicatively coupled to the sensor and the actuator for receiving motion data indicative of a vibration of the column; determining a damping based on the motion data; and actuate the actuator to react to the vibration of the column in accordance with the damping.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for generating a beam for inspecting a wafer positioned on a stage in a charged particle beam system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a controller may include circuitry configured to classify a plurality of regions along a stripe of the wafer by type of region, the stripe being larger than a field of view of the beam, wherein the classification of the plurality of regions includes a first type of region and a second type of region; and scan the wafer by controlling a speed of the stage based on the type of region, wherein the first type of region is scanned at a first speed and the second type of region is scanned at a second speed.

Abstract: Systems and methods of observing a sample using an electron beam apparatus are disclosed. The electron beam apparatus comprises an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam along a primary optical axis, and a first electron detector having a first detection layer substantially parallel to the primary optical axis and configured to detect a first portion of a plurality of signal electrons generated from a probe spot on a sample. The method may comprise generating a plurality of signal electrons and detecting the signal electrons using the first electron detector substantially parallel to the primary optical axis of the primary electron beam. A method of configuring an electrostatic element or a magnetic element to detect backscattered electrons may include disposing an electron detector on an inner surface of the electrostatic or magnetic element and depositing a conducting layer on the inner surface of the electron detector.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method including: providing a stack having a planar substrate and at least one membrane layer, wherein the planar substrate includes an inner region and a border region around the inner region; and selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate. The membrane assembly includes: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer; and a border holding the membrane, the border formed from the border region of the planar substrate. The stack is provided with a mechanical protection material configured to mechanically protect the border region during the selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate.

Abstract: A radiation source arrangement causes interaction between pump radiation (340) and a gaseous medium (406) to generate EUV or soft x-ray radiation by higher harmonic generation (HHG). The operating condition of the radiation source arrangement is monitored by detecting (420/430) third radiation (422) resulting from an interaction between condition sensing radiation and the medium. The condition sensing radiation (740) may be the same as the first radiation or it may be separately applied. The third radiation may be for example a portion of the condition sensing radiation that is reflected or scattered by a vacuum-gas boundary, or it may be lower harmonics of the HHG process, or fluorescence, or scattered. The sensor may include one or more image detectors so that spatial distribution of intensity and/or the angular distribution of the third radiation may be analyzed. Feedback control based on the determined operating condition stabilizes operation of the HHG source.

Abstract: A method involving obtaining a resist deformation model for simulating a deformation process of a pattern in resist, the resist deformation model being a fluid dynamics model configured to simulate an intrafluid force acting on the resist, performing, using the resist deformation model, a computer simulation of the deformation process to obtain a deformation of the developed resist pattern for an input pattern to the resist deformation model, and producing electronic data representing the deformation of the developed resist pattern for the input pattern.

Abstract: A system (400) includes an illumination system (402), a detector (404), and a comparator (406). The illumination system includes a radiation source (408) and a spatial light modulator (410). The radiation source generates a beam of radiation (442). The spatial light modulator directs the beam toward a surface (436) of an object (428) and adjusts a spatial intensity distribution of the beam at the surface. The detector receives radiation (444) scattered at the surface and by a structure (434) near the surface. The detector generates a detection signal based on the received radiation. The comparator receives the detection signal, generates a first image based on the detection signal, and distinguishes between a spurious signal and a signal corresponding to a presence of a foreign particle on the surface based on the first image and the adjusted spatial intensity distribution.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a module for supporting a device configured to manipulate charged particle paths in a charged particle apparatus, the module comprising: a support arrangement configured to support the device, wherein the device is configured to manipulate a charged particle path within the charged particle apparatus; and a support positioning system configured to move the support arrangement within the module; wherein the module is arranged to be field replaceable in the charged particle apparatus.

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: A method for controlling a process of manufacturing semiconductor devices, the method including: obtaining a first control grid associated with a first lithographic apparatus used for a first patterning process for patterning a first substrate; obtaining a second control grid associated with a second lithographic apparatus used for a second patterning process for patterning a second substrate; based on the first control grid and second control grid, determining a common control grid definition for a bonding step for bonding the first substrate and second substrate to obtain a bonded substrate; obtaining bonded substrate metrology data including data relating to metrology performed on the bonded substrate; and determining a correction for performance of the bonding step based on the bonded substrate metrology data, the determining a correction including determining a co-optimized correction for the bonding step and for the first patterning process and/or second patterning process.

Abstract: A method for training a machine learning model to generate a characteristic pattern, the method includes obtaining training data associated with a reference feature in a reference image. The training data includes (i) location data of each portion of the reference feature, and (ii) a presence value indicating whether the portion of the reference feature is located within a reference assist feature generated for the reference feature. The method includes training the machine learning model to predict a presence value based on the actual presence value in the training data. The predicted presence value indicates whether a portion of a feature (e.g., a skeleton point on a skeleton of a contour of the feature) is to be covered by an assist feature. The training is performed based on the training data such that a metric between a predicted presence value and the presence value is minimized.

Abstract: An object holder configured to support an object, the object holder including: a core body comprising a plurality of burls having distal ends in a support plane for supporting the object; and an electrostatic sheet between the burls, the electrostatic sheet comprising an electrode sandwiched between dielectric layers, wherein the electrostatic sheet is bonded to the core body by a bonding material having a thickness of at least 100 nm.

Abstract: A position measurement system including a first interferometer and a second interferometer arranged to determine a distance of the object in a first direction when the object is in a first measurement area by emitting beams onto a target surface of the object. The position measurement system further has a third interferometer and a fourth interferometer arranged to determine a distance of the object in the first direction when the object is in a second measurement area by emitting beams onto the target surface of the object. An arrangement of relative positions in a second direction of beams spots impinging on the target surface from the beams emitted by the first and second interferometers is different from an arrangement of relative positions in the second direction of beams spots impinging on the target surface from the beams emitted by the third and fourth interferometers.

Abstract: An electron beam apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises an e-beam source configured to generate an electron beam, a first part configured to support a substrate, the first part comprising an object table for supporting the substrate, the first part further comprising a short stroke actuator system for actuating the object table relative to the e-beam source, the short stroke actuator system comprising a short stroke forcer. The apparatus further comprises a second part configured to movably support the first part and a long stroke actuator system configured to actuate movement of the first part with respect to the second part, the long stroke actuator system comprising a long stroke forcer, wherein the short stroke forcer and/or the long stroke forcer is configured to be switched off while the electron beam is projected onto the substrate.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for determining overlay of a pattern on a substrate with a mask pattern defined in a resist layer on top of the pattern on the substrate. A first grating is provided under a second grating, each having substantially identical pitch to the other, together forming a composite grating. A first illumination beam is provided under an angle of incidence along a first horizontal direction. The intensity of a diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. A second illumination beam is provided under the angle of incidence along a second horizontal direction. The second horizontal direction is opposite to the first horizontal direction. The intensity of the diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. The difference between the diffracted beam from the first illumination beam and the diffracted beam from the second illumination beam, linearly scaled, results in the overlay error.

Abstract: A method for determining a target feature in a model of a patterning process based on local electric fields estimated for the patterning process is described. The method includes obtaining a mask stack region of interest. The mask stack region of interest has one or more characteristics associated with propagation of electromagnetic waves through the mask stack region of interest. The mask stack region of interest includes the target feature. The method includes estimating a local electric field based on the one or more characteristics associated with the propagation of electromagnetic waves through the mask stack region of interest. The local electric field is estimated for a portion of the mask stack region of interest in proximity to the target feature. The method includes determining the target feature based on the estimated local electric field.

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: The invention relates to a method for determining a beamlet position in a charged particle multi-beamlet exposure apparatus. The apparatus is provided with a sensor comprising a conversion clement for converting charged particle energy into light and a light sensitive detector. The conversion element is provided with a sensor surface area provided with a 2D-pattern of beamlet blocking and non-blocking regions. The method comprises taking a plurality of measurements and determining the position of the beamlet with respect to the 2D-pattern on the basis of a 2D-image created by means of the measurements. Each measurement comprises exposing a feature onto a portion of the 2D-pattern with a beamlet, wherein the feature position differs for each measurement, receiving light transmitted through the non-blocking regions, converting the received light into a light intensity value, and assigning the light intensity value to the position at which the measurement was taken.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lithography system, for example for projecting an image or an image pattern on to a target (1) such as a wafer, said target being included in said system by means of a target table (2), clamping means being present for clamping said target on said table. Said clamping means comprises a layer of stationary liquid (3), included at such thickness between target and target table that, provided the material of the liquid (C) and of the respective contacting faces (A, B) of the target (1) and target table (2), a pressure drop (PCap) arises.