Abstract: A multi-beam manipulator device operates on sub-beams of a multi-beam to deflect the sub-beam paths. The device include: an electrode as pairs of parallel surfaces. Each pair of parallel surfaces includes a first surface that is arranged along a side of a corresponding line of sub-beam paths and a second surface that is arranged parallel to the first surface and along an opposite side of the corresponding line of sub-beam paths. A first pair of parallel surfaces is configured to electrostatically interact with an entire line of sub-beams in the multi-beam so that it is capable of applying a deflection amount to the paths of sub-beams in a first direction. A second pair of parallel surfaces is configured to electro-statically interact with an entire line of sub-beams in the multi-beam so that it is capable of applying another deflection amount to the paths of sub-beams in a second direction.

Abstract: Embodiments herein describe methods, devices, and systems for a reticle gripper damper and isolation system for handling reticles and reducing vibrations in a reticle handler for lithography apparatuses and systems. A reticle handler apparatus includes a reticle handler arm, a reticle baseplate configured to hold the reticle, and a gripper arranged to connect the reticle baseplate to the reticle handler arm. The gripper includes a static structure that is coupled to the reticle handler arm, an isolation structure that is coupled to the static structure, and one or more damping elements. The gripper is configured to reduce vibrations of the reticle in the reticle handler apparatus using the one or more damping elements.

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 including: determining a sequence of states of an object, the states determined based on processing information associated with the object, wherein the sequence of states includes one or more future states of the object; determining, based on at least one of the states within the sequence of states and the one or more future states, a process metric associated with the object, the process metric including an indication of whether processing requirements for the object are satisfied for individual states in the sequence of states; and initiating an adjustment to processing based on (1) at least one of the states and the one or more future states and (2) the process metric, the adjustment configured to enhance the process metric for the individual states in the sequence of states such that final processing requirements for the object are satisfied.

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 he 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: A substrate support for supporting a substrate in a lithographic apparatus, the substrate support including: a support body configured to support the substrate; a main body separate from the support body and configured to support the support body, the main body including a thermal conditioner configured to thermally condition the main body and/or support body and/or substrate; and an extractor body surrounding the main body and the support body, the extractor body having an extraction channel configured to extract fluid from near a peripheral part of the substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus and associated method of controlling a lithographic process. The lithographic apparatus has a controller configured to define a control grid associated with positioning of a substrate within the lithographic apparatus. The control grid is based on a device layout, associated with a patterning device, defining a device pattern which is to be, and/or has been, applied to the substrate in a lithographic process.

Abstract: Methods and arrangement for clamping substrates to a support using adhesive material area disclosed. The method comprises providing a support comprising a first surface defining a plane; applying adhesive material on at least portions of the first surface; and placing the substrate onto the adhesive material, wherein the adhesive material forms a plurality of support locations supporting the substrate. Preferably the adhesive material is cured at least partly during the application of a substantially uniformly distributed force to the substrate in the direction of the support. The arrangements comprise a support comprising a first surface, for supporting the substrate via adhesive material, whereby the first surface defines a plane. Preferably it also comprises an arrangement for providing electromagnetic radiation, thermal energy, and/or a chemical substance to the adhesive material, and an arrangement for providing a substantially uniformly distributed force to the substrate in the direction of the support.

Abstract: A substrate with a backside surface configured to provide a friction switch when the substrate is loaded onto a substrate holder in a substrate-loading cycle, wherein the substrate backside surface has a molecular assembly including at least one high-interaction region and at least one low-interaction region. Further, there is provided methods using such a substrate and methods for creating such a substrate.

Abstract: Described is a metrology system for determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate, and associated method. The metrology system comprises a processor being configured to computationally determine phase and amplitude information from a detected characteristic of scattered radiation having been reflected or scattered by the at least one structure as a result of illumination of said at least one structure with illumination radiation in a measurement acquisition, and use the determined phase and amplitude to determine the characteristic of interest.

Abstract: Method of exposing a substrate by a patterned radiation beam, comprising: —providing a radiation beam; —imparting the radiation beam by an array of individually controllable elements; —generating, from the radiation beam, a patterned radiation beam, by tilting the individually controllable elements between different positions about a tilting axis; —projecting the patterned radiation beam towards a substrate; —scanning a substrate across the patterned radiation beam in a scanning direction so as to expose the substrate to the patterned radiation beam, whereby the tilting axis of the individually controllable elements is substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a radiation receiving apparatus provided with an opening operable to receive radiation from a radiation source through the opening; wherein the radiation receiving apparatus comprises a deflection apparatus arranged to change a trajectory of a particle through the opening arriving at the radiation receiving apparatus.

Abstract: A method of inferring a value for at least one local uniformity metric relating to a product structure, the method including: obtaining intensity data including an intensity image relating to at least one diffraction order obtained from a measurement on a target; obtaining at least one intensity distribution from the intensity image; determining, from the at least one intensity distribution, an intensity indicator expressing a variation of either intensity over the at least one diffraction order, or a difference in intensity between two complimentary diffraction orders over the intensity image; and inferring the value for the at least one local uniformity metric from the intensity indicator.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring a periodic structure on a substrate with illumination radiation having at least one wavelength, the periodic structure having at least one pitch. The method comprises configuring, based on a ratio of said pitch and said wavelength, one or more of: an illumination aperture profile comprising one or more illumination regions in Fourier space; an orientation of the periodic structure for a measurement; and a detection aperture profile comprising one or more separated detection regions in Fourier space. This configuration is such that: i) diffracted radiation of at least a pair of complementary diffraction orders is captured within the detection aperture profile, and ii) said diffracted radiation fills at least 80% of the one or more separated detection regions. The periodic structure is measured while applying the configured one or more of illumination aperture profile, detection aperture profile and orientation of the periodic structure.

Abstract: Detectors and detection systems are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a detector comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of sensing elements including a first sensing element and a second sensing element, wherein at least the first sensing element is formed in a triangular shape. The detector may include a switching region configured to connect the first sensing 5 element and the second sensing element. There may also be provided a plurality of sections including a first section connecting a first plurality of sensing elements to a first output and a second section connecting a second plurality of sensing elements to a second output. The section may be provided in a hexagonal shape.

Abstract: The invention provides an assembly comprising a cryostat (6, 7, 8, 9) and a flat coil layer (3) of superconducting coils (2) for use with a magnetic levitation and/or acceleration motor system (1) of a lithographic apparatus. The cryostat comprises two insulation coverings (8, 9). The coil layer is arranged between the two coverings. The coverings each comprise an inner plate (10) configured to be cryocooled and an outer plate (11) parallel to the inner plate, and an insulation system with a vacuum layer (13) between the inner and outer plate. The insulation system of said covering comprises a layer of circular bodies (101), the central axes of these bodies extending perpendicular to the inner and outer plate, and is configured to provide a layer of point contacts between two layers of circular bodies or between a layer of circular bodies and the inner and/or outer plate.

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 yielded unacceptable patterned structures on the one or more substrates at corresponding inspection locations.

Abstract: A method of determining a correction for a process parameter related to a lithographic process, wherein the lithographic process includes a plurality of runs during each one of which a pattern is applied to one or more substrates. The method of determining includes obtaining pre-exposure metrology data describing a property of a substrate; obtaining post-exposure metrology data comprising one or more measurements of the process parameter having been performed on one or more previously exposed substrates; assigning, based on the pre-exposure metrology data, a group membership status from one or more groups to the substrate; and determining the correction for the process parameter based on the group membership status and the post-exposure metrology data.

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus supporting a plurality of operation modes is disclosed. The charged particle beam apparatus for inspecting a sample supporting a plurality of operation modes comprises a charged particle beam source configured to emit a charged particle beam along a primary optical axis, a movable aperture plate, movable between a first position and a second position, and a controller having circuitry and configured to change the configuration of the apparatus to switch between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the movable aperture plate is positioned in the first position and is configured to allow a first charged particle beamlet derived from the charged particle beam to pass through. In the second mode, the movable aperture plate is positioned in the second position and is configured to allow the first charged particle beamlet and a second charged particle beamlet to pass through.

Abstract: A method for determining an inspection strategy for at least one substrate, the method including: quantifying, using a prediction model, a compliance metric value for a compliance metric relating to a prediction of compliance with a quality requirement based on one or both of pre-processing data associated with the substrate and any available post-processing data associated with the at least one substrate; and deciding on an inspection strategy for the at least one substrate, based on the compliance metric value, an expected cost associated with the inspection strategy and at least one objective value describing an expected value of the inspection strategy in terms of at least one objective relating to the prediction model.