Abstract: A substrate shape measuring device, including: a substrate support to support a substrate having a main surface, the main surface of the substrate when supported by the substrate support substantially extending in a first plane; one or more sensor assemblies, each including a light emitter to emit light along a light axis substantially parallel to the first plane and a light sensor arranged to receive the light; and a processing device arranged to determine a shape of the substrate, wherein the substrate shape measuring device is constructed to measure with the one or more sensor assemblies in at least a first measurement direction with respect to the substrate substantially parallel to the first plane and a second measurement direction with respect to the substrate substantially parallel to the first plane.

Abstract: A pellicle membrane for a lithographic apparatus, the membrane including uncapped carbon nanotubes. A method of regenerating a pellicle membrane, the method including decomposing a precursor compound and depositing at least some of the products of decomposition onto the pellicle membrane. A method of reducing the etch rate of a pellicle membrane, the method including providing an electric field in the region of the pellicle membrane to redirect ions from the pellicle, or heating elements to desorb radicals from the pellicle, preferably wherein the pellicle membrane is a carbon nanotube pellicle membrane. An assembly for a lithographic apparatus, the assembly including a biased electrode near or including the pellicle membrane or heating means for the pellicle membrane.

Abstract: Methods of identifying a hot spot from a design layout or of predicting whether a pattern in a design layout is defective, using a machine learning model. An example method disclosed herein includes obtaining sets of one or more characteristics of performance of hot spots, respectively, under a plurality of process conditions, respectively, in a device manufacturing process; determining, for each of the process conditions, for each of the hot spots, based on the one or more characteristics under that process condition, whether that hot spot is defective; obtaining a characteristic of each of the process conditions; obtaining a characteristic of each of the hot spots; and training a machine learning model using a training set including the characteristic of one of the process conditions, the characteristic of one of the hot spots, and whether that hot spot is defective under that process condition.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining information about a target structure are disclosed. In one arrangement, a value of an asymmetry indicator for the target structure is obtained. The value of the asymmetry indicator represents an amount of an overlay independent asymmetry in the target structure. An error in an initial overlay measurement performed on the target structure at a previous time is estimated. The estimation is performed using the obtained value of the asymmetry indicator and a relationship between values of the asymmetry indicator and overlay measurement errors caused at least partially by overlay independent asymmetries. An overlay in the target structure is determined using the initial overlay measurement and the estimated error.

Abstract: Described herein are methods of determining an alignment model associated with a mark layout. A method includes obtaining (a) first measurement data a relatively dense mark layout (e.g., more than 200 marks) in comparison with a relatively sparse mark layout (e.g., less than 65 marks) and a second measurement data associated with the relatively sparse mark layout, and (b) a first fitted model that describes object deformation for the relatively dense overlay mark layout; and determining the alignment model based on a second fitted model that describes object deformation for the relatively sparse mark layout, via an fitting technique, based on generalized squares fitting employing an oblique inner product matrix (e.g., W) or an oblique projection least squares fitting employing an oblique projection matrix (e.g., P).

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: Systems and methods for reducing prediction uncertainty in a prediction model associated with a patterning process are described. These may be used in calibrating a process model associated with the patterning process, for example. Reducing the uncertainty in the prediction model may include determining a prediction uncertainty parameter based on prediction data. The prediction data may be determined using the prediction model. The prediction model may have been calibrated with calibration data. The prediction uncertainty parameter may be associated with variation in the prediction data. Reducing the uncertainty in the prediction model may include selecting a subset of process data based on the prediction uncertainty parameter; and recalibrating the prediction model using the calibration data and the selected subset of the process data.

Abstract: An illumination and detection apparatus for a metrology tool, and associated method. The apparatus includes an illumination arrangement operable to produce measurement illumination having a plurality of discrete wavelength bands and having a spectrum having no more than a single peak within each wavelength band. The detection arrangement includes a detection beamsplitter to split scattered radiation into a plurality of channels, each channel corresponding to a different one of the wavelength bands; and at least one detector for separate detection of each channel.

Abstract: A device manufacturing method including: performing a first exposure on a substrate using a first lithographic apparatus to form a first patterned layer including first features; processing the substrate to transfer the first features into the substrate; and performing a second exposure on the substrate using a second lithographic apparatus to form a second patterned layer including second features, wherein: the first lithographic apparatus has first and second control inputs effective to control first and second parameters of the first features at least partly independently; the second lithographic apparatus has a third control input effective to control the first and second parameters of the second features together; and the first exposure is performed with the first and/or second control input set to pre-bias the first and/or second parameter.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a substrate stage for supporting a structure in a compartment, the compartment having a compartment surface facing a top surface of the substrate in at least one operational configuration; and a soft coating on the compartment surface for capturing particles. A heat shield or component thereof for a lithographic apparatus, the heat shield or component thereof including a soft coating on at least one surface for capturing particles and a lithographic apparatus including such a heat shield.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element. The detector comprises a switching element configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

Abstract: A method includes projecting an illumination beam of radiation onto a metrology target on a substrate, detecting radiation reflected from the metrology target on the substrate, and determining a characteristic of a feature on the substrate based on the detected radiation, wherein a polarization state of the detected radiation is controllably selected to optimize a quality of the detected radiation.

Abstract: Parameters of a structure (900) are measured by reconstruction from observed diffracted radiation. The method includes the steps: (a) defining a structure model to represent the structure in a two- or three-dimensional model space; (b) using the structure model to simulate interaction of radiation with the structure; and (c) repeating step (b) while varying parameters of the structure model. The structure model is divided into a series of slices (a-f) along at least a first dimension (Z) of the model space. By the division into slices, a sloping face (904, 906) of at least one sub-structure is approximated by a series of steps (904?, 906?) along at least a second dimension of the model space (X). The number of slices may vary dynamically as the parameters vary. The number of steps approximating said sloping face is maintained constant. Additional cuts (1302, 1304) are introduced, without introducing corresponding steps.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising: generating a plurality of probe spots on a sample by a plurality of beams of charged particles; while scanning the plurality of probe spots across a region on the sample, recording from the plurality of probe spots a plurality of sets of signals respectively representing interactions of the plurality of beams of charged particles and the sample; generating a plurality of images of the region respectively from the plurality of sets of signals; and generating a composite image of the region from the plurality of images.

Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metrology apparatus comprising an optical element configured to receive at or near a pupil plane of the metrology apparatus, at least first radiation comprising a first higher diffracted order and second radiation comprising a zeroth order resulting from illumination of a metrology target with radiation; and to direct said first radiation and second radiation together in a first direction. The metrology apparatus is further configured to form at least a first image of a first interference pattern, the first interference pattern resulting from interference of said first radiation and second radiation at an image plane.

Abstract: An improved particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus including an improved load lock unit is disclosed. An improved load lock system may comprise a plurality of supporting structures configured to support a wafer and a conditioning plate including a heat transfer element configured to adjust a temperature of the wafer. The load lock system may further comprise a gas vent configured to provide a gas between the conditioning plate and the wafer and a controller configured to assist with the control of the heat transfer element.

Abstract: A charged particle beam system may include a primary source, a secondary source, and a controller. The primary source may be configured to emit a charged particle beam along an optical axis onto a region of a sample. The secondary source may be configured to irradiate the region of the sample. The controller may be configured to control the charged particle beam system to change a parameter of an output of the secondary source. A method of imaging may include emitting a charged particle beam onto a region of a sample, irradiating the region of the sample with a secondary source, and changing a parameter of an output of the secondary source. A method of detecting defects may include inspecting a sample, generating a first defect distribution, and generating a second defect distribution.

Abstract: A mode control system and method for controlling an output mode of a broadband radiation source including a photonic crystal fiber (PCF). The mode control system includes at least one detection unit configured to measure one or more parameters of radiation emitted from the broadband radiation source to generate measurement data, and a processing unit configured to evaluate mode purity of the radiation emitted from the broadband radiation source, from the measurement data. Based on the evaluation, the mode control system is configured to generate a control signal for optimization of one or more pump coupling conditions of the broadband radiation source. The one or more pump coupling conditions relate to the coupling of a pump laser beam with respect to a fiber core of the photonic crystal fiber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pellicle membrane, the method including: providing a first sacrificial layer on a planar substrate to form a stack; and providing, to at least a portion of the stack, at least one metal silicide or doped metal silicide pellicle core layer which forms at least part of the pellicle membrane is described. Also described is a pellicle membrane assembly having a substrate, a first sacrificial layer, and at least one metal silicide or doped metal silicide pellicle layer which forms at least part of a pellicle core, as well as a lithography apparatus including such a pellicle.