Abstract: A wafer metrology system including a dynamic sampling scheme configured to optimize a sampling rate for measurement of process wafers in an IC fabrication flow based on process capability index data as well as measurement history data. For a stable process, the process wafers may be sampled at a lower rate without negatively affecting quality control.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a light integrator of a photolithography system, wherein the photolithography system comprises a light source for illuminating different fields of a photosensitive layer and a light integrator for measuring the actual exposure doses of the illuminated fields, comprises the step of illuminating different fields of the photosensitive layer in succession. In each illumination step the actual exposure dose is measured by means of the light integrator, the actual exposure time (actualTime) is controlled so that the actual exposure dose to which a field of the photosensitive layer is exposed corresponds to a desired exposure dose, and the actual exposure time (actualTime) is fed to a monitoring system for in-line monitoring the light integrator during illumination of the fields.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a light integrator of a photolithography system, wherein the photolithography system comprises a light source for illuminating different fields of a photosensitive layer and a light integrator for measuring the actual exposure doses of the illuminated fields, comprises the step of illuminating different fields of the photosensitive layer in succession. In each illumination step the actual exposure dose is measured by means of the light integrator, the actual exposure time (actualTime) is controlled so that the actual exposure dose to which a field of the photosensitive layer is exposed corresponds to a desired exposure dose, and the actual exposure time (actualTime) is fed to a monitoring system for in-line monitoring the light integrator during illumination of the fields.