Abstract: The present document relates to a method of monitoring an overlay or alignment between a first and second layer of a semiconductor using a scanning probe microscopy system. The method comprises scanning the substrate surface using a probe tip for obtaining a measurement of a topography of the first and second layer in at least one scanning direction. At least one pattern template is generated which is matched with the topography of the first layer for determining a first candidate pattern. The first candidate pattern is matched with the measured second topography for obtaining a second candidate pattern to represent the measured topography of the second layer. Feature characteristics of device features are determined from both the first and second candidate pattern, and these are used to calculate one or more overlay parameters or alignment parameters.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining a property of a structure fabricated on a substrate, by: determining a measured characteristic from pixels of a measured pupil image of the structure, the measured characteristic having less information than the measured pupil image; generating an initial simulated characteristic corresponding to the measured characteristic and based on a candidate model of the structure; comparing the measured characteristic to the simulated characteristic in an iterative method until a difference therebetween is less than a coarse threshold; generating an initial simulated pupil image based on the coarse model as the candidate model; comparing at least a portion of the measured pupil image to at least a portion of the simulated pupil image in an iterative method until a difference therebetween is less than a fine threshold.

Abstract: A coating method for coating a treatment liquid having a viscosity of 5 cp or less on a substrate includes rotating the substrate, increasing a rotation speed of the substrate while discharging the treatment liquid on the substrate from a nozzle, and repeating at least twice increasing and decreasing the rotation speed of the substrate while discharging the treatment liquid on the substrate from the nozzle.