Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is described having a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and a substrate with liquid, a barrier member arranged to substantially contain the liquid within the space, and a heater.

Abstract: Method for measuring a height map of a test, including measuring a coarse height map of the test surface with a pre-map sensor provided to an optical profiler with a relatively long working distance and/or a large field of view, storing the coarse height map in a memory, subdividing the coarse height map into sections appropriate for the field of view of a high resolution optical profiler sensor provided to the optical profiler, calculating corresponding X, Y and Z positions for the optical profiler sensor with respect to the test surface, calculating a trajectory in the X, Y, Z-direction for the optical profiler sensor with respect to the test surface using the calculated X, Y, Z-positions, moving the optical profiler in the X, Y, Z-direction with respect to the test surface according to the trajectory, and measuring a high accuracy height map with the high resolution optical profiler sensor.

Abstract: Provided is a method for calculating a height map of a sample comprising a body of a transparent material having a refractive index with an inclined or curved surface, the body being provided on an underlying surface extending laterally from underneath the body. The method may include positioning a first area of a body of a transparent material with an inclined or curved surface and a second area of the underlying surface extending laterally from underneath the body under an optical profiler, measuring a height map of the first area and the second area with the optical profiler; and calculating a height map of the inclined or curved surface by using the refractive index, the measured height map of the first area and the second area.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is described having a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and a substrate with liquid, a barrier member arranged to substantially contain the liquid within the space, and a heater.

Abstract: Method of determining a property of a sample from a correlogram obtainable by scanning of a surface of the sample through a focal plane of an objective using broad-band interferometry is provided. The correlogram may be displaying interference radiation intensity as a function of the scanning distance from the surface. The correlogram may be correlated with a secondary correlogram to obtain a cross correlogram or with the same correlogram to obtain an autocorrelogram. A property of the sample may be determined from the auto or cross correlogram.

Abstract: A method of measurement of at-resolution overlay offset may be implemented in a scatterometer. At least three targets are provided on a wafer, each target comprising a first marker grating and a second interleaved marker grating and each target having a different overlay bias between its first and second marker. The first and second markers are provided by subsequent lithography steps in a double patterning lithographic process. The targets are measured with a scatterometer and for each target a measured CD of at least one of the markers is determined using reconstruction. The CD of the first marker may be fixed in the reconstruction. The measured CDs and at least one of the overlay biases is used to determine an overlay result corresponding to a minimum measured CD. The overlay result may be determined by fitting a function such as a parabola to the measured CDs and the overlay biases and determining the overlay at the minimum of the fitted function.

Abstract: An interferometer system to generate an interference signal of a surface of a sample includes a broadband illuminator to provide a broadband illumination beam, a beam splitter to split the broadband illumination beam in a reference beam for reflection on a reference reflector and a measurement beam for reflection on the surface of the sample, and a detector to receive an interference radiation intensity created between the reference beam reflected from the reference reflector and the reflected measurement beam from the surface of the sample to generate an interference signal. The interferometer system having a continuous variable broadband reflector in the beam splitter and/or the reference reflector to adjust the broadband radiation intensity balance between the measurement beam and the reference beam.

Abstract: In order to determine whether an exposure apparatus is outputting the correct dose of radiation and its projection system is focusing the radiation correctly, a test pattern is used on a mask for printing a specific marker onto a substrate. This marker is then measured by an inspection apparatus, such as a scatterometer, to determine whether there are errors in focus and dose and other related properties. The test pattern is configured such that changes in focus and dose may be easily determined by measuring the properties of a pattern that is exposed using the mask. The test pattern may be a 2D pattern where physical or geometric properties, e.g., pitch, are different in each of the two dimensions. The test pattern may also be a one-dimensional pattern made up of an array of structures in one dimension, the structures being made up of at least one substructure, the substructures reacting differently to focus and dose and giving rise to an exposed pattern from which focus and dose may be determined.

Abstract: In order to determine whether an exposure apparatus is outputting the correct dose of radiation and its projection system is focusing the radiation correctly, a test pattern is used on a mask for printing a specific marker onto a substrate. This marker is then measured by an inspection apparatus, such as a scatterometer, to determine whether there are errors in focus and dose and other related properties. The test pattern is configured such that changes in focus and dose may be easily determined by measuring the properties of a pattern that is exposed using the mask. The test pattern may be a 2D pattern where physical or geometric properties, e.g., pitch, are different in each of the two dimensions. The test pattern may also be a one-dimensional pattern made up of an array of structures in one dimension, the structures being made up of at least one substructure, the substructures reacting differently to focus and dose and giving rise to an exposed pattern from which focus and dose may be determined.

Abstract: During a multiple patterning process every nth element of the pattern is removed. The removal of the elements of the patterns happens after the pattern has been printed into the radiation sensitive material or etched into substrate. Advantageously, the original mask is not varied, and another exposure step is used to remove the elements of the pattern.

Abstract: During a multiple patterning process every nth element of the pattern is removed. The removal of the elements of the patterns happens after the pattern has been printed into the radiation sensitive material or etched into substrate. Advantageously, the original mask is not varied, and another exposure step is used to remove the elements of the pattern.

Abstract: Method of determining a property of a sample from a correlogram obtainable by scanning of a surface of the sample through a focal plane of an objective using broad-band interferometry is provided. The correlogram may be displaying interference radiation intensity as a function of the scanning distance from the surface. The correlogram may be correlated with a secondary correlogram to obtain a cross correlogram or with the same correlogram to obtain an autocorrelogram. A property of the sample may be determined from the auto or cross correlogram.

Abstract: A plurality of targets including a second population superimposed on a first population are formed. In the first target the second population has an asymmetry with respect to the first population. In the second target the second population has a different asymmetry with respect to the first population. Reflected radiation is detected from both the targets and used to determine different characteristics of the underlying populations.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a substrate with first and second layers thereon is disclosed. The method includes directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation at an acute angle towards an edge of the layers, detecting scattered and/or reflected electromagnetic radiation, and establishing, from results of the detecting, whether an edge of the second layer overlaps an edge of the first layer.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is described having a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and a substrate with liquid, a barrier member arranged to substantially contain the liquid within the space, and one or more elements to control and/or compensate for evaporation of liquid from the substrate.

Abstract: A method for providing a pattern on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes providing a first pattern in a first layer of photoresist and a first layer of bottom anti-reflective coating material on the substrate, etching the first pattern into the substrate, providing a second layer of photoresist and a second layer of bottom anti-reflective coating material on the substrate, providing a second pattern in the second layers of photoresist and bottom anti-reflective coating material, and etching the second pattern into the substrate, the first and second patterns on the substrate together defining the pattern.

Abstract: In order to determine whether an exposure apparatus is outputting the correct dose of radiation and its projection system is focusing the radiation correctly, a test pattern is used on a mask for printing a specific marker onto a substrate. This marker is then measured by an inspection apparatus, such as a scatterometer, to determine whether there are errors in focus and dose and other related properties. The test pattern is configured such that changes in focus and dose may be easily determined by measuring the properties of a pattern that is exposed using the mask. The test pattern may be a 2D pattern where physical or geometric properties, e.g., pitch, are different in each of the two dimensions. The test pattern may also be a one-dimensional pattern made up of an array of structures in one dimension, the structures being made up of at least one substructure, the substructures reacting differently to focus and dose and giving rise to an exposed pattern from which focus and dose may be determined.

Abstract: A method of measuring overlay between a first structure and a second structure on a substrate is provided. The structures include equidistant elements, such as parallel lines, wherein the equidistant elements of the first and second structure alternate. A design width CD1 of the elements of the first structure is different from a design width CD2 of the elements of the second structure. The difference in design width can be used to identify measurement points having incorrectly measured overlay errors.

Abstract: A method of measurement of at-resolution overlay offset may be implemented in a scatterometer. At least three targets are provided on a wafer, each target comprising a first marker grating and a second interleaved marker grating and each target having a different overlay bias between its first and second marker. The first and second markers are provided by subsequent lithography steps in a double patterning lithographic process. The targets are measured with a scatterometer and for each target a measured CD of at least one of the markers is determined using reconstruction. The CD of the first marker may be fixed in the reconstruction. The measured CDs and at least one of the overlay biases is used to determine an overlay result corresponding to a minimum measured CD. The overlay result may be determined by fitting a function such as a parabola to the measured CDs and the overlay biases and determining the overlay at the minimum of the fitted function.

Abstract: In order to determine whether an exposure apparatus is projecting patterns correctly, a marker pattern is used on a mask for printing a specific marker structure onto a substrate. This marker is then measured by an inspection apparatus to determine whether there are errors in exposure-related properties such as focus and dose. The projection of the marker pattern is modified so as to accentuate the production of side lobe-induced features of the marker structure relative to the production of side lobe-inducted features of the product structure. The form of the marker structure is more responsive to exposure variation than the form of the product structure to exposure variation. The marker pattern includes both primary features and secondary features that augment the side lobe arising from the primary feature to print side lobe-induced features on either side of a primary marker structure.