Abstract: A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

Abstract: A process of selecting a measurement location, the process including: obtaining pattern data describing a pattern to be applied to substrates in a patterning process; obtaining a process characteristic measured during or following processing of a substrate, the process characteristic characterizing the processing of the substrate; determining a simulated result of the patterning process based on the pattern data and the process characteristic; and selecting a measurement location for the substrate based on the simulated result.

Abstract: A method including: obtaining an image of at least part of a substrate, wherein the image includes at least one feature of a device being manufactured in a layer on the substrate; obtaining a layout of features associated with a previous layer adjacent to the layer on the substrate; calculating one or more image-related metrics in dependence on: 1) a contour determined from the image including the at least one feature and 2) the layout; and determining one or more control parameters of a lithographic apparatus and/or one or more further processes in a manufacturing process of the device in dependence on the one or more image-related metrics, wherein at least one of the control parameters is determined to modify the geometry of the contour in order to improve the one or more image-related metrics.

Abstract: A process of selecting a measurement location, the process including: obtaining pattern data describing a pattern to be applied to substrates in a patterning process; obtaining a process characteristic measured during or following processing of a substrate, the process characteristic characterizing the processing of the substrate; determining a simulated result of the patterning process based on the pattern data and the process characteristic; and selecting a measurement location for the substrate based on the simulated result.

Abstract: A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

Abstract: A method including: computing a value of a first variable of a pattern of, or for, a substrate processed by a patterning process by combining a fingerprint of the first variable on the substrate and a certain value of the first variable; and determining a value of a second variable of the pattern based at least in part on the computed value of the first variable.

Abstract: A method including: computing a value of a first variable of a pattern of, or for, a substrate processed by a patterning process by combining a fingerprint of the first variable on the substrate and a certain value of the first variable; and determining a value of a second variable of the pattern based at least in part on the computed value of the first variable.

Abstract: A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.

Abstract: A method for optimizing a sequence of processes for manufacturing of product units, includes: associating measurement results of performance parameters (e.g., fingerprints) with the recorded process characteristics (e.g., context); obtaining a characteristic (e.g., context) of a previous process (e.g. deposition) in the sequence already performed on a product unit; obtaining a characteristic (e.g., context) of a subsequent process (e.g., exposure) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit; determining a predicted performance parameter (e.g., fingerprint) of the product unit associated with the sequence of previous and subsequent processes by using the obtained characteristics to retrieve measurement results of the performance parameters (e.g., fingerprints) corresponding to the recorded characteristics; and determining corrections to be applied to future processes (e.g. exposure, etch) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit, based on the determined predicted performance parameter.

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 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: Disclosed is a method of measuring focus performance of a lithographic apparatus, and corresponding patterning device and lithographic apparatus. The method comprises using the lithographic apparatus to print one or more first printed structures and second printed structures. The first printed structures are printed by illumination having a first non-telecentricity and the second printed structures being printed by illumination having a second non-telecentricity, different to said first non-telecentricity. A focus dependent parameter related to a focus-dependent positional shift between the first printed structures and the second printed structures on said substrate is measured and a measurement of focus performance based at least in part on the focus dependent parameter is derived therefrom.

Abstract: A method to change an etch parameter of a substrate etching process, the method including: making a first measurement of a first metric associated with a structure on a substrate before being etched; making a second measurement of a second metric associated with a structure on a substrate after being etched; and changing the etch parameter based on a difference between the first measurement and the second measurement.

Abstract: A method for optimizing a sequence of processes for manufacturing of product units, includes: associating measurement results of performance parameters (e.g., fingerprints) with the recorded process characteristics (e.g., context); obtaining a characteristic (e.g., context) of a previous process (e.g. deposition) in the sequence already performed on a product unit; obtaining a characteristic (e.g., context) of a subsequent process (e.g., exposure) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit; determining a predicted performance parameter (e.g., fingerprint) of the product unit associated with the sequence of previous and subsequent processes by using the obtained characteristics to retrieve measurement results of the performance parameters (e.g., fingerprints) corresponding to the recorded characteristics; and determining corrections to be applied to future processes (e.g. exposure, etch) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit, based on the determined predicted performance parameter.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining, for each particular feature of a plurality of features of a device pattern of a substrate being created using a patterning process, a modelled or simulated relation of a parameter of the patterning process between a measurement target for the substrate and the particular feature; and based on the relation and measured values of the parameter from the metrology target, generating a distribution of the parameter across at least part of the substrate for each of the features, the distribution for use in design, control or modification of the patterning process.

Abstract: A method for optimizing a sequence of processes for manufacturing of product units, includes: associating measurement results of performance parameters (e.g., fingerprints) with the recorded process characteristics (e.g., context); obtaining a characteristic (e.g., context) of a previous process (e.g. deposition) in the sequence already performed on a product unit; obtaining a characteristic (e.g., context) of a subsequent process (e.g., exposure) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit; determining a predicted performance parameter (e.g., fingerprint) of the product unit associated with the sequence of previous and subsequent processes by using the obtained characteristics to retrieve measurement results of the performance parameters (e.g., fingerprints) corresponding to the recorded characteristics; and determining corrections to be applied to future processes (e.g. exposure, etch) in the sequence to be performed on the product unit, based on the determined predicted performance parameter.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining, for each particular feature of a plurality of features of a device pattern of a substrate being created using a patterning process, a modelled or simulated relation of a parameter of the patterning process between a measurement target for the substrate and the particular feature; and based on the relation and measured values of the parameter from the metrology target, generating a distribution of the parameter across at least part of the substrate for each of the features, the distribution for use in design, control or modification of the patterning process.

Abstract: A process of selecting a measurement location, the process including: obtaining pattern data describing a pattern to be applied to substrates in a patterning process; obtaining a process characteristic measured during or following processing of a substrate, the process characteristic characterizing the processing of the substrate; determining a simulated result of the patterning process based on the pattern data and the process characteristic; and selecting a measurement location for the substrate based on the simulated result.

Abstract: A method, and associated apparatus and computer program, to determine corrections for a parameter of interest, such as critical dimension, of a patterning process. The method includes determining an exposure control correction for an exposure control parameter and, optionally, determining a process control correction for a process control parameter, based upon a measurement of the parameter of interest of a structure, and an exposure control relationship and a process control relationship. The exposure control relationship describes the dependence of the parameter of interest on the exposure control parameter and the process control relationship describes the dependence of the parameter of interest on the process control parameter. The exposure control correction and process control correction may be co-optimized to minimize variation of the parameter of interest of subsequent exposed and processed structures relative to a target parameter of interest.

Abstract: A method for determining a metric of a feature on a substrate obtained by a semiconductor manufacturing process involving a lithographic process, the method including: obtaining an image of at least part of the substrate, wherein the image includes at least the feature; determining a contour of the feature from the image; determining a plurality of segments of the contour; determining respective weights for each of the plurality of segments; determining, for each of the segments, an image-related metric; and determining the metric of the feature in dependence on the weights and the calculated image-related metric of each of the segments.