Abstract: Exposure positions of exposure fields of semiconductor wafers are subsequently corrected individually in order to compensate for processes affecting the locational position of alignment marks and/or oblique measurement structures. Measurement structures are formed preferably in the frame region of product wafers comprising electrical circuits to be formed and their locational positions before and after the effect of the process that has an effect are compared individually for purpose of determining the positional displacement for each relevant exposure field. From this there is determined either directly a “shot”-fine correction value for the individual exposure or at least one nonlinear function for the correction in dependence on the position of the measurement structures on the wafer. The corrections are applied to the exposure fields after alignment to the alignment marks overformed by the process in dependence on their position on the wafer.

Abstract: Input parameters and technically possible parameter values associated therewith are selected, from which are obtained support point values and result values assigned thereto for the geometrical properties. At each support point value, the respective result value is assigned to the parameter value assigned to the respective support point value. A response surface is adapted to the result values in a total range of the assigned parameter values. This results in response values for which a minimum value and a maximum value are determined in subranges. A total interval is formed from the largest response value overall and the smallest response value overall. The total interval is divided into a given number of sub-intervals. For each of the sub-intervals, the individual probabilities are cumulated, which yields a total probability value for a respective sub-interval over all the value intervals.