Abstract: Measurements are obtained from locations across a substrate before or after performing a lithographic process step. Examples of such measurements include alignment measurements made prior to applying a pattern to the substrate, and measurements of a performance parameter such as overlay, after a pattern has been applied. A set of measurement locations is selected from among all possible measurement locations. At least a subset of the selected measurement locations are selected dynamically, in response to measurements obtained using a preliminary selection of measurement locations. Preliminary measurements of height can be used to select measurement locations for alignment. In another aspect, outlier measurements are detected based on supplementary data such as height measurements or historic data.

Abstract: Measurements are obtained from locations across a substrate before or after performing a lithographic process step. Examples of such measurements include alignment measurements made prior to applying a pattern to the substrate, and measurements of a performance parameter such as overlay, after a pattern has been applied. A set of measurement locations is selected from among all possible measurement locations. At least a subset of the selected measurement locations are selected dynamically, in response to measurements obtained using a preliminary selection of measurement locations. Preliminary measurements of height can be used to select measurement locations for alignment. In another aspect, outlier measurements are detected based on supplementary data such as height measurements or historic data.

Abstract: Measurements are obtained from locations across a substrate before or after performing a lithographic process step. Examples of such measurements include alignment measurements made prior to applying a pattern to the substrate, and measurements of a performance parameter such as overlay, after a pattern has been applied. A set of measurement locations is selected from among all possible measurement locations. At least a subset of the selected measurement locations are selected dynamically, in response to measurements obtained using a preliminary selection of measurement locations. Preliminary measurements of height can be used to select measurement locations for alignment. In another aspect, outlier measurements are detected based on supplementary data such as height measurements or historic data.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate is disclosed the method including: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured for measuring a property of a substrate is disclosed the method comprising: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameters for the plurality of substrates obtained using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameters; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured to measure a property of a substrate is disclosed. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameter values for the plurality of substrates using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameter values; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method for determining one or more optimized values of an operational parameter of a sensor system configured to measure a property of a substrate is disclosed. The method includes: determining a quality parameter for a plurality of substrates; determining measurement parameter values for the plurality of substrates using the sensor system for a plurality of values of the operational parameter; comparing a substrate to substrate variation of the quality parameter and a substrate to substrate variation of a mapping of the measurement parameter values; and determining the one or more optimized values of the operational parameter based on the comparing.