A method of determining a control setting for a lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining a first correction for a current layer on a current substrate based on first metrology data associated with one or more previous substrates, and obtaining a second correction for the current layer on the current substrate. The second correction is based on a residual determined based on second metrology data associated with a previous layer on the current substrate. The method further includes determining the control setting for the lithographic apparatus for patterning the current layer on the current substrate by combining the first correction and the second correction.

A system of measuring an image of a pattern in a scanning type EUV mask may include a high-power laser output unit including a flat mirror and a spherical mirror, which are used to focus a high-power femto-second laser on a gas cell; a coherent EUV light generating portion generating a coherent EUV light; a pin-hole, a graphene filter, and a zirconium (Zr) filter; a stage; an x-ray spherical mirror configured to focus a coherent EUV light; a zone-plate lens placed between the stage and the x-ray spherical mirror; an x-ray flat mirror placed between the zone-plate lens and the x-ray spherical mirror; an order sorting aperture (OSA) placed on the stage and configured to transmit only a first-order diffraction light of the focused coherent EUV light; and a detector portion placed on the stage.

In a method of inspecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source, during an idle mode, a borescope mounted on a fixture is inserted through a first opening into a chamber of the EUV radiation source. The borescope includes a connection cable attached at a first end to a camera. The fixture includes an extendible section mounted from a first side on a lead screw, and the camera of the borescope is mounted on a second side, opposite to the first side, of the extendible section. The extendible section is extended to move the camera inside the chamber of the EUV radiation source. One or more images are acquired by the camera from inside the chamber of the EUV radiation source at one or more viewing positions. The one or more acquired images are analyzed to determine an amount of tin debris deposited inside the chamber of the EUV radiation source.

A temperature control apparatus is located at an interface between a coating and developing machine and a lithography machine, and includes a temperature detecting device and a temperature control device. The temperature detecting device is connected to the temperature control device. The temperature detecting device is configured to detect an actual temperature at the interface in real time. The temperature control device is configured to control the actual temperature at the interface to reach a target temperature when the actual temperature is not equal to the target temperature.

A control system, for example for an optical system, includes: an actuating element; a measuring element for acquiring actuating element measurement data of the actuating element; a regulating unit for generating a regulating signal for regulating the actuating element depending on the acquired actuating element meas-urement data; and a state monitoring unit for monitoring a state of the control system depending on the acquired actuating element measurement data. The state monitoring unit includes: a first processing unit for generating preprocessed state data depending on (i) the acquired actuating element measurement data and a physical model and/or a mathematical model of the actuating element, or (ii) the acquired actuating element measurement data, a physical model and/or a mathematical model of the actuating element and the generated regulating signal; and a second processing unit for determining the state of the control system depending on the preprocessed state data.

Disclosed is a method of determining a process window within a process space comprising obtaining contour data relating to features to be provided to a substrate across a plurality of layers, for each of a plurality of process conditions associated with providing the features across said plurality of layers and failure mode data describing constraints on the contour data across the plurality of layers. The failure mode data is applied to the contour data to determine a failure count for each process condition; and the process window is determined by associating each process condition to its corresponding failure count. Also disclosed is a method of determining an actuation constrained subspace of the process window based on actuation constraints imposed by the plurality of actuators.

A method for determining one or more dimensions of one or more structures is disclosed. The method comprises focusing illumination light on a focal plane of a lens system so that the lens system forms a collimated illumination light beam that is incident on the sample surface. The method also comprises, using said lens system or, respectively, a further lens system, collecting reflected or, respectively, transmitted illumination light reflected from or transmitted through the sample surface. Further, the method comprises capturing an image of said focal plane or, respectively, further focal plane, said image representing a distribution in said focal plane or further focal plane of radiant power of the reflected or transmitted illumination light. A further step of the method comprises, based on the captured image, determining the one or more dimensions of the structures on the sample surface.

A method and apparatus for optical metrology is disclosed. There is disclosed, for example, a method involving a radiation intensity distribution for a target measured using an optical component at a gap from the target, the method including calculating a correction factor for the variation of radiation intensity of the radiation intensity distribution as a function of variation of the distance of the gap.

A simulation apparatus has: a first processing part configured to obtain a value of a parameter in a first set relating to the forming of the pattern; a second processing part configured to obtain a value of a parameter in a second set that is at least partially same as the parameter in the first set and relating to the forming of the pattern; and an integration processing part configured to evaluate, based on the value of the parameter in the first set and the value of the parameter in the second set, a state of the pattern formed on the substrate and a forming condition when the pattern is formed, and to determine based on the result of the evaluation whether or not to make at least one of the first processing part and the second processing part recalculate the value of the parameter in the corresponding set.

Apparatus and methods are described for the automated transfer and storage of transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning/transmission electron microscope (STEM) lamella samples throughout a semiconductor manufacturing facility using existing automation infrastructure such as a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP). Also provided are wafer facsimiles corresponding to outer dimensions of semiconductor, data storage or solar cell wafers, wherein the facsimiles adapted to store, carry and/or provide a testing platform for testing of samples taken from semiconductor, data storage or solar cell wafers.