A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing block in which a substrate is sequentially transferred and processed; a carry-in/out transfer mechanism that carrys-in/out the substrate with respect to modules; a carry-out module configured to place the substrate therein after the substrate is processed; a multi-module configured by a plurality of modules having a same order in which the substrate is transferred in the processing block; a main transfer mechanism that moves around in a transfer path provided in the processing block to deliver the substrate among the modules; and a controller that sets a first transfer schedule including determination of a number of modules to become transfer destinations of the substrate in the multi-module, and determination of a number of stay cycles which is a number of times that the main transfer mechanism moves around after the substrate is carried into the multi-module until the substrate is carried out.

An exposure system is equipped with: chambers in a first row that are disposed on the +X side with respect to a C/D installed on a floor surface; chambers in a second row that are disposed on the +Y side of the chambers in the first row, facing the chambers in the first row; and a measurement chamber and a control rack that are disposed adjacently on the −X side with respect to the chambers in the first row and the second row and besides on the +X side of the C/D. Inside at least some of the chambers, an exposure room where exposure is performed is formed, and the control rack distributes utility supplied from below the floor surface to each of the chambers in the first row and the second row.

Correction information is acquired for compensating for a measurement error of a second encoder system that occurs due to a displacement between four sections of a scale member of the second encoder system, based on measurement information of the second encoder system obtained in a fifth area in which four heads of the second encoder system that are provided on a second stage, which holds a substrate, respectively face the four sections of the scale member.

A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus having an illuminator and projection optics, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of the lithographic process, at least some of the design variables being characteristics of the illumination produced by the illuminator and of the design layout, wherein the multi-variable cost function is a function of a three-dimensional resist profile on the substrate, or a three-dimensional radiation field projected from the projection optics, or both; and reconfiguring one or more characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a predefined termination condition is satisfied.

A system includes an optical source configured to emit a pulsed light beam, the optical source comprising one or more chambers, each of the one or more chambers configured to hold a gaseous gain medium, the gaseous gain medium being associated with an assumed gas life; at least one detection module configured to: receive and analyze data related to the pulsed light beam, and produce a beam quality metric based on the data related to the pulsed light beam; and a monitoring module configured to: analyze the beam quality metric, determine a health status of the gaseous gain medium based on the analysis of the beam quality metric, and produce a status signal based on the determined health status, the status signal indicating whether to extend use of the gaseous gain medium beyond the assumed gas life or to end use of the gaseous gain medium.

A method for controlling a processing apparatus used in a semiconductor manufacturing process to form a structure on a substrate, the method including: obtaining a relationship between a geometric parameter of the structure and a performance characteristic of a device including the structure; and determining a process setting for the processing apparatus associated with a location on the substrate, wherein the process setting is at least partially based on an expected value of the geometric parameter of the structure when using the processing setting, a desired performance characteristic of the device and an expected physical yield margin or defect yield margin associated with the location on the substrate.

A method including: obtaining a relationship between a performance indicator of a substrate measurement recipe and a parameter of the substrate measurement recipe; deriving a range of the parameter from the relationship, wherein absolute values of the performance indicator satisfy a first condition or a magnitude of variation of the performance indicator satisfies a second condition, when the first parameter is in the range; selecting a substrate measurement recipe that has the parameter in the range; and inspecting a substrate with the selected substrate measurement recipe.

The present application provides a method for detecting coagula on a coater head. The method includes: detecting a thickness value of a coating material (2) on a substrate along a coating direction thereof; acquiring a first thickness value and a second thickness value, and calculating a difference value; and comparing an absolute value of the difference value with a preset value, and outputting a feedback signal if the absolute value of the difference value exceeds the preset value.

A sequence of models accumulates r-squared values for an increasing number of variables in order to quantify the importance of each variable to the prediction of a targeted yield or parametric response.

Disclosed herein are several methods of reducing one or more pattern displacement errors, contrast loss, best focus shift , tilt of a Bossung curve of a portion of a design layout used in a lithographic process for imaging that portion onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus. The methods include adjusting an illumination source of the lithographic apparatus, placing assist features onto or adjusting positions and/or shapes existing assist features in the portion. Adjusting the illumination source and/or the assist features may be by an optimization algorithm.