The present invention provides a measurement apparatus that measures a position of an object which includes a first mark and a second mark, comprising: an image capturing unit configured to capture the first mark and the second mark in a state in which the first mark and the second mark are contained in a field of view; and a polarizing element configured to generate different polarization directions from each other in light from the first mark and in light from the second mark which are incident on the image capturing unit.

Position detection apparatus includes illumination optical system for illuminating target, detection optical system for forming image of the illuminated target illuminated on photoelectric converter, first array having first aperture stops, second array having second aperture stops, first driving mechanism for arranging the selected first aperture stop on pupil of the illumination optical system by driving the first array such that first aperture stop crossing optical axis of the illumination optical system moves in first direction, second driving mechanism for arranging the selected second aperture stop on pupil of the detection optical system by driving the second array such that second aperture stop crossing optical axis of the detection optical system moves in second direction. The first and second driving mechanisms fine-tune positions of the selected first and second aperture stops in the first and second directions, respectively.

An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold having a mesa including a pattern region where a pattern and a mark are formed. The apparatus includes an alignment optical system which includes an illumination system configured to illuminate the mark with illumination light and a detecting system configured to detect an image of the mark illuminated by the illumination system. The illumination system includes a limiter configured to limit incidence of the illumination light to a side of the mesa, a ridge line of the mesa, and an outer region of the side.

A metrology or inspection system, a lithographic apparatus, and a method are provided. The system includes an illumination system, an optical system, a first optical device, a second optical device, a detector, and a processor. The optical system is configured to split an illumination beam into a first sub-beam and a second sub-beam. The first optical device is configured to receive the first sub beam and direct the first sub-beam towards a first spot on a substrate. The substrate includes one or more target structures. The second optical device is configured to receive the second sub-beam and direct the second sub-beam towards a second spot on the substrate. The first spot is a different location than the second spot. The detector is configured to receive diffracted beams and to generate a detection signal. The processor is configured to determine a property of the one or more target structures.

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.

An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold includes a plurality of alignment scopes and a control unit. The control unit controls aligning of a shot region of the substrate and the mold based on outputs from the plurality of alignment scopes. Each of the plurality of alignment scopes outputs information indicating a relative position of a first mark selected from a plurality of first marks in the shot region and a second mark selected from a plurality of second marks on the mold. The control unit controls aligning of the shot region and the mold based on information excluding incorrect information from a plurality of pieces of information output from the plurality of alignment scopes.

An exposure apparatus comprises a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a mask, a substrate stage for holding a substrate, and a measurement device installed on the substrate stage, including a plate on which a substrate-side mark is formed, and a sensor for detecting light transmitted through a mask-side mark, the projection optical system, and the substrate-side mark, and configured to measure an amount of the light detected by the sensor. The substrate-side mark includes a central mark arranged in a center of a sensitive region of the sensor, and a peripheral mark arranged in a periphery of the central mark. The central mark is used in measurement of the light amount, including driving the substrate stage in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the projection optical system.

The present invention provides a measurement apparatus that measures a position of an object, including an illumination system configured to illuminate the object with illumination light, an image forming system configured to form, on a photoelectric conversion device configured to detect an image of the object, an image of detected light from the object, and a separation system including a reflective polarizer and a /4 plate arranged between the illumination system and the image forming system, and configured to separate the illumination light and the detected light via the reflective polarizer and the /4 plate, wherein the separation system includes at least one optical member arranged between the reflective polarizer and the /4 plate, and each of the illumination system and the image forming system includes a transmission polarizer.

An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a feature of an object comprises: a measurement radiation source; a measurement radiation delivery system; a measurement system; a pump radiation source; and a pump radiation delivery system. The measurement radiation source is operable to produce measurement radiation and the measurement radiation delivery system is operable to irradiate at least a part of a top surface of the object with the measurement radiation. The measurement system is operable to receive at least a portion of the measurement radiation scattered from the top surface and is further operable to determine a characteristic of the feature of the object from at least a portion of the measurement radiation scattered from the top surface. The pump radiation source is operable to produce pump radiation and the pump radiation delivery system is operable to irradiate at least a part of the top surface of the object with the pump radiation so as to produce a mechanical response (for example an acoustic wave) in the object.

Disclosed is a metrology apparatus comprising an optical element configured to receive at or near a pupil plane of the metrology apparatus, at least first radiation comprising a first higher diffracted order and second radiation comprising a zeroth order resulting from illumination of a metrology target with radiation; and to direct said first radiation and second radiation together in a first direction. The metrology apparatus is further configured to form at least a first image of a first interference pattern, the first interference pattern resulting from interference of said first radiation and second radiation at an image plane.