A method including obtaining an image of a plurality of structures on a substrate, wherein each of the plurality of structures is formed onto the substrate by transferring a corresponding pattern of a design layout; obtaining, from the image, a displacement for each of the structures with respect to a reference point for that structure; and assigning each of the structures into one of a plurality of groups based on the displacement.

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.

An apparatus, for example a lithography apparatus or a multi-mirror system, includes comprises a radiation source for generating radiation, a plurality of optical components for guiding the radiation in the apparatus, a plurality of actuator/sensor devices for the optical components, and a drive device for driving the actuator/sensor devices.

Metrology target design methods and verification targets are provided. Methods comprise using OCD data related to designed metrology target(s) as an estimation of a discrepancy between a target model and a corresponding actual target on a wafer, and adjusting a metrology target design model to compensate for the estimated discrepancy. The dedicated verification targets may comprise overlay target features and be size optimized to be measureable by an OCD sensor, to enable compensation for inaccuracies resulting from production process variation. Methods also comprise modifications to workflows between manufacturers and metrology vendors which provide enable higher fidelity metrology target design models and ultimately higher accuracy of metrology measurements.

A method, system and program for determining a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes determining a contribution from a device out of a plurality of devices to a fingerprint of a parameter. The method including: obtaining parameter data and usage data, wherein the parameter data is based on measurements for multiple substrates having been processed by the plurality of devices, and the usage data indicates which of the devices out of the plurality of the devices were used in the processing of each substrate; and determining the contribution using the usage data and parameter data.

A method for generating EUV radiation is provided. The method includes generating a target droplet with a target droplet generator. The method further includes recording an image of the target droplet on a first image plane to detect a first position of the target droplet. The method also includes recording an image of the target droplet on a second image plane to detect a second position of the target droplet. In addition, the method includes projecting a laser pulse onto the target droplet when the target droplet is located on a focus plane. The method further includes adjusting at least one parameter of the target droplet generator according to the first position and the second position.

A method for obtaining a compensation pattern for a workpiece patterning device comprises printing (S11) a calibration pattern with a plurality of simultaneously operating exposure beams being sweepable in a second direction according to calibration pattern print data having a multitude of edges. Positions of the edges are measured (S12). Deviations of the measured positions relative calibration pattern are calculated (S13). Each deviation is associated (S14) with a used exposure beam, with a sweep position and a grid fraction position. Edge compensating data is computed (S15) for adapting edge representations of pattern print data prior to printing to compensate for the calculated deviations. The edge compensating data is dependent on the used exposure beam, the sweep position, and the grid fraction position.

The present invention relates firstly to a method for reproducing a stem cell niche of an organism. The invention further relates to a reproduction of a stem cell niche of an organism. According to the invention, an image of a tissue of an organism is generated, which tissue comprises at least one stem cell niche. The image is filtered in order to obtain a structural pattern of the imaged stem cell niche. In a further step, a lithographic mask is generated from the structural pattern. According to the invention, a starting material of a substrate is structured by means of indirect or direct application of the lithographic mask, whereby a structured substrate is obtained which represents the reproduction of the imaged stem cell niche of the organism. The reproduction can be characterised as biolithomorphic.

An image processor, a method for generating a pattern using self-organizing lithographic techniques, and a computer program are provided to achieve image processing suitable for addressing a sample generated by patterning using Directed Self-Assembly (DSA), and the processor, method, and computer program are characterized in that a template for addressing is prepared on the basis of guide pattern data used for patterning by DSA. The above configuration makes it possible to provide an addressing pattern suitable for visual field positioning in measuring or inspecting a pattern formed through the patterning process using DSA.

An overlay metrology system includes a controller to receive, from an overlay metrology tool, overlay measurements on multiple sets of overlay targets on a sample with a range of values of a measurement parameter, where a particular set of overlay targets includes overlay targets having one of two or more overlay target designs. The controller may further determine scaling metric values for at least some of the overlay targets, where the scaling metric for a particular overlay target is based on a standard deviation of the overlay measurements of the corresponding set of overlay targets. The controller may further determine a variability of the scaling metric values for each of the two or more sets of overlay targets. The controller may further select, as an output overlay target design, one of the two or more overlay target designs having a smallest scaling metric variability.