A distance sensor (1) for estimating a distance to a surface (OS) of an object (O), the distance sensor including a micro electric mechanical system (MEMS) (5), a detection means (30) and a processing device (40). The MEMS comprises a MEMS device (10) having a surface (12), denoted as MEMS sensor surface, to be arranged opposite the surface (OS) of said object (O) and a MEMS driver (20) for generating an ac driving signal to cause the MEMS sensor surface (12) to vibrate. The detection means (30) is to determine a value of a property of a dynamic behavior of the MEMS (5) and the processing device (40) is to estimate an average distance (h) as a measured distance (D2) between the MEMS sensor surface (12) and the surface (Os) of the object (O) based on the determined value for said property.

Disclosed is a method for measuring a target located on a substrate beneath at least one layer. The method comprises exciting said at least one layer with pump radiation comprising at least one pump wavelength, so as to generate an acoustic wave within said at least one layer which reflects of said target thereby generating an acoustic replica of said target at a surface of said substrate and illuminating said acoustic replica with probe radiation comprising at least one probe wavelength and capturing the resultant scattered probe radiation, scattered from the acoustic replica. One or both of said exciting step and said illuminating step comprises generating Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs) on residual topography of said at least one layer resultant from said target.

A method of determining a position of a product feature on a substrate, the method includes: obtaining a plurality of position measurements of one or more product features on a substrate, wherein the measurements are referenced to either a positioning system used in displacing the substrate in between measurements or a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate; and determining a distortion component of the substrate based on the position measurements.

An imprint lithography method of configuring an optical layer includes imprinting first features of a first order of magnitude in size on a side of a substrate with a patterning template, while imprinting second features of a second order of magnitude in size on the side of the substrate with the patterning template, the second features being sized and arranged to define a gap between the substrate and an adjacent surface.

An exposure system exposing system capable of exposing wafer transported from coating apparatus capable of coating photosensitive material onto wafer, including: holding apparatus including first holding part holding first surface of wafer transported from coating apparatus; measurement apparatus including first measurement part having at least first measurement region and capable of measuring position in first direction of second surface on side opposite to first surface of wafer held by first holding part and second measurement part having at least one second measurement region different from first measurement region and capable of measuring position in first direction of first or second surface of wafer; exposure apparatus exposing the wafer with energy beam; transport apparatus transporting wafer from measurement apparatus to exposure apparatus; and control apparatus, wherein control apparatus determines whether or not wafer is transported toward exposure apparatus by transport apparatus based on measurement result of first and second measurement parts.

A measurement system for measuring an input electrical current (Ics) from a current source (CS) and generating a current measurement signal, comprising a current measuring circuit (70) having a first input terminal (72) connected to the current source and an output terminal (74) for providing the current measurement signal. The current measuring circuit further comprises one or more power supply terminals (75, 76) arranged to receive one or more voltages from a power supply (77a, 77b) for powering the current measuring circuit. The current measuring circuit also comprises a first voltage source (VD) coupled to the one or more power supply terminals, the first voltage source providing a disturbance voltage to the one or more power supply terminals, the disturbance voltage representing a voltage at the first input terminal.

A manufacturing method of a phase shift mask in an embodiment includes: forming a metal layer on a substrate, the metal layer having a first region and a second region, the first region being configured to emit secondary electrons by irradiation with electrons, the second region being configured to emit secondary electrons higher in density than the first region, by the irradiation with electrons; patterning the metal layer to form a main pattern in the first region and an alignment mark in the second region; forming a resist layer on the patterned metal layer; and aligning the substrate using a secondary electron image of the alignment mark.

Systems and methods disclosed herein relate to a digital lithography system and method for alignment resolution with the digital lithography system. The digital lithography system includes a metrology system configured to improve overlay alignment for different layers of the lithography process. The metrology system allows for decreased size of alignment marks. Based on determining the positions of alignment marks with the metrology system, correction data is obtained to achieve accurate overlay of layers on subsequent patterning processes.