A lithographic apparatus applies a device pattern at multiple fields across a substrate. A height map is decomposed into a plurality of components. A first height map component represents topographical variations associated with the device pattern. One or more further height map components represent other topographical variations. Using each height map component, control set-points are calculated according to a control algorithm specific to each component. The control set-points calculated for the different height map components are then combined and used to control imaging of the device pattern to the substrate. The specific control algorithms can be different from one another, and may have differing degrees of nonlinearity. The combining of the different set-points can be linear. Focus control in the presence of device-specific topography and other local variations can be improved.

A lithographic process includes clamping a substrate onto a substrate support, measuring positions across the clamped substrate, and applying a pattern to the clamped substrate using the positions measured. A correction is applied to the positioning of the applied pattern in localized regions of the substrate, based on recognition of a warp-induced characteristic in the positions measured across the substrate. The correction may be generated by inferring one or more shape characteristics of the warped substrate using the measured positions and other information. Based on the one or more inferred shape characteristics, a clamping model is applied to simulate deformation of the warped substrate in response to clamping. A correction is calculated based on the simulated deformation.

A method for monitoring a lithographic process, and associated lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining height variation data relating to a substrate supported by a substrate support and fitting a regression through the height variation data, the regression approximating the shape of the substrate; residual data between the height variation data and the regression is determined; and variation of the residual data is monitored over time. The residual data may be deconvolved based on known features of the substrate support.

A light combiner (500) for use in a metrology tool includes a plurality of light sources (LED 1, LED 2, LED 3, LED 4, LED 5), a first filter (502), and a second filter (504). The first filter is designed to substantially reflect light generated from a first source of the plurality of light sources, and to substantially transmit light generated from a second source of the plurality of light sources. The second filter is designed to substantially reflect light generated from the first source and the second source of the plurality of light sources, and to substantially transmit light generated from a third source of the plurality of light sources. An angle of incidence of the light generated from the first source on a surface of the first filter is less than 30 degrees.

A focusing and leveling device calculates an amount of defocus and/or tilt of a substrate and includes an illumination unit, projection-side mark plate with projection-side slit mark, projection-side imaging group, deflection prism, beam splitter, detection unit and signal processing unit. A light beam emitted from the illumination unit passes through the projection-side mark plate and is trimmed into a probe beam directed by the projection-side imaging group onto a substrate surface. The prism deflects the probe beam reflected by the surface of the substrate for a first time so that it is incident on the substrate surface and reflected for a second time onto the projection-side imaging group. The beam splitter directs the probe beam that travelled through the projection-side imaging group onto the detection unit. The signal processing unit calculates the amount of defocus and/or tilt based on a measurement spot detected by the detection unit.

A method of controlling a lithographic apparatus to manufacture a plurality of devices, the method including: obtaining a parameter map representing a parameter variation across a substrate by measuring the parameter at a plurality of points on the substrate; decomposing the parameter map into a plurality of components, including a first parameter map component representing parameter variations associated with the device pattern and one or more further parameter map components representing other parameter variations; deriving a scale factor, configured to correct for errors in measurement of the parameter variation, from measurements of a second parameter of a substrate; and controlling the lithographic apparatus using the parameter map and scale factor to apply a device pattern at multiple locations across the substrate.

Measurement system comprising a radiation source configured to generate a measurement radiation beam, a polarizer and a grating to receive the measurement radiation beam and provide a polarized measurement radiation beam patterned by the grating, optics to form an image of the grating at a target location on a substrate. The image comprises a first part having a first polarization and a second part having a second polarization, detection optics to receive radiation from the target location of the substrate and form an image of the grating image at a second grating, and a detector to receive radiation transmitted through the second grating and produce a two output signal indicative of the intensity of the transmitted radiation for the first and second parts of the grating image respectively. Topography of the substrate can be determined from the signals.

A method of processing a data set including equispaced and/or non-equispaced data samples is disclosed. The method includes filtering of the data, wherein a kernel defined by a probability density function is convoluted over samples in the data set to perform a weighted average of the samples at a plurality of positions across the data set, and wherein a first order regression is applied to the filtered data to provide a processed data output.

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus comprising a generator configured to generate image information for causing a display unit to display, as display information, any one of: difference information corresponding to a difference between first information and second information; information indicating at least one of a height and an attitude of the substrate during the exposure process of each of the plurality of shot regions; and information indicating a measurement result obtained by measuring a surface position of the substrate for each of the plurality of shot regions.

The invention provides an inspection apparatus for inspecting an object, the apparatus comprising: a measurement system configured to measure: a first parameter of the object across an area of interest of the object, and a second parameter, different from the first parameter, of the object at a plurality of locations on the object; a stage apparatus configured to position the object relative to the measurement system during a measurement of the first parameter, wherein the measurement system is configured to measure the second parameter at the plurality of different locations during the measurement of the first parameter and wherein the stage apparatus is configured to position the object relative to the measurement system based on a compliance characteristic of the stage apparatus.