Systems, methods, and media for determining a processing parameter associated with a lithography process. In some embodiments, image data of features on a substrate may be obtained, and the image data may be analyzed in Fourier space. Based on the analysis, an amplitude and a phase may be determined, and an overlay of the features may be determined based on the amplitude and the phase.

The disclosure relates to determining information about a target structure formed on a substrate using a lithographic process. In one arrangement, a cantilever probe is provided having a cantilever arm and a probe element. The probe element extends from the cantilever arm towards the target structure. Ultrasonic waves are generated in the cantilever probe. The ultrasonic waves propagate through the probe element into the target structure and reflect back from the target structure into the probe element or into a further probe element extending from the cantilever arm. The reflected ultrasonic waves are detected and used to determine information about the target structure.

Generating an alignment signal for alignment of features in a layer of a substrate as part of a semiconductor manufacturing process is described. The present systems and methods can be faster and/or generate more information than typical methods for generating alignment signals because they utilize one or more existing structures in a patterned semiconductor wafer instead of a dedicated alignment structure. A feature (not a dedicated alignment mark) of the patterned semiconductor wafer is continuously scanned, where the scanning includes: continuously irradiating the feature with radiation; and continuously detecting reflected radiation from the feature. The scanning is performed perpendicular to the feature, along one side of the feature, or along both sides of the feature.

A method for measuring overlay between an interest level and a reference level of a wafer includes applying a magnetic field to a wafer, detecting at least one residual magnetic field emitted from at least one registration marker of a first set of registration markers within the wafer, responsive to the detected one or more residual magnetic fields, determining a location of the at least one registration marker of the first set registration markers, determining a location of at least one registration marker of a second set of registration markers, and responsive to the respective determined locations of the at least one registration marker of the first set of registration markers and the at least one registration marker of the second set of registration markers, calculating a positional offset between an interest level of the wafer and a reference level of the wafer. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.

A method for processing images for metrology using a charged particle beam tool may include obtaining, from the charged particle beam tool, an image of a portion of a sample. The method may further include processing the image using a first image processing module to generate a processed image. The method may further include determining image quality characteristics of the processed image and determining whether the image quality characteristics of the processed image satisfy predetermined imaging criteria. The method may further include in response to the image quality characteristics of the processed image not satisfying the imaging criteria, updating a tuning condition of the charged-particle beam tool, acquiring an image of the portion of the sample using the charged-particle beam tool that has the updated tuning condition, and processing the acquired image using the first image processing module to enable the processed acquired image to satisfy the predetermined imaging criteria.

A method for determining a measurement setting for measuring a parameter of interest from a target structure on a substrate. The method includes: obtaining first position difference data describing a difference between a position of a first representative target structure position and a position of one or more first features relating to product structure; obtaining optical metrology data relating to optical measurements of the target structure and further relating to a plurality of different measurement settings; and determining the measurement setting from the first position difference data and the optical metrology data such that a measured feature position value obtained from an optical measurement of the target structure using the determined measurement setting is better correlated to a position of the one or more first features.

Selecting one or more lists of fields of view of a pattern layout for scanning electron microscope measurement and/or other inspection. A set of candidate fields of view is determined based on pattern groups of a pattern layout and a constraint on a characteristic of a given field of view. The characteristic of a given field of view includes a distance from the given field of view to another field of view and/or a size of the given field of view. The one or more lists are selected from the set of candidate fields of view according to prescribed criteria for combinations of fields of view included in the one or more lists. The prescribed criteria causes inclusion of an optimally diverse group of patterns in a predetermined number of lists of fields of view.

A system may include a controller including one or more processors configured to execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to implement a measurement recipe by: receiving optical measurement data for training samples including complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor under array (CuA) devices, wherein the CuA devices include CMOS structures disposed beneath periodic memory array structures; receiving reference data for the training samples, wherein the reference data includes measurements of geometric parameters of the CuA devices; training a machine learning model with the optical measurement data for the training samples and the reference data; receiving optical measurement data for test samples including CuA devices; and determining one or more measurements of the geometric parameters of the CuA devices on the test samples using the machine learning model with the optical measurement data for the test samples.

A method for checking a lithography mask for a repair of the lithography mask, the lithography mask having a plurality of edges between partial regions of the lithography mask and the object of the repair lying in an adjustment of a profile of a selected edge in a repair portion of the selected edge, comprises: a) capturing an image representation of a repair region of the lithography mask comprising the repair portion of the selected edge, b) determining the profile of the selected edge in the repair portion on the basis of the captured image representation of the repair region, b1) determining a reference profile on the basis of a profile of an edge corresponding to the selected edge, the corresponding edge being an edge which should not be repaired or a portion of the selected edge which should not be repaired, the corresponding edge being determined on the basis of the captured image representation of the repair region, and c) comparing the determined profile of the selected edge with a reference profile.

A method for determining a vertical position of a structure on a substrate with respect to a nominal vertical position is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining complex field data relating to scattered radiation from said structure, for a plurality of different wavelengths, determining variation in a phase parameter with wavelength from said complex field data; and determining said vertical position with respect to a nominal vertical position from the determined variation in phase with wavelength.