While a wafer stage linearly moves in a Y-axis direction, a multipoint AF system detects surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points that are set at a predetermined distance in an X-axis direction and also a plurality of alignment systems that are arrayed in a line along the X-axis direction detect each of marks at positions different from one another on the wafer. That is, detection of surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points and detection of the marks at positions different from one another on the wafer are finished, only by the wafer stage (wafer) linearly passing through the array of the plurality of detection points of the multipoint AF system and the plurality of alignment systems, and therefore, the throughput can be improved.

A method to improve a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a stochastic variation of a characteristic of an aerial image or a resist image, or a function of a variable that is a function of the stochastic variation or that affects the stochastic variation, the stochastic variation being a function of a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of the lithographic process; and reconfiguring one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied.

For determining a focus position of a lithography mask (e.g., 5), a focus stack of a measurement region free of structures to be imaged is recorded and the speckle patterns of the recorded images are evaluated.

The inventive concepts provide a method of providing a stochastic prediction system. The method includes extracting contours of patterns corresponding to a first design layout from a plurality of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, respectively, generating a first contour histogram image based on the contours, and training a stochastic prediction model by using the first contour histogram image as an output, and by using the first design layout and a first resist image, a first aerial image, a first slope map, a first density map, and/or a first photo map corresponding to the first design layout as inputs, in which the stochastic prediction model comprises a cycle generative adversarial network (GAN).

A method of determining a relationship between a stochastic variation of a characteristic of an aerial image or a resist image and one or more design variables, the method including: measuring values of the characteristic from a plurality of aerial images and/or resist images for each of a plurality of sets of values of the design variables; determining a value of the stochastic variation, for each of the plurality of sets of values of the design variables, from a distribution of the values of the characteristic for that set of values of the design variables; and determining the relationship by fitting one or more parameters from the values of the stochastic variation and the plurality of sets of values of the design variables.

There is provided a mask inspection system and a method of mask inspection. The method comprises: detecting, by the inspection tool, a runtime defect at a defect location on a mask of a semiconductor specimen during runtime scan of the mask, and acquiring, by the inspection tool after runtime and based on the defect location, a plurality sets of aerial images of the runtime defect corresponding to a plurality of focus states throughout a focus process window, each set of aerial images acquired at a respective focus state. The method further comprises for each set of aerial images, calculating a statistic-based EPD value of the runtime defect, thereby giving rise to a plurality of statistic-based EPD values each corresponding to a respective focus state, and determining whether the runtime defect is a true defect based on the plurality of statistic-based EPD values.

A method for the microlithographic production of microstructured components, includes: providing a wafer, to which a photoresist is applied at least partly; providing a mask having structures to be imaged; providing a projection exposure apparatus having an illumination unit and a projection lens; exposing the photoresist by projecting at least one part of the mask onto a region of the photoresist with the aid of the projection exposure apparatus; and ascertaining a deviation between a structure property of the structures produced on the exposed wafer from a predefined desired structure property. Ascertaining includes: determining at least one property of a light field used for exposing the photoresist applied to the wafer. The method further includes aftertreating the wafer on the basis of the ascertained deviation, and chemically developing the after treated wafer.

Position information of a movable body within an XY plane is measured with high accuracy by an encoder system whose measurement values have favorable short-term stability, without being affected by air fluctuations, and also position information of the movable body in a Z-axis direction orthogonal to the XY plane is measured with high accuracy by a surface position measuring system, without being affected by air fluctuations. In this case, since both of the encoder system and the surface position measuring system directly measure the upper surface of the movable body, simple and direct position control of the movable body can be performed.

While a wafer stage linearly moves in a Y-axis direction, a multipoint AF system detects surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points that are set at a predetermined distance in an X-axis direction and also a plurality of alignment systems that are arrayed in a line along the X-axis direction detect each of marks at positions different from one another on the wafer. That is, detection of surface position information of the wafer surface at a plurality of detection points and detection of the marks at positions different from one another on the wafer are finished, only by the wafer stage (wafer) linearly passing through the array of the plurality of detection points of the multipoint AF system and the plurality of alignment systems, and therefore, the throughput can be improved.

[Object] To provide a shape measurement apparatus that, in measuring the unevenness shape of a measurement object by a light-section method, enables the shape of the measurement object to be measured precisely even when the distance between the measurement object and an image capturing apparatus fluctuates. [Solution] Provided is a shape measurement apparatus including: a linear light position detection unit that detects, from a captured image of linear light applied to a measurement object by a linear light irradiation apparatus that is captured by an image capturing apparatus, a linear light position of the linear light; a distance computation unit that computes a distance from the image capturing apparatus to the measurement object, on the basis of a distance difference between a reference linear light position detected by the linear light position detection unit when the measurement object is positioned at a position of a predetermined reference distance from the image capturing apparatus and the linear light position detected by the linear light position detection unit, the reference distance, and an angle formed by an optical axis of the image capturing apparatus and an emission direction of the linear light; a focus adjustment unit that adjusts focus of the image capturing apparatus on the basis of the distance from the image capturing apparatus to the measurement object; and a shape computation unit that computes a shape of the measurement object on the basis of the captured image.