A method of processing measurement data relating to a substrate processed by a manufacturing process. The method includes obtaining measurement data relating to a performance parameter for at least a portion of the substrate; and fitting the measurement data to a model by minimizing a complexity metric applied to fitting parameters of the model while not allowing the deviation between the measurement data and the fitted model to exceed a threshold value.

A method for determining a set of correction weights to correct metrology data. The method includes obtaining first metrology data relating to a plurality of illumination settings of measurement radiation used to perform a measurement, where each illumination setting includes a different wavelength, polarization or combination thereof; fitting the metrology data to a model for representing the metrology data and determining fit residuals; and determining the correction weights as correction weights which minimize the fit residuals.

In a lithographic process, product units such as semiconductor wafers are subjected to lithographic patterning operations and chemical and physical processing operations. Alignment data or other measurements are made at stages during the performance of the process to obtain object data representing positional deviation or other parameters measured at points spatially distributed across each unit. This object data is used to obtain diagnostic information by performing a multivariate analysis to decompose a set of vectors representing the units in the multidimensional space into one or more component vectors. Diagnostic information about the industrial process is extracted using the component vectors. The performance of the industrial process for subsequent product units can be controlled based on the extracted diagnostic information.

A method for improving a process model for a patterning process, the method including obtaining a) a measured contour from an image capture device, and b) a simulated contour generated from a simulation of the process model. The method also includes aligning the measured contour with the simulated contour by determining an offset between the measured contour and the simulated contour. The process model is calibrated to reduce a difference, computed based on the determined offset, between the simulated contour and the measured contour.

Methods and systems for determining a model configured to predict values of physical characteristics (e.g., overlay, CD) associated with a patterned substrate measured using different measurement tools. The method involves obtaining a first set of measured data for a first one or more patterned substrates using a first one or more measurement tools, and reference measurements of a physical characteristic. Also, a second set of measured data and virtual data for a second one or more patterned substrates measured using a second one or more measurement tools is obtained. A set of mapping functions between the second set and the virtual data are generated. The set of mapping functions is used to convert the first set. Then, a model is determined based on the reference measurements and the converted data such that the model predicts values of the physical characteristic that are within an acceptable threshold of the reference measurements.

In a lithographic process, product units such as semiconductor wafers are subjected to lithographic patterning operations and chemical and physical processing operations. Alignment data or other measurements are made at stages during the performance of the process to obtain object data representing positional deviation or other parameters measured at points spatially distributed across each unit. This object data is used to obtain diagnostic information by performing a multivariate analysis to decompose a set of vectors representing the units in said multidimensional space into one or more component vectors. Diagnostic information about the industrial process is extracted using the component vectors. The performance of the industrial process for subsequent product units can be controlled based on the extracted diagnostic information.

A substrate treatment method includes: developing a substrate which has a coating film of an inorganic resist formed on a base film thereon and has been subjected to an exposure treatment, with a developing solution to form a pattern of the inorganic resist; supplying an embedding solution to the developed substrate to fill a space between adjacent protrusions of the pattern; drying the filled embedding solution to form an embedded film on the substrate; and reducing a thickness of the embedded film by an ultraviolet ray.

A metrology method relating to measurement of a structure on a substrate, the structure being subject to one or more asymmetric deviation. The method includes obtaining at least one intensity asymmetry value relating to the one or more asymmetric deviations, wherein the at least one intensity asymmetry value includes a metric related to a difference or imbalance between the respective intensities or amplitudes of at least two diffraction orders of radiation diffracted by the structure; determining at least one phase offset value corresponding to the one or more asymmetric deviations based on the at least one intensity asymmetry value; and determining one or more measurement corrections for the one or more asymmetric deviations from the at least one phase offset value.

Performance measurement targets are used to measure performance of a lithographic process after processing a number of substrates. In a set-up phase, the method selects an alignment mark type and alignment recipe from among a plurality of candidate mark types by reference to expected parameters of the patterning process. After exposing a number of test substrates using the patterning process, a preferred metrology target type and metrology recipe are selected by comparing measured performance (e.g. overlay) of performance of the patterning process measured by a reference technique. Based on the measurements of position measurement marks and performance measurement targets after actual performance of the patterning process, the alignment mark type and/or recipe may be revised, thereby co-optimizing the alignment marks and metrology targets. Alternative run-to-run feedback strategies may also be compared during subsequent operation of the process.

A device and method for expediting spectral measurement in metrological activities during semiconductor device fabrication through interferometric spectroscopy of white light illumination during calibration, overlay, and recipe creation.