According to one aspect of the present invention, a pattern inspection apparatus includes: an imaging sensor including a plurality of first detection elements that detect light flux transmitted through or reflected by a target object illuminated with inspection Light and capture a pattern image of the target object, and a plurality of second detection elements that are arranged adjacent to the plurality of first detection elements, detect Light fluxes obtained by shifting a focus position of the light flux front side and rear side, and capture images for focus adjustment; an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a focal position of the light flux by using the images for the focus adjustment captured by the plurality of second detection elements; and a comparison circuit configured to compare the pattern image captured by the plurality of first detection elements and a predetermined reference image.

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.

An optical proximity correction (OPC) method according to an embodiment may include obtaining a first OPCed design layout by performing a first OPC on a target design layout; identifying whether an interval between neighboring patterns in the first OPCed design layout complies with a mask rule check (MRC); and removing a portion of patterns, among the neighboring patterns, that are determined to not comply with the MRC, such that a distance between the patterns complies with the MRC after the portion is removed.

A swath imaging system may include an illumination source configured to illuminate a sample with an illumination beam, a stage to scan the sample with a scan pattern including swaths extending along a scan direction when implementing the inspection recipe, one or more TDI sensors configured to capture swath images of the sample, and a controller. The plurality of swaths may be distributed along a step direction orthogonal to the scan direction, and at least some of the plurality of swath images overlap along the step direction. The controller may implement the inspection recipe by receiving the plurality of swath images, combining the plurality of swath images into a uniformized image where overlapping portions of the plurality of swath images are combined within the uniformized image, and generating one or more measurements of the sample based on the uniformized image.

A mask inspection apparatus, a vacuum seal component and a method for adjusting a mask inspection apparatus. A mask inspection apparatus comprises a vacuum housing, an EUV camera mounted on the vacuum housing, and a projection lens, arranged in a vacuum chamber of the vacuum housing, for imaging at least one section of an EUV mask onto an image sensor of the EUV camera, wherein a vacuum seal component having a flexible wall portion is arranged between the vacuum housing and the EUV camera or a camera holder of this EUV camera, and wherein this flexible wall portion is arranged radially outside of a central axis of the EUV camera or of the camera holder.

An inspection system includes a stage for positioning a substrate to be inspected, one or more reticle-based diagnostic targets positioned on the stage, and a reticle inspection sub-system having a field of view encompassing the stage. The system includes a controller configured to move the field of view between portions of the stage to selectively perform substrate and run time diagnostics (RTD) of predefined image quality metrics. In embodiments, the system may be an APMI system for EUV mask inspection and the diagnostic targets may be EUV reticle-based diagnostic targets having predefined EUV performance patterning. In embodiments, the diagnostic targets may be positioned adjacent to the mask to be inspected to permit contiguous scanning to perform inspection and RTD.

A method may comprise fabricating a diagnostic sample using a fabrication process for fabricating a runtime sample, where the runtime sample can be configured to be used in a process tool, and where the diagnostic sample may include patterns designed to provide diagnostics of the process tool. The method can further comprise dicing the diagnostic sample into a plurality of diagnostic targets. Additionally, the method may comprise generating one or more quality metrics for the plurality of diagnostic targets. The diagnostic sample may be fabricated using the same fabrication process that can be used for fabricating the runtime sample, allowing the diagnostic targets to maintain material compatibility and quality standards. The dicing process may enable the creation of multiple diagnostic targets from a single diagnostic sample, providing cost-effective manufacturing. The quality metrics may ensure that the diagnostic targets meet specified requirements for use in process tool calibration and diagnostics.

A system for target centering detection may be configured receive one or more acquisition images of a sample from an overlay metrology sub-system and determine, using a machine learning-based centering model, one or more stage correctables based on the received one or more acquisition images. The system may be configured to cause a sample stage of the overlay metrology sub-system to adjust a stage position based on the determined one or more stage correctables and receive one or more measurement images of the sample from the overlay metrology sub-system based on the adjusted stage position of the sample stage. The system may then be configured to determine one or more overlay measurements based on the received one or more measurement images.

A system includes an illumination system, a scanning system, an optical system, a detector system, and a processor. The illumination system directs an optical beam to illuminate a target structure. The scanning system scans the optical beam and controls a size of a focal spot of the optical beam onto the target structure. The optical system maintains an alignment with an optical axis of the system during scanning of the optical beam. The detector system detects a signal beam generated from the target structure during scanning of the optical beam. The signal beam comprises at least a scattered beam generated from the target structure. The processor analyzes the detected signal beam to determine an overlay characteristic of the target structure.

Positioning apparatus by determining multiple candidate paths for positioning the apparatus at multiple locations, where the positioning requires moving the apparatus in a sequence of movements along multiple axes, selecting a shortest one of the candidate paths requiring a total amount of movement of the apparatus along a selected one of the axes that is less than a total amount of movement of the apparatus required along a specified other of the axes, and causing the apparatus to traverse the selected path.