Methods and systems for configuring a metrology tool are described. A processor can receive a height map of a sample from an apparatus configured to generate wafer height maps. The received height map can indicate height information of a plurality of features on a surface of the sample. The plurality of features can be located on a plurality of focal planes. The processor can generate settings for the metrology tool based on the height map of the sample.

A measurement apparatus which measures a relative positional displacement amount of a partial pattern to another pattern in a complex pattern on a surface of an object, includes: a measurement part to measure two-dimensional intensity distributions having a first and a second two-dimensional intensity distribution, the first distribution being formed by applying first light having a first shape to a region on which the complex pattern is measured and detecting only zero order diffraction light from the region via a first filter, and the second distribution being formed by applying second light having a second shape to the region and detecting only zero order diffraction light from the region via a second filter; a storage part to store measurement data indicating the distributions; and a calculation part to form a synthesized intensity distribution obtained by the two-dimensional intensity distributions to calculate a positional displacement amount of the partial pattern.

A metrology system may include an optical metrology tool configured to produce an optical metrology output for one or more features on a processed substrate, and a metrology machine learning model that has been trained using a training set of (i) profiles, critical dimensions, and/or contours for a plurality of features, and (ii) optical metrology outputs for the plurality of features. The metrology machine learning model may be configured to: receive the optical metrology output from the optical metrology tool; and output the profile, critical dimension, and/or contour of the one or more features on the processed substrate.

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 method including obtaining a measurement result from a target on a substrate, by using a substrate measurement recipe; determining, by a hardware computer system, a parameter from the measurement result, wherein the parameter characterizes dependence of the measurement result on an optical path length of the target for incident radiation used in the substrate measurement recipe and the determining the parameter includes determining dependence of the measurement result on a relative change of wavelength of the incident radiation; and if the parameter is not within a specified range, adjusting the substrate measurement recipe.

An inspection apparatus, including: an objective configured to receive diffracted radiation from a metrology target having positive and negative diffraction order radiation; an optical element configured to separate the diffracted radiation into portions separately corresponding to each of a plurality of different values or types of one or more radiation characteristics and separately corresponding to the positive and negative diffraction orders; and a detector system configured to separately and simultaneously measure the portions.

A method for a metrology process, the method includes obtaining first measurement data relating to a first set of measurement conditions and determining a first measurement recipe based on the first measurement data. At least one performance indicator is determined from one or more components of the first measurement data obtained from a component analysis or statistical decomposition. Alternatively, at least one performance indicator is determined from a comparison of one or more first measurement values relating to the first measurement recipe and one or more second measurement values relating to a second measurement recipe, where second measurement recipe is different to the first measurement data and relates a second set of measurement conditions, the second set of measurement conditions being different to the first set of measurement conditions.

An illumination system for a metrology apparatus that can achieve illumination spatial profile flexibility, high polarization extinction ratio, and high contrast. The illumination system includes a polarizing beam splitter (PBS), an illumination mode selector (IMS), and a reflective spatial light modulator (SLM). The PBS divides an illumination beam into sub-beams. The IMS has a plurality of apertures that transmits at least one sub-beam and may be arranged in multiple illumination positions corresponding to illumination modes. A pixel array of the reflective SLM and reflects a portion of the sub-beam transmitted by the IMS back to the IMS and PBS. The PBS, IMS, SLM collectively generates a complex amplitude or intensity spatial profile of the transmitted sub-beam.

A method may include, but is not limited to, receiving a measurement including a metrology parameter for a layer of a metrology target and an alignment mark from an overlay metrology tool prior to a lithography process; deriving a merit figure from the metrology parameter and the alignment mark; deriving a correction factor from the merit figure; providing the correction factor to the lithography process via a feed forward process; receiving an additional measurement including an additional metrology parameter for the layer and an additional layer from an additional overlay metrology tool after the lithography process; deriving an adjustment from the additional metrology parameter; and providing the adjustment to the lithography process via a feedback process.

A semiconductor device metrology including creating a time-domain representation of wavelength-domain measurement data of light reflected by a patterned structure of a semiconductor device, selecting a relevant and irrelevant portion of the time-domain representation, and determining one or more measurements of one or more parameters of interest of the patterned structure by performing model-based processing using the relevant portion of the time-domain representation.