US 12,189,303 B2
Methods and apparatus for diagnosing unobserved operational parameters
David Evert Song Kook Sigtermans, Veldhoven (NL)
Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 17/923,184
Filed by ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Apr. 9, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/059270
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 3, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/223958, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20173778 (EP), filed on Aug. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0185202 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/70508 (2013.01) [G03F 7/70525 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
obtaining a plurality of causal relationships between pairs of observable parameters of a machine or apparatus, wherein each pair comprises a cause parameter and an effect parameter;
determining, for at least some of the parameters, a decomposition of a parameter of the at least some parameters into a plurality of information components based on the obtained causal relationships between the parameters, wherein the decomposition comprises a synergistic information component comprising information obtained from a combination of at least two causal relationships having the parameter as effect parameter;
determining that a certain parameter comprises a negative synergistic information component;
diagnosing, based on the existence of the negative synergistic information component, that an unobserved operational parameter provides a cause for the certain parameter comprising the negative synergistic information component; and
making an adjustment to a setting of the machine or apparatus to provide a desired change to the certain parameter, wherein the adjustment is calculated by including an effect of the unobserved operational parameter.