Method and apparatus for obtaining diagnostic information relating to a lithographic manufacturing process, lithographic processing system including diagnostic apparatus

A diagnostic apparatus for use in relation to a lithographic process, the diagnostic apparatus comprising a data processing apparatus programmed to automatically:

• receive first measurement data representing a distribution of local deviations of a characteristic associated with an interaction of one or more substrates with a substrate support;
• receive second measurement data, the second measurement data representing a distribution of defects observed either on one or more substrates subjected to the same lithographic process or on a patterning device from which a pattern is transferred to one or more substrates in a patterning step of the lithographic process, the second measurement data being of a different data type than the first measurement data;
• identify a correlation between the distribution of defects represented in the second measurement data and the distribution of local deviations represented in the first measurement data;
• and
• generate diagnostic information relating to the lithographic process based on the identified correlation.