A lithographic manufacturing system produces periodic structures with feature sizes less than 10 nm and a direction of periodicity (D). A beam of radiation (1904) having a range of wavelengths in the EUV spectrum (1-100 nm or 1-150 nm) is focused into a spot (S) of around 5 μm diameter. Reflected radiation (1908) is broken into a spectrum (1910) which is captured (1913) to obtain a target spectrum signal (ST). A reference spectrum is detected (1914) to obtain a reference spectrum signal (SR). Optionally a detector (1950) is provided to obtain a further spectrum signal (SF) using radiation diffracted at first order by the grating structure of the target. The angle of incidence (α) and azimuthal angle (φ) are adjustable. The signals (ST, SR, SF) obtained at one or more angles are used to calculate measured properties of the target, for example CD and overlay.