Abstract: A system is used to substantially reduce divergence of a beam traveling between master and power oscillators, for example in a laser beam source. The system comprises the first and second oscillators and a beam conditioning device. The first oscillator is configured to generate a radiation beam. The beam conditioning device is configured to stabilize a position, a direction, a size, or a divergence of the radiation beam to produce a conditioned beam. The second oscillator configured to amplify the conditioned beam to produce an amplified beam.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which has a projection optical system configured to project light from a reticle to a substrate to expose the substrate to light, with a first gap between a final surface of the projection optical system and the substrate being filled with liquid. A substrate stage is configured to hold the substrate and to be moved to position the substrate, a plate has a surface substantially flush with a surface of the substrate held by the substrate stage and configured to be moved independently of the substrate stage, a supply nozzle is configured to supply the liquid, the liquid being supplied to the first gap via the supply nozzle during exposure of the substrate to light, and a recovery nozzle is configured to recover the liquid, the liquid being recovered from the first gap via the recovery nozzle during exposure of the substrate to light.

Abstract: An acousto-optic cell is used in a method and device for patterning a workpiece, for exposing a radiation sensitive layer on a workpiece such as a mask or a device substrate. The acousto-optic cell includes an array of transducers. The transducers may supply columns of ultrasound to the cell. They may produce a two dimensional modulation pattern within the cell. Electromagnetic radiation is modulated by the cell and related to a workpiece. The modulation of the cell may modulate the amplitude and/or phase of the electromagnetic radiation. In some embodiments, adjoining columns of ultrasound may be positioned so that portions of the electromagnetic radiation partially overlap and interfere, after they are modulated.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a first control system to control a first physical quantity in the lithographic apparatus. A parameter in the first control system is dependent on a value of a further physical quantity in the lithographic apparatus. The parameter may be included in a feedforward path. An input of the feedforward path may be connected to a second control system, the second control system to control a second physical quantity in the lithographic apparatus. The feedforward path may provide a feedforward signal to the first control system in dependency on a signal in the second control system. The further physical quantity may include the second physical quantity.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illuminator configured to condition a beam of radiation and a support configured to hold a patterning device. The patterning device is configured to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. The lithographic apparatus also includes a substrate table configured to hold a substrate and a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate to form a patterned image on the substrate. The apparatus further includes a sensor configured and arranged to intercept a portion of the beam and to measure a transmission of the beam through at least a portion of the patterning device.

Abstract: A method for generating models for simulating the imaging performance of a plurality of exposure tools. The method includes the steps of: generating a calibrated model for a first exposure tool capable of estimating an image to be produced by the first exposure tool for a given photolithography process, where the calibrated model includes a first set of basis functions; generating a model of a second exposure tool capable of estimating an image to be produced by the second exposure tool for the photolithography process, where the model includes a second set of basis functions; and representing the second set of basis functions as a linear combination of the first set of basis functions so as to generate an equivalent model function corresponding to the second exposure tool, where the equivalent model function produces a simulated image corresponding to the image generated by the second exposure tool for the photolithography process.

Abstract: A lithographic system combining an interference exposure unit and a lithography unit. The lithography unit can comprise an array of individually controllable elements. The lithography system can be arranged such that a pitch of the lines exposed by the interference exposure unit is an integer multiple of a size of an exposure area of the lithography unit corresponding to a single individually controllable element.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes an output unit having a photoelectric converting element and configured to produce a signal corresponding to light incident on the photoelectric converting element, a restricting unit configured to restrict a light receiving region of the photoelectric converting element to one of a first region and a second region, and a calculating unit configured to calculate a sensitivity of the first region, based on an output signal obtained from the output unit with respect to the first region to which the light receiving unit is restricted by the restricting unit, and on an output signal obtained from the output unit with respect to the second region to which the light receiving region is restricted by the restricting unit.

Abstract: A method for aligning a substrate in a lithographic apparatus, the method including irradiating a first target portion of the substrate with a first patterned beam to form a first pattern on the substrate. Then, a second target portion of the substrate is irradiated with a second pattern beam to form a second pattern on the substrate. The second target portion at least partly overlaps the first target portion. A diffraction beam is detected during irradiation of the second pattern, due to a diffraction of the second patterned beam on the first pattern. The diffraction beam is compared with a desired diffraction beam, and the substrate is aligned based on a comparison between the detected diffraction beam and the desired diffraction beam.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus projects a pattern image onto a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, and the projection optical system has an optical member that comes into contact with the liquid and an optical group arranged between the optical member and a reticle. A holding mechanism that holds the optical member and the optical group holds the optical member so that it is movable relative to the optical group.

Abstract: A method to measure the height-direction position of a mask M in an exposure device having a function to irradiate the mask M with light emitted from a light source and transfer a pattern formed on the mask M onto a photosensitive substrate such as a wafer by a projection optical system, a mask surface height-direction position measurement method characterized by moving, before measuring the height-direction position of the mask M, an exposure area defining member 1 which is arranged between the mask M and the projection optical system and defines an exposure area at the time of exposure.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus includes a liquid supply system configured to supply a liquid to a space through which a beam of radiation passes, the liquid having an optical property that can be tuned by a tuner. The space may be located between the projection system and the substrate. The tuner is arranged to adjust one or more properties of the liquid such as the shape, composition, refractive index and/or absorptivity as a function of space and/or time in order to change the imaging performance of the lithography apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic color photography apparatus includes a photosensitive body and a plurality of detachable developing devices. A power for moving the developing devices close to the photosensitive body is created by a retracting force of a slanted teeth gear which is driven at one side of a body of the electronic color photography apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided an optical component. The optical component includes a material having a surface that heats to a maximum temperature (Tmax) when subjected to radiation. The material has a temperature-dependent coefficient of thermal expansion (?(T)) of about zero at a temperature T0 that is approximately equal to Tmax. The optical component is suitable for use in any of an illumination system, a projection objective or a projection exposure system, as employed, for example, for EUV microlithography.

Abstract: Provided is a radiation distribution system for distributing the radiation from an illumination system to two or more patterning means, each for patterning beams of radiation, which are subsequently projected onto a substrate.

Abstract: A device manufacturing method includes bringing pressure within a vacuum chamber of a lithographic projection apparatus to a temperature stabilizing pressure range; keeping the pressure within the vacuum chamber within the temperature stabilizing pressure range for a period of time so as to stabilize the temperature in the vacuum chamber; decreasing the pressure within the vacuum chamber to a production pressure range; generating a beam of radiation with a radiation system; patterning the beam of radiation; and projecting the patterned beam of radiation through the vacuum chamber onto a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate.

Abstract: In calibration of overlay performance of an immersion lithographic apparatus, two sets of overlay data are obtained from exposures carried out using normal and reversed meanders. The two data sets can then be used to eliminate effects due to wafer cooling.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern, a substrate table configured to hold a substrate and a projection system configured to project the beam as patterned onto a target portion of the substrate. The lithographic apparatus further includes a polarization modifier disposed in a path of the beam. The polarization modifier comprises a material having a radially varying birefringence.

Abstract: In calibration of overlay performance of an immersion lithographic apparatus, two sets of overlay data are obtained from exposures carried out using, for example, normal and reversed meanders. The two data sets can then be used to eliminate effects due to substrate cooling.

Abstract: Developer is supplied to a first spray pipe disposed in a developing bath. The inside of the developing bath is provided with a heater. A liquid-flow generating unit comprises a liquid-flow generating head and a branch duct, which is connected to a branch pipe of the first spray pipe via a rubber hose. A part of the developer flowing in the first spray pipe is forwarded to the liquid-flow generating head. By a gap-forming ring, a gap is secured between an outer surface of the heater and an inner surface of the liquid-flow generating head so that the developer uniformly flows along the outer surface of the heater in a longitudinal direction thereof. A heater cover is attached to the liquid-flow generating head. An inner surface of the heater cover inclines in the longitudinal direction of the heater.