Abstract: The present invention relates to the activation of a software upgrade in a lithographic apparatus that transfers a pattern onto a substrate. The time and date of the activation of a software upgrade is compared with the time and date of the exposure of the first layer of a substrate or of a “lot” of substrates. If the activation date and time is later than the first exposure date and time, software-functionality types is not mixed on a single lot or substrate and the old software-functionality is used for that lot or substrate. If, on the other hand, the activation date and time of the software-functionality update is earlier than the first exposure of the lot or substrate, the lot or substrate has not yet been affected by the old software-functionality and the new, updated software-functionality may be used to control the pattern transfer onto all of the substrate layers.

Abstract: An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes an article support constructed to support a first article, capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, in a beam path of the radiation beam or a second article to be placed in a beam path of the patterned radiation beam, the article support having a plurality of supporting protrusions on which the first article or the second article is disposed in use, wherein the plurality of supporting protrusions are constructed to define a support zone to provide a plane of support for the first article or the second article, so that when the first article or the second article is subjected to a thermal load the support zone allows at least a portion of the first article or the second article to expand or contract to reduce the build up of a mechanical stress in the first article or second article, respectively, while maintaining the first article or second article substantially fixed to the article suppor

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus according to one embodiment includes an alignment system for aligning a substrate. The alignment system comprises an illuminator system configured to illuminate an alignment mark on the substrate with an illumination spot, the alignment mark comprising a plurality of lines and spaces. The system also includes a combiner system configured to transfer two images of the illuminated alignment mark without spatial filtering of the images, rotate the images 180° relatively to each other, and combine the two images; and a detection system configured to detect an alignment signal from the combined images and to determine a unique alignment position by selecting a specific one of extreme values in the detected alignment signal.

Abstract: The change in a property of a lithographic apparatus (e.g. the change in magnification of the projection system due to lens heating effects) is predicted, and when the change since the last time an alignment task was performed is greater than a threshold, an additional alignment task is carried out. A realignment is triggered when the predictive correction, and hence the error in it, becomes larger than a desired maximum. This avoids unnecessary realignments but ensures that an alignment does occur when likely errors are out of permitted ranges.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a measurement system for measuring changes in projection system aberrations with time, and a predictive control system for predicting variation of projection system aberrations with time on the basis of model parameters and for generating a control signal for compensating a time-varying property of the apparatus, such as the OVL values (X-Y adjustment) and the FOC values (Z adjustment) of a lens of the projection system for example. An inline model identification system is provided for estimating model parameter errors on the basis of projection system aberration values provided by the predictive control system and measured projection system aberration values provided by the measurement system, and an updating system utilizes the model parameter errors for updating the model parameters of the predictive control system in order to maintain the time-varying property within acceptable performance criteria.

Abstract: An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Abstract: An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Abstract: An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Abstract: An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Abstract: An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus according to one embodiment includes an alignment system for aligning a substrate. The alignment system comprises an illuminator system configured to illuminate an alignment mark on the substrate with an illumination spot, the alignment mark comprising a plurality of lines and spaces. The system also includes a combiner system configured to transfer two-images of the illuminated alignment mark without spatial filtering of the images, rotate the images 180° relatively to each other, and combine the two images; and a detection system configured to detect an alignment signal from the combined images and to determine a unique alignment position by selecting a specific one of extreme values in the detected alignment signal.

Abstract: A manufacturing method is utilized in lithographic projection apparatus in order to enable all aberrations to be compensated for but with those aberrations that are of most significance to the particular application (the particular pattern, illumination mode, etc.) being given precedence over aberrations that are of lesser significance in relation to that particular application. The method uses a substrate having a target portion for receiving an image, a mask for applying a pattern in accordance with a required patterning application, and a projection system to project a selected beam of radiation onto the mask to produce a specific required patterned beam providing an image of the pattern on the target portion.

Abstract: A method is provided for modifying an image of a pattern during a lithographic imaging process, where the pattern is arranged on a mask for imaging by a projection system on a surface, and the image is an image formed from the pattern by the projection system. In this method the imaging quality of the projection system is described by selected imaging quality parameters, and the image is adjustable by image adjustment parameters of the projection system. The method comprises the steps of determining an ideal image of the pattern, determining a simulated distorted image of the pattern based on the selected imaging quality parameters; determining a deviation between the simulated distorted image and the ideal image, and adapting the image adjustment parameters during the imaging process to minimize the deviation between the simulated distorted image and the ideal image on the basis of the selected imaging quality parameters.

Abstract: An alignment system for a lithographic apparatus has a source of alignment radiation; a detection system that has a first detector channel and a second detector channel; and a position determining unit in communication with the detection system. The position determining unit is constructed to process information from said first and second detector channels in a combination to determine a position of an alignment mark on a work piece, the combination taking into account a manufacturing process of the work piece. A lithographic apparatus has the above mentioned alignment system. Methods of alignment and manufacturing devices with a lithographic apparatus use the above alignment system and lithographic apparatus, respectively.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes an alignment subsystem configured to align the substrate on the substrate table relative to the patterning structure. The alignment structure comprises a non-periodic feature which may be detectable as e.g. a capture position or a check position using a reference grating in the alignment subsystem. The non-periodic feature may cause a phase effect in the detected signal of the alignment subsystem or an amplitude effect.

Abstract: The change in a property of a lithographic apparatus (e.g. the change in magnification of the projection system due to lens heating effects) is predicted, and when the change since the last time an alignment task was performed is greater than a threshold, an additional alignment task is carried out. A realignment is triggered when the predictive correction, and hence the error in it, becomes larger than a desired maximum. This avoids unnecessary realignments but ensures that an alignment does occur when likely errors are out of permitted ranges.

Abstract: The change in a property of a lithographic apparatus, in a preferred embodiment the change in magnification of the projection system due to lens heating effects, is predicted and when the change since the last time an alignment process was performed is greater than a threshold, an additional alignment process is carried out. A realignment is triggered when the predictive correction, and hence the error in it, becomes larger than a desired maximum. This avoids unnecessary realignments but ensures that an alignment does occur when likely errors are out of permitted ranges.