Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has an assembly to exchange optical elements in a pupil plane of its projection system. The optical elements may be pupil filters and may conform to the physical dimensions specified for a reticle standard, e.g. having sides substantially equal to 5, 6 or 9 inches.

Abstract: Focal plane errors across the field of an array of focusing elements are reduced by using a non-planar correction surface, shaped such that focal points of the focusing elements lie closer to a single plane than they would if the correction surface were planar. For example, this can be used when an array of focusing elements is used in a projection system of a lithography system.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus including a projection system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a substrate as an array of sub-beams of radiation and an array of individually controllable elements configured to modulate the sub-beams of radiation. The apparatus also includes a data-path including at least one data manipulation device arranged to at least partly convert data defining a requested pattern to a control signal suitable for controlling the array of individually controllable elements to form substantially the requested pattern on the substrate. The data manipulation device is arranged to carry out the conversion by applying a pseudo-inverted form of a point-spread function matrix to a column vector representing the requested pattern. The point-spread function matrix includes information about the shape and relative position of the point-spread function of each spot to be exposed on the substrate by one of the sub-beams of radiation at a given time.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system for supplying a beam of radiation, an array of individually controllable elements serving to impart the beam with a pattern in its cross-section, a substrate table for supporting a substrate, and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The beam of radiation comprises a plurality of beam components. The plurality of beam components includes a first beam component having a first frequency spectrum about a first frequency and at least a second beam component having a second frequency spectrum about a second frequency. The second frequency is different from the first frequency. The projection system focuses the first and second beam components at different heights with respect to the substrate table.

Abstract: In order to improve the productivity of a lithographic apparatus, a stage apparatus to hold two patterning devices is described. The patterning devices are arranged such that the distance between the patterns in the scanning direction corresponds to the length of the pattern in the scanning direction. By doing so, an improved exposure sequence may be performed by exposing a first die with a first pattern, skipping a second die adjacent to the first die, and exposing a third die adjacent to the second die using a second pattern.

Abstract: In order to improve the productivity of a lithographic apparatus, a stage apparatus for holding two patterning devices is described. The patterning devices are arranged such that the distance between the patterns in the scanning direction corresponds to the length of the pattern in the scanning direction. By doing so, an improved exposure sequence may be performed by exposing a first die with a first pattern, skipping a second die adjacent to the first die, and exposing a third die adjacent to the second die using a second pattern.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus including a projection system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a substrate as an array of sub-beams of radiation and an array of individually controllable elements configured to modulate the sub-beams of radiation. The apparatus also includes a data-path including at least one data manipulation device arranged to at least partly convert data defining a requested pattern to a control signal suitable for controlling the array of individually controllable elements to form substantially the requested pattern on the substrate. The data manipulation device is arranged to carry out the conversion by applying a pseudo-inverted form of a point-spread function matrix to a column vector representing the requested pattern. The point-spread function matrix includes information about the shape and relative position of the point-spread function of each spot to be exposed on the substrate by one of the sub-beams of radiation at a given time.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an instrument for determining the radiation intensity distribution at a pupil plane of the projection system while a patterning device is imparting the projection beam with a pattern, a calculation apparatus for calculating the effect on the imaging by the projection system of heating resulting from the projection beam in the projection system having the determined intensity distribution and a controller for adjusting the lithographic apparatus to compensate for the calculated effect of heating.