Abstract: A patterning apparatus for a lithographic apparatus, the patterning apparatus including a patterning device support structure configured to support a patterning device having a planar surface; a patterning device conditioning system including a first gas outlet configured to provide a first gas flow over the planar surface in use and a second gas outlet configured to provide a second gas flow over the planar surface in use, wherein the first gas outlet and the second gas outlet are arranged at different distances perpendicular to the planar surface; and a control system configured to independently control a first momentum of gas exiting the first gas outlet and a second momentum of gas exiting the second gas outlet or to independently vary the first gas flow and/or the second gas flow over the planar surface of the patterning device.

Abstract: A method where deviations of a characteristic of an image simulated by two different process models or deviations of the characteristic simulated by a process model and measured by a metrology tool, are used for various purposes such as to reduce the calibration time, improve the accuracy of the model, and improve the overall manufacturing process.

Abstract: A method of calculating electromagnetic scattering properties of a structure represented as a nominal structure and a structural perturbation, has the steps: 1008 numerically solving a volume integral equation comprising a nominal linear system 1004 to determine a nominal vector field being independent with respect to the structural perturbation; 1010 using a perturbed linear system 1006 to determine an approximation of a vector field perturbation arising from the structural perturbation, by solving a volume integral equation or an adjoint linear system. Matrix-vector multiplication of a nominal linear system matrix convolution operator may be restricted to sub-matrices; and 1012 calculating electromagnetic scattering properties of the structure using the determined nominal vector field and the determined approximation of the vector field perturbation.

Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.

Abstract: A scatterometer performs diffraction based measurements of one or more parameters of a target structure. To make two-color measurements in parallel, the structure is illuminated simultaneously with first radiation (302) having a first wavelength and a first angular distribution and with second radiation (304) having a second wavelength and a second angular distribution. The collection path (CP) includes a segmented wavelength-selective filter (21, 310) arranged to transmit wanted higher order portions of the diffracted first radiation (302X, 302Y) and of the diffracted second radiation (304X, 304Y), while simultaneously blocking zero order portions (302?, 304?) of both the first radiation and second radiation.

Abstract: An illumination source apparatus (500), suitable for use in a metrology apparatus for the characterization of a structure on a substrate, the illumination source apparatus comprising: a high harmonic generation, HHG, medium (502); a pump radiation source (506) operable to emit a beam of pump radiation (508); and adjustable transformation optics (510) configured to adjustably transform the transverse spatial profile of the beam of pump radiation to produce a transformed beam (518) such that relative to the centre axis of the transformed beam, a central region of the transformed beam has substantially zero intensity and an outer region which is radially outwards from the centre axis of the transformed beam has a non-zero intensity, wherein the transformed beam is arranged to excite the HHG medium so as to generate high harmonic radiation (540), wherein the location of said outer region is dependent on an adjustment setting of the adjustable transformation optics.

Abstract: A system and method of removing target material debris deposits simultaneously with generating EUV light includes generating hydrogen radicals in situ in the EUV vessel, proximate to the target material debris deposits and volatilizing the target material debris deposits and purging the volatilized target material debris deposits from the EUV vessel without the need of an oxygen containing species in the EUV vessel.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a deformation of a plurality of substrates is described. The method includes: measuring, for a plurality of n different alignment measurement parameters ? and for a plurality of substrates, a position of the alignment marks; determining a positional deviation as the difference between the n alignment mark position measurements and a nominal alignment mark position; grouping the positional deviations into data sets; determining an average data set; subtracting the average data set from the data sets to obtain a plurality of variable data sets; performing a blind source separation method on the variable data sets, thereby decomposing the variable data sets into a set of eigenwafers representing principal components of the variable data sets; and subdividing the set of eigenwafers into a set of mark deformation eigenwafers and a set of substrate deformation eigenwafers.

Abstract: A method of measuring a property of a substrate, the substrate having a plurality of targets formed thereon, the method comprising: measuring N targets of the plurality of targets using an optical measurement system, where N is an integer greater than 2 and each of said N targets is measured Wt times, where Wt is an integer greater than 2 so as to obtain N*Wt measurement values; and determining R property values using Q equations and the N*Wt measurement values, where R<Q?N*Wt; wherein the optical measurement system has at least one changeable setting and, for each of the N targets, measurement values are obtained using different setting values of at least one changeable setting.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus (LA) prints product features and at least one focus metrology pattern (T) on a substrate. The focus metrology pattern is defined by a reflective reticle and printing is performed using EUV radiation (404) incident at an oblique angle (?). The focus metrology pattern comprises a periodic array of groups of first features (422). A spacing (S1) between adjacent groups of first features is much greater than a dimension (CD) of the first features within each group. Due to the oblique illumination, the printed first features become distorted and/or displaced as a function of focus error. Second features 424 may be provided as a reference against which displacement of the first features may be seen. Measurement of this distortion and/or displacement may be by measuring asymmetry as a property of the printed pattern. Measurement can be done at longer wavelengths, for example in the range 350-800 nm.

Abstract: A resist composition is disclosed which comprises a perovskite material with a structure having a chemical formula selected from ABX3, A2BX4, or ABX4, wherein A is a compound containing an NH3 group, B is a metal and X is a halide constituent. The perovskite material may comprise one or more of the following components: halogen-mixed perovskite material; metal-mixed perovskite material, and organic ligand mixed perovsikte material.

Abstract: A direct write exposure apparatus configured to process a plurality of substrates, the apparatus including: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate having a usable patterning area; a patterning system configured to project different patterns onto the substrate; a processing system configured to: determine a first combination of one or more patterns that are to be applied on a first substrate of the plurality of substrates; and determine a second, different combination of one or more patterns that are to be applied on a second, subsequent, substrate of the plurality of substrates.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support table and a gas extraction system. The gas extraction system is configured to extract gas from a gap between the base surface of the support table and a substrate through at least one gas extraction opening when the substrate is being lowered onto the support table. The lithographic apparatus is configured such that gas is extracted from the gap at a first loading flow rate when the distance between the substrate and the support plane is greater than a threshold distance and gas is extracted from the gap at a second loading flow rate when the distance between the substrate and the support plane is less than the threshold distance, wherein the second loading flow rate is lower than the first loading flow rate.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus has adaptations to prevent or reduce bubble formation in one or more gaps in the substrate table by preventing bubbles escaping from the gap into the beam path and/or extracting bubbles that may form in the gap.

Abstract: In a lithographic apparatus, a localized area of the substrate surface under a projection system is immersed in liquid. The height of a liquid supply system above the surface of the substrate can be varied using actuators. A control system uses feedforward or feedback control with input of the surface height of the substrate to maintain the liquid supply system at a predetermined height above the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A pellicle suitable for use with a patterning device for a lithographic apparatus. The pellicle includes at least one breakage region which is configured to preferentially break, during normal use in a lithographic apparatus, prior to breakage of remaining regions of the pellicle.

Abstract: An electron source, e.g. for a free electron laser used for EUV lithography comprises: • a cathode (203) configured to be connected to a negative potential (100, 101); • a laser (110) configured to direct pulses of radiation onto the cathode so as to cause the cathode to emit bunches of electrons; • an RF booster (180) connected to an RF source and configured to accelerate the bunches of electrons; and • a timing corrector (303, 313, 400, 401) configured to correct the time of arrival of bunches of electrons at the RF booster relative to the RF voltage provided by the RF source. The timing corrector may comprise a correction electrode (303, 313) surrounding a path of the bunches of electrons from the cathode to the RF booster and a correction voltage source (400, 401) configured to apply a correction voltage to the correction electrode.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a substrate table, a projection system, an encoder system, a measurement frame and a measurement system. The substrate table has a holding surface for holding a substrate. The projection system is for projecting an image on the substrate. The encoder system is for providing a signal representative of a position of the substrate table. The measurement system is for measuring a property of the lithographic apparatus. The holding surface is along a plane. The projection system is at a first side of the plane. The measurement frame is arranged to support at least part of the encoder system and at least part of the measurement system at a second side of the plane different from the first side.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an alignment sensor configured to determine the position of an alignment target having a periodic structure. The alignment sensor includes a demultiplexer to demultiplex a number of intensity channels. The demultiplexer includes a number of stages arranged in series and a number of demultiplexing components, each demultiplexing component operable to divide an input radiation beam into two radiation beam portions. The first stage has a first demultiplexing component that is arranged to receive as an input radiation beam an incident radiation beam. Each successive stage is arranged such that it has twice the number of demultiplexing components as a preceding stage, each demultiplexing component of each stage after the first stage receiving as an input one of the radiation beam portions output from a demultiplexing component of the preceding stage.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus (140) measures asymmetry or other property of target structures (T) formed by a lithographic process on a substrate. For a given set of illumination conditions, accuracy of said measurement is influenced strongly by process variations across the substrate and/or between substrates. The apparatus is arranged to collect radiation scattered by a plurality of structures under two or more variants of said illumination conditions (p1?, p1, p1+; ?1?, ?1, ?1+). A processing system (PU) is arranged to derive the measurement of said property using radiation collected under a different selection or combination of said variants for different ones of said structures. The variants may be for example in wavelength, or in angular distribution, or in any characteristic of the illumination conditions. Selection and/or combination of variants is made with reference to a signal quality (302, Q, A) observed in the different variants.