Abstract: In an immersion lithography apparatus in which immersion liquid is supplied to a localized space, the space is substantially polygonal in plan substantially parallel to the substrate. In an embodiment, two corners of the space have a radius of curvature no greater than the width of a transition zone between the space configured to contain liquid and a surrounding configured not to contain liquid.

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 new way of drying and/or wetting a surface, such as a top surface of a substrate, is disclosed which is useful in immersion lithography. The surface is placed under a single phase extractor and a priming liquid is delivered between the single phase extractor and the surface. The single phase extractor is only activated after the priming liquid has been provided between the single phase extractor and the surface. Priming liquid is delivered to the single phase extractor during the whole of the drying and/or wetting process.

Abstract: A method including obtaining a first value of an optical characteristic determined for an etched profile of a substrate measured at a first wavelength of measurement radiation, obtaining a second value of the optical characteristic determined for the etched profile of the substrate measured at a second wavelength of measurement radiation, and obtaining a derived value that represents a difference between the first and second values; and determining, based on the first and second values or on the derived value, an occurrence of a tilt in the etching to form the etched profile.

Abstract: A liquid confinement system for use in immersion lithography is disclosed in which the meniscus of liquid between the liquid confinement system and the substrate is pinned substantially in place by a meniscus pinning feature. The meniscus pinning feature comprises a plurality of discrete outlets arranged in a polygonal shape.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support structure constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto the substrate, the lithographic apparatus being provided with a first cooling fluid circuit which is configured to cool components to a first temperature, and provided with a second cooling fluid circuit which is configured to cool components to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is an illumination source for generating measurement radiation for an inspection apparatus. The source generates at least first measurement radiation and second measurement radiation such that the first measurement radiation and the second measurement radiation interfere to form combined measurement radiation modulated with a beat component. The illumination source may be a HHG source. Also disclosed is an inspection apparatus comprising such a source and an associated inspection method.

Abstract: An acoustic scatterometer 502 has an acoustic source 520 operable to project acoustic radiation 526 onto a periodic structure 538 and 540 formed on a substrate 536. An acoustic detector 518 is operable to detect the ?1st acoustic diffraction order 528 diffracted by the periodic structure 538 and 540 while discriminating from specular reflection (0th order 532). Another acoustic detector 522 is operable to detect the +1st acoustic diffraction order 530 diffracted by the periodic structure, again while discriminating from the specular reflection (0th order 532). The acoustic source and acoustic detector may be piezo transducers. The angle of incidence of the projected acoustic radiation 526 and location of the detectors 518 and 522 are arranged with respect to the periodic structure 538 and 540 such that the detection of the ?1st and +1st acoustic diffraction orders 528 and 530 discriminates from the 0th order specular reflection 532.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus is disclosed that has an optical system to focus radiation onto a structure and directs redirected radiation from the structure to a detection system. The optical system applies a plurality of different offsets of an optical characteristic to radiation before and/or after redirected by the structure, such that a corresponding plurality of different offsets are provided to redirected radiation derived from a first point of a pupil plane field distribution relative to redirected radiation derived from a second point of the pupil plane field distribution. The detection system detects a corresponding plurality of radiation intensities resulting from interference between the redirected radiation derived from the first point of the pupil plane field distribution and the redirected radiation derived from the second point of the pupil plane field distribution. Each radiation intensity corresponds to a different one of the plurality of different offsets.

Abstract: A substrate support for supporting a substrate. The substrate support comprises a main body, a clamping device and a dither device. The main body comprises a support surface for supporting the substrate. The clamping device is arranged to provide the clamping force to clamp the substrate on the support surface. The dither device is configured to dither the clamping force. The dither device may be configured to dither the clamping force while the substrate W is being loaded onto the support surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, computer program and associated apparatuses for measuring a parameter of a lithographic process.

Abstract: A method of determining a configuration of a projection system for a lithographic apparatus, wherein manipulators of the projection system manipulate optical elements so as to adjust its optical properties, the method comprising: receiving dependencies of the optical properties of the projection system on a configuration of the manipulators, receiving a plurality of constraints of the manipulators, formulating a cost function, wherein the cost function represents a difference between the optical properties of the projection system for a given configuration of the manipulators and desired optical properties, wherein the cost function is formulated using the dependency of the optical properties on the configuration of the manipulators, scaling the cost function into a scaled variable space, wherein the scaling is performed by using the plurality of constraints and finding a solution configuration of the manipulators which substantially minimizes the scaled cost function subject to satisfying the plurality of co

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and the substrate is filled with a liquid. An edge seal member at least partly surrounds the substrate or other object on a substrate table to prevent liquid loss when edge portions of the substrate or other object are, for example, imaged or illuminated. A lithographic projection 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; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a liquid supply system configured to provide liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate; and a shutter configured to isolate the space from the substrate or a space to be occupied by a substrate.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus has a controller configured to control a substrate table to move along an exposure route including in order: an entry motion in which the substrate moves from an off-substrate position at which the immersion space does not overlap the substrate to an on-substrate position at which the immersion space at least partially overlaps the substrate, a transfer motion in which the substrate table changes speed and/or direction and moves for at least a transfer time after the substrate moves to the on-substrate position, and an expose motion in which the substrate is scanned and the patterned beam is projected onto the substrate, wherein throughout the transfer motion at least a part of the immersion space overlaps the substrate and wherein the patterned beam is not projected onto the substrate during the entry motion and the transfer motion.

Abstract: Described is a metrology system for determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate, and associated method. The metrology system comprises a processor being configured to computationally determine phase and amplitude information from a detected characteristic of scattered radiation having been reflected or scattered by the at least one structure as a result of illumination of said at least one structure with illumination radiation in a measurement acquisition, and use the determined phase and amplitude to determine the characteristic of interest.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of optimizing within an inspection apparatus, the position and/or size (and therefore focus) of a measurement illumination spot relative to a target on a substrate. The method comprises detecting scattered radiation from at least the target resultant from illuminating the target, for different sizes and/or positions of said illumination spot relative to the target; and optimizing said position and/or size of the measurement illumination spot relative to the target based on a characteristic of the detected scattered radiation for the different sizes and/or positions of said illumination spot relative to the target.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, and associated apparatuses, for measuring a parameter of interest relating to a structure having at least two layers. The method comprises illuminating the structure with measurement radiation and detecting scattered radiation having been scattered by said structure. The scattered radiation comprises normal and complementary higher diffraction orders. A scatterometry model which relates a scattered radiation parameter to at least a parameter of interest and an asymmetry model which relates the scattered radiation parameter to at least one asymmetry parameter are defined, the asymmetry parameter relating to one or more measurement system errors and/or an asymmetry in the target other than a misalignment between the two layers. A combination of the scatterometry model and asymmetry model is used to determine a system of equations, and the system of equations is then solved for the parameter of interest.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus uses radiation (304) in an EUV waveband. A first detection system (333) includes a spectroscopic grating (312) and a detector (313) for capturing a spectrum of the EUV radiation after interaction with a target (T). Properties of the target are measured by analyzing the spectrum. The radiation (304) further includes radiation in other wavebands such as VUV, DUV, UV, visible and IR. A second detection system (352, 372, 382) is arranged to receive at least a portion of radiation (350) reflected by the first spectroscopic grating and to capture a spectrum (SA) in one or more of said other wavebands. The second waveband spectrum can be used to enhance accuracy of the measurement based on the EUV spectrum, and/or it can be used for a different measurement. Other types of detection, such as polarization can be used instead or in addition to spectroscopic gratings.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is described having a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and a substrate with liquid, a substrate temperature control system configured to provide a control signal to control a substrate temperature conditioning system based on a determined temperature; and a parameter control system configured to adjust a lithographic apparatus parameter, that is other than, or in addition to, the control signal, based on temperature information of the substrate and/or substrate table or on a measure derived from the temperature information.

Abstract: A substrate holder for a lithographic apparatus has a planarization layer provided on a surface thereof. The planarization layer provides a smooth surface for the formation of an electronic component such as a thin film electronic component. The planarization layer may be provided in multiple sub layers. The planarization layer may smooth over roughness caused by removal of material from a blank to form burls on the substrate holder.