Abstract: A fluid handling structure, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method are disclosed. In one arrangement, a fluid handling structure has a fluid extraction conduit with a recovery port configured to receive a used fluid into the conduit. A plurality of flow breakers are provided that each extends across at least a portion of the conduit. The flow breakers are positioned downstream of the recovery port. The flow breakers are arranged so that a common plane cuts through at least a portion of two or more of the flow breakers. The common plane is aligned so as to be perpendicular to the average direction of flow in the conduit at the position of the common plane.

Abstract: An object positioning system includes an object; a measurement system to measure the position of the object, wherein each sensor of the measurement system has an associated measurement area on the object and wherein a location of at least one measurement area on the object is dependent on the position of the object; an actuator system to position the object; a control system configured to drive the actuator system, wherein the control system includes an observer with a dynamic model of the object to estimate an internal dynamic behavior of the object, wherein the dynamic model includes the dependency of the location of at least one measurement area on the position of the object, and wherein the control system is configured to drive the actuator system in dependency of an output of the observer.

Abstract: A support apparatus for a lithographic apparatus has an object holder and an extraction body radially outward of the object holder. The object holder is configured to support an object. The extraction body includes an extraction opening configured to extract fluid from a top surface of the support apparatus. The extraction body is spaced from the object holder such that the extraction body is substantially decoupled from the object holder. The extraction body comprises a projection configured such that it surrounds the object holder and such that, in use, a layer of liquid is retained on the projection and in contact with an object supported on the object holder.

Abstract: An adjustable diffraction grating includes: an optical element and a distortion mechanism. The optical element has an optical surface to receive an input radiation beam. The optical element is provided with a plurality of closed channels below the optical surface, above each closed channel the optical surface being formed from a membrane of material. The distortion mechanism includes one or more actuators that are operable to distort the membranes over the closed channels so as to control the shape of the optical surface and to form a periodic structure on the optical surface which acts as a diffraction grating such that the input radiation beam is diffracted from the optical element to form a plurality of angularly separated sub-beams.

Abstract: Increasingly, metrology systems are integrated within the lithographic apparatuses, to provide integrated metrology within the lithographic process. However, this integration can result in a throughput or productivity impact of the whole lithographic apparatus which can be difficult to predict. It is therefore proposed to provide a simulation model which is operable to acquire throughput information associated with a throughput of a plurality of substrates within a lithographic apparatus, said throughput information comprising a throughput parameter, predict, using a throughput simulator the throughput using the throughput parameter as an input parameter. The throughput simulator may be calibrated using the acquired throughput information. The impact of at least one change of a throughput parameter on the throughput of the lithographic apparatus may be predicted using the throughput simulator.

Abstract: A method including: obtaining information regarding a patterning error in a patterning process involving a patterning device; determining a nonlinearity over a period of time introduced by modifying the patterning error by a modification apparatus according to the patterning error information; and determining a patterning error offset for use with the modification apparatus based on the determined nonlinearity.

Abstract: A method comprising the steps of receiving a mask assembly comprising a mask and a removable EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame, removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, and subsequently attaching to the mask an EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame. The method may also comprise the following steps: after removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, attaching to the mask an alternative pellicle frame holding an alternative pellicle formed from a material which is substantially transparent to an inspection beam of the inspection tool; and after using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, removing the alternative pellicle held by the alternative pellicle frame from the mask in order to attach to the mask the EUV transparent pellicle held by the pellicle frame.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided that has a sensor at substrate level, the sensor including a radiation receiver, a transmissive plate supporting the radiation receiver, and a radiation detector, wherein the sensor is arranged to avoid loss of radiation between the radiation receiver and a final element of the radiation detector.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a compartment which accommodates a movable object. Movements of the movable object cause acoustic disturbances in the compartment. An acoustic damper is arranged to damp the acoustic disturbances in the compartment and comprises a chamber (100) in communication with the compartment and a perforated plate (101), having a plurality of through-holes (102), between the chamber and the compartment.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including: a projection system to project radiation onto a substrate supported on a substrate stage, during an exposure phase; a sensing system to sense a property of the substrate on the stage during a sensing phase; and a positioning system to determine a position of the stage relative to a reference system via a radiation path between the stage and the reference system, wherein the apparatus is configured to control stage movement relative to the reference system in the sensing phase and to control other movement relative to the reference system during the exposure phase; the stage or reference system having an outlet to provide a gas curtain to reduce ingress of ambient gas into the path; and the apparatus is operative such that a characteristic of the gas curtain is different in at least part of the sensing phase compared to in the exposure phase.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator includes a coil assembly including a coil; a magnet assembly including a first and a second magnet unit, each magnet unit including a magnetic yoke and a plurality of permanent magnets mounted to the magnetic yoke, the first and second magnet unit forming a magnetic circuit for receiving the coil assembly and, upon energizing the coil, generating a force in a first direction; and a holder for holding the magnet units, wherein a weight ratio of the magnet assembly over the coil assembly is smaller than the weight ratio of the magnet assembly over the coil assembly when the ratio of force over electrical power is maximized.

Abstract: A conditioning system for a lithographic apparatus having a plurality of modules. The conditioning system includes a plurality of conditioning branches conveying a common conditioning medium for the plurality of modules, one conditioning branch for each module (or a subset of modules); a plurality of thermal actuators, each thermal actuator operable to locally alter the temperature of the common conditioning medium at one of the conditioning branches; and a plurality of sensors, each sensor operable to sense the temperature of the common conditioning medium at one of the conditioning branches.

Abstract: A substrate table to support a substrate, the substrate table including a main body, burls extending from the main body and having first upper ends that define a support surface to support the substrate, and support pins having second upper ends. The support pins are movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The support pins are arranged to support the substrate in the extended position. The support pins are arranged to be switched to a first stiffness mode and a second stiffness mode. In the first stiffness mode, the support pins have a first stiffness in a direction parallel to the support surface. In the second stiffness mode, the support pins have a second stiffness in the direction parallel to the support surface. The first stiffness is different from the second stiffness.

Abstract: A radiation system comprises a fuel emitter configured to provide fuel to a plasma formation region, a laser arranged to provide a laser beam at the plasma formation region incident on the fuel to generate a radiation emitting plasma, and a reflective or transmissive device (30) arranged to receive radiation emitted by the plasma and to reflect or transmit at least some of the received radiation along a desired path, wherein the reflective or transmissive device comprises a body configured to reflect and/or transmit said at least some of the radiation, and selected secondary electron emission (SEE) material (34) arranged relative to the body such as to emit secondary electrons in response to the received radiation, thereby to clean material from a surface of the device.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a device manufacturing process, the method including; obtaining an estimated time variation of a process parameter; determining, on the basis of the estimated time variation, a sampling plan for measurements to be performed on a plurality of substrates to obtain information about the process parameter; measuring substrates in accordance with the sampling plan to obtain a plurality of measurements; and determining an actual time variation of the process parameter on the basis of the measurements.

Abstract: A method including obtaining a measurement and/or simulation result of a pattern after being processed by an etch tool of a patterning system, determining a patterning error due to an etch loading effect based on the measurement and/or simulation result, and creating, by a computer system, modification information for modifying a patterning device and/or for adjusting a modification apparatus upstream in the patterning system from the etch tool based on the patterning error, wherein the patterning error is converted to a correctable error and/or reduced to a certain range, when the patterning device is modified according to the modification information and/or the modification apparatus is adjusted according to the modification information.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus including: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; an aperture device; and an optical system configured to direct a first measurement beam of radiation onto the substrate, the first measurement beam having a first intensity distribution, and configured to direct a second focusing beam of radiation onto the substrate at a same time as the first measurement beam is directed on the substrate, the second focusing beam having a second intensity distribution, wherein at least part of the second intensity distribution is spatially separated from the first intensity distribution at least at the substrate and/or the aperture device.

Abstract: A method including identifying that an area of a first substrate includes a hotspot based on a measurement and/or simulation result pertaining to a patterning device in a patterning system, determining first error information at the hotspot, and creating first modification information for modifying the patterning device (e.g., the information to be transmitted with the patterning device to a patterning modification tool) based on the first error information to obtain a modified patterning device.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has: a conduit through which a gas can flow; a gas mover configured to cause the gas to flow in the conduit; a wall in contact with the gas in the conduit and defining a membrane aperture therein; and an acoustic filter including a flexible membrane fixed in the membrane aperture. The acoustic filter reduces transmission of acoustic disturbances without adding any flow resistance.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for measuring a plurality of structures formed on a substrate are disclosed. In one arrangement, a method includes obtaining data from a first measurement process. The first measurement process including individually measuring each of the plurality of structures to measure a first property of the structure. A second measurement process is used to measure a second property of each of the plurality of structures. The second measurement process includes illuminating each structure with radiation having a radiation property that is individually selected for that structure using the measured first property for the structure.