Abstract: A method of forming a radiation filter for a lithographic system, the method including forming at least one structure in or on a filter body, wherein the at least one structure provides a filtering effect and least one of a), b), c) or d): a) the at least one structure includes a plurality of transmissive, reflective, absorbing or fluorescent structures, and the method includes providing a desired distribution of the structures to provide a desired filtering effect; b) forming the at least one structure includes forming at least one transmissive, absorbing, reflective or fluorescent layer that has a variable thickness; c) forming the at least one structure includes altering at least one optical property to provide a variation of the optical property with position; d) the at least one structure includes a fluorescent layer that provides variation of at least one fluorescence property with position and/or angle of incidence.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vibration isolation system (VIS) comprising:—a base (10);—a coupling element (20) to be coupled to a vibration sensitive object;—a vibration isolator (30-34) arranged between the base and the coupling element;—a bellows (50) to be arranged between the VIS coupling element or the vibration isolator and a protective housing (40) surrounding the vibration sensitive object; and—one or more separate damping elements to act on convolutions of the bellow,

Abstract: Disclosed is a metrology apparatus and method for measuring a structure formed on a substrate by a lithographic process. The metrology apparatus comprises an illumination system operable to provide measurement radiation comprising a plurality of wavelengths; and a hyperspectral imager operable to obtain a hyperspectral representation of a measurement scene comprising the structure, or a part thereof, from scattered measurement radiation subsequent to the measurement radiation being scattered by the structure.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus (for example a scatterometer) comprises: a substrate support for supporting a substrate and an optical system. An illumination system illuminates a target (T) with radiation. A positioning system (518) moves one or both of the optical system and the substrate support so as to position an individual target (T) relative to the optical system so that the imaging optics can use a portion of the diffracted radiation to form an image of the target structure on an image sensor (23). A liquid lens (722) is controlled (902) by feed-forward control to maintain said image stationary against vibration and/or scanning movement between the optical system and the target structure. In a second aspect, a liquid lens (1324, 1363) to correct chromatic aberration during measurements made at different wavelengths. This may improve focusing of the illumination on the target (T), and/or focusing of an image on the image sensor (23).

Abstract: A photocathode comprises a substrate in which a cavity is formed and a film of material disposed on the substrate. The film of material comprises an electron emitting surface configured to emit electrons when illuminated by a beam of radiation. The electron emitting surface is on an opposite side of the film of material from the cavity.

Abstract: Hybrid metrology apparatus (1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400) measures a structure (T) manufactured by lithography. An EUV metrology apparatus (244, IL1/DET1) irradiates the structure with EUV radiation and detects a first spectrum from the structure. Another metrology apparatus (240, IL2/DET2) irradiates the structure with second radiation comprising EUV radiation or longer-wavelength radiation and detects a second spectrum. Using the detected first spectrum and the detected second spectrum together, a processor (MPU) determines a property (CD/OV) of the structure. The spectra can be combined in various ways. For example, the first detected spectrum can be used to control one or more parameters of illumination and/or detection used to capture the second spectrum, or vice versa. The first spectrum can be used to distinguish properties of different layers (T1, T2) in the structure. First and second radiation sources (SRC1, SRC2) may share a common drive laser (LAS).

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is described in which a two-phase flow is separated into liquid-rich and gas-rich flows by causing the liquid-rich flow to preferentially flow along a surface.

Abstract: A radiation receiving system for an inspection apparatus, used to perform measurements on target structures on lithographic substrates as part of a lithographic process, comprises a spectrometer with a number of inputs. The radiation receiving system comprises: a plurality of inputs, each input being arranged to provide radiation from a target structure; a first optical element operable to receive radiation from each of the plurality of inputs; a second optical element operable to receive radiation from the first optical element and to scatter the radiation; and a third optical element operable to direct the scattered radiation onto a detector. The second optical element may for example be a reflective diffraction grating that diffracts incoming radiation into an output radiation spectrum.

Abstract: A method includes exposing number of fields on a substrate, obtaining data about a field and correcting exposure of the field in subsequent exposures. The method includes defining one or more sub-fields of the field based on the obtained data. Data relating to each sub-field is processed to produce sub-field correction information. A subsequent exposure of the one or more sub-fields is corrected using the sub-field correction information. By controlling a lithographic apparatus by reference to data of a particular sub-field within a field, overlay error can be reduced or minimized for a critical feature, rather than being averaged over the whole field. By controlling a lithographic apparatus with reference to a sub-field rather than only the whole field, a residual error can be reduced in each sub-field.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate and a fluid confinement structure configured to confine immersion fluid in a localized region between a final element of the projection system and a surface of the substrate. The lithographic apparatus is configured to have a space bounded on one side by a surface of the projection system and/or a component of the lithographic apparatus at least partially surrounding the final element of the projection system, and on the other side by a surface of the fluid confinement structure. The apparatus is configured to increase the humidity of the gas within the space.

Abstract: A radiation source suitable for providing radiation to a lithographic apparatus generates radiation from a plasma (12) generated from a fuel (31) within an enclosure comprising a gas. The plasma generates primary fuel debris collected as a fuel layer on a debris-receiving surface ((33a), (33b)). The debris-receiving surface is heated to a temperature to maintain the fuel layer as a liquid, and to provide a reduced or zero rate of formation gas bubbles within the liquid fuel layer in order to reduce contamination of optical surfaces (14) by secondary debris arising from gas bubble eruption from the liquid fuel layer. Additionally or alternatively, the radiation source may have a debris receiving surface positioned and/or oriented such that substantially all lines normal to the debris receiving surface do not intersect an optically active surface of the radiation source.

Abstract: A method of thermally conditioning a physical object, includes guiding a two-phase cooling medium through a cooling duct of the physical object, wherein the guiding includes: guiding the two-phase cooling medium in a liquid phase via a pre-heating duct of the physical object from a supply side of the physical object at least partly towards a discharging side of the physical object, the two-phase cooling medium being pre-heated in the pre-heating duct; guiding the two-phase cooling medium from the pre-heating duct to a phase transitioning duct of the physical object, the two-phase cooling medium at least partly transitioning from the liquid phase towards a gas phase in the phase transitioning duct; guiding the two-phase cooling medium from the phase transitioning duct to a discharging duct of the physical object; and discharging at the discharging side the two-phase cooling medium from the discharging duct.

Abstract: An apparatus has a first component with a first surface and a second component with a second surface, wherein the first and second components can undergo relative movement. The first surface and the second surface face each other. The first surface accommodates a barrier system to provide a barrier to reduce or prevent an inflow of ambient gas into a protected volume of gas between the first and second surfaces. The barrier system includes a curtain opening adapted for a flow of curtain gas therefrom for establishing a gas curtain enclosing part of the protected volume, and an inner entrainment opening, located inward of the curtain opening with respect to the protected volume, adapted for a flow of inner entrainment gas therefrom for being entrained into the flow of curtain gas. The apparatus is configured such that the inner entrainment gas flow is less turbulent than the curtain gas flow.

Abstract: A method including determining a position of a first pattern in each of a plurality of target portions on a substrate, based on a fitted mathematical model, wherein the first pattern includes at least one alignment mark, wherein the mathematical model is fitted to a plurality of alignment mark displacements (dx, dy) for the alignment marks in the target portions, and wherein the alignment mark displacements are a difference between a respective nominal position of the alignment mark and measured position of the alignment mark; and transferring a second pattern onto each of the target portions, using the determined position of the first pattern in each of the plurality of target portions, wherein the mathematical model includes polynomials Z1 and Z2: Z1=r2 cos(2?) and Z2=r2 sin(2?) in polar coordinates (r, ?) or Z1=x2?y2 and Z2=xy in Cartesian coordinates (x, y).

Abstract: A control system for a positioning system, for positioning a driven object, e.g. in a lithographic apparatus, in N dimensions has M sensors, where M>N. A transformation module converts the M measurements by the sensors into a positional estimate in N dimensions taking into account compliance of the driven object.

Abstract: A method involving measuring a first metrology target designed for a first range of values of a process parameter; measuring a second metrology target designed for a second range of values of the same process parameter, the second range different than the first range and the second metrology target having a different physical design than the first metrology target; and deriving process window data from a value of the process parameter in the first range determined from the measuring of the first metrology target, and from a value of the process parameter in the second range determined from the measuring of the second metrology target.

Abstract: In a method of controlling a lithographic apparatus, historical performance measurements are used to calculate a process model relating to a lithographic process. Current positions of a plurality of alignment marks provided on a current substrate are measured and used to calculate a substrate model relating to a current substrate. Additionally, historical position measurements obtained at the time of processing the prior substrates are used with the historical performance measurements to calculate a model mapping. The model mapping is applied to modify the substrate model. The lithographic apparatus is controlled using the process model and the modified substrate model together. Overlay performance is improved by avoiding over- or under-correction of correlated components of the process model and the substrate model. The model mapping may be a subspace mapping, and dimensionality of the model mapping may be reduced, before it is used.

Abstract: Measurement system comprising a radiation source configured to generate a measurement radiation beam, a polarizer and a grating to receive the measurement radiation beam and provide a polarized measurement radiation beam patterned by the grating, optics to form an image of the grating at a target location on a substrate. The image comprises a first part having a first polarization and a second part having a second polarization, detection optics to receive radiation from the target location of the substrate and form an image of the grating image at a second grating, and a detector to receive radiation transmitted through the second grating and produce a two output signal indicative of the intensity of the transmitted radiation for the first and second parts of the grating image respectively. Topography of the substrate can be determined from the signals.

Abstract: A support table configured to support a substrate, the support table having a support section to support a substrate and a conditioning system to supply heat energy to and/or remove heat energy from the support section, wherein the conditioning system comprises a plurality of conditioning units that are independently controllable.

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.