Abstract: A lithographic apparatus substrate table comprises a plurality of first projections, whereby the first projections define a first substrate supporting plane and a plurality of second projections, whereby the second projections define a second substrate supporting plane. The substrate table further comprises a clamping device configured to exert a clamping force onto the substrate. The second substrate supporting plane is parallel to the first substrate supporting plane. The second substrate supporting plane is offset in respect of the first substrate supporting plane in a direction perpendicular to the first and second substrate supporting planes. The lithographic apparatus substrate table is configured to support the substrate on the second projections at the second substrate supporting plane before application of the clamping force by the clamping device.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system has a final element. The apparatus also includes a barrier member surrounding a space between the projection system and, in use, the substrate, to define in part with the final element a reservoir for liquid. The barrier member is spaced from the final element to define a gap therebetween. The apparatus further includes a deformable seal between a radially outer surface of the final element and a radially outer surface of the barrier member. The deformable seal is configured to substantially prevent a gas from flowing past the seal towards or away from the reservoir of liquid.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a support structure configured to be moved by a first scan distance during a single scanning operation when supporting a patterning device having a first extent in the scanning direction and to be moved by a second scan distance during a single scanning operation when supporting a patterning device having a second extent in the scanning N direction, and a substrate table configured to be moved by a third scan distance during a single scanning operation when the support structure supports a patterning device having the first extent in the scanning direction and to be moved by a fourth scan distance during a single scanning operation when the support structure supports a patterning device having the second extent in the scanning direction.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). The lithographic apparatus has an inspection apparatus with an EUV radiation source. The radiation source emits a radiation beam that includes coherent radiation of a specific wavelength. The beam propagates to illumination optical system, which focuses the radiation beam into a focused beam of illuminating radiation. The illumination optical system illuminates a three-dimensional product structure on the substrate, which scatters the illuminating radiation. On the surface of a detector, the radiation scattered by the product structure forms a diffraction pattern that is used to reconstruct data describing the three-dimensional product structure.

Abstract: A method including providing a plurality of unit cells for a plurality of gauge patterns appearing in one or more images of one or more patterning process substrates, each unit cell representing an instance of a gauge pattern of the plurality of gauge patterns, averaging together image information of each unit cell to arrive at a synthesized representation of the gauge pattern, and determining a geometric dimension of the gauge pattern based on the synthesized representation.

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: An optical apparatus includes an interchange mechanism and an optical assembly of an illumination system or a projection objective. At least one of the plurality of optical elements of the optical assembly is selected from among a plurality of ones selectable from the interchange mechanism which facilitates exchange of one for another in the beam path. To reduce transmission of vibration from the interchange mechanism to the optical assembly, the interchange mechanism is mounted on a structure which is substantially dynamically decoupled from the housing, and a selected selectable optical element is located at an operating position at which it is separate from the interchange mechanism.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a monitoring apparatus and an associated monitoring apparatus. The monitoring apparatus is configured for monitoring first radiation of a first wavelength. The monitoring apparatus has a first sensor apparatus including a diamond fluorescent material configured to absorb the first radiation and to emit second radiation being representative of the first radiation, the second radiation being of a second wavelength; and a second sensor apparatus configured to sense the second radiation.

Abstract: A topography measurement system comprising a radiation source configured to generate a radiation beam, a spatially coded grating configured to pattern the radiation beam and thereby provide a spatially coded radiation beam, optics configured to form an image of the spatially coded grating at a target location on a substrate, detection optics configured to receive radiation re-fleeted from the target location of the substrate and form an image of the grating image at a second grating, and a detector configured to receive radiation transmitted through the second grating and produce an output signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically generating robust metrology targets which can accommodate a variety of lithography processes and process perturbations. Individual steps of an overall lithography process are modeled into a single process sequence to simulate the physical substrate processing. That process sequence drives the creation of a three-dimensional device geometry as a whole, rather than “building” the device geometry element-by-element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stage system and metrology apparatus comprising at least one such stage system. The stage system comprises a stage carrier for holding an object and a stage carrier positioning actuator for displacing the stage carrier. The stage system also comprises a balance mass to counteract a displacement of the stage carrier, and a balance mass positioning actuator for displacing the balance mass. A cable arrangement is connected to the stage carrier for the supply of at least power to said stage carrier. The stage system is operable to apply a compensatory feed-forward force to the balance mass which compensates for a cable arrangement force exerted by the cable arrangement.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided. The lithographic apparatus includes a reticle and an electrostatic clamp configured to releasably hold the reticle. The electrostatic clamp includes a first substrate having opposing first and second surfaces, a plurality of burls located on the first surface and configured to contact the reticle, a second substrate having opposing first and second surfaces. The first surface of the second substrate is coupled to the second surface of the first substrate. A plurality of cooling elements are located between the first surface of the second substrate and the second surface of the first substrate. The cooling elements are configured to cause electrons to travel from the second surface of the first substrate to the first surface of the second substrate. Each cooling element is substantially aligned with a respective burl.

Abstract: Disclosed is gas delivery system which is suitable for a high harmonic generation (HHG) radiation source which may be used to generate measurement radiation for an inspection apparatus. In such a radiation source, a gas delivery element delivers gas in a first direction. The gas delivery element has an optical input and an optical input, defining an optical path running in a second direction. The first direction is arranged relative to the second direction at an angle that is not perpendicular or parallel. Also disclosed is a gas delivery element having a gas jet shaping device, or a pair of gas delivery elements, one of which delivers a second gas, such that the gas jet shaping device or second gas is operable to modify a flow profile of the gas such that the number density of the gas falls sharply.

Abstract: Predictive maintenance methods and systems, including a method of applying transfer entropy techniques to find a causal link between parameters; a method of applying quality weighting to context data based on a priori knowledge of the accuracy of the context data; a method of detecting a maintenance action from parameter data by detecting a step and a process capability improvement; a method of managing unattended alerts by considering cost/benefit of attending to one or more alerts over time and assigning alert expiry time and/or ranking the alerts accordingly; a method of displaying components of a complex system in a functional way enabling improvements in system diagnostics; a method of determining the time of an event indicator in time series parameter data; a method of classifying an event associated with a fault condition occurring within a system; and a method of determining whether an event recorded in parameter data is attributable to an external factor.

Abstract: An object table to support an object, the object table having a support body, an object holder to hold an object, an opening adjacent an edge of the object holder, and a channel in fluid communication with the opening via a passageway, wherein the channel is defined by a first material which is different to a second material defining the passageway.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus applies a pattern onto a substrate using an optical projection system. The apparatus includes an optical level sensor and an associated processor for obtaining a height map of the substrate surface prior to applying the pattern. A controller uses the height map to control focusing with respect to the projection system when applying the pattern. The processor is further arranged to use information relating to processing previously applied to the substrate to define at least first and second regions of the substrate and to vary the manner in which the measurement signals are used to control the focusing, between the first and second regions. For example, an algorithm to calculate height values from optical measurement signals can be varied according to differences in known structure and/or materials. Measurements from certain regions can be selectively excluded from calculation of the height map and/or from use in the focusing.

Abstract: A laser-operated light source encompasses a chamber for accommodating an ionizable gas and an ignition source for ionizing the gas in the chamber for generating a plasma. The light source furthermore encompasses a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma emits useful light, which forms the output signal of the light source, wherein provision is made for means for coupling the useful light into a transferring optical fiber. In the case of the light source according to the invention, at least one mode scrambler is assigned to the optical fiber or the optical fibers.

Abstract: A method of correcting aberrations caused by a projection system of a lithographic apparatus, the method including performing a measurement of an aberration caused by the projection system using a sensor located in the lithographic apparatus, determining, based on a history of operation of the lithographic apparatus since a change of machine state, whether to average the measured aberration with one or more aberration measurements previously obtained using the sensor, calculating a correction to be applied to the lithographic apparatus using the measured aberration if it is determined that averaging should not be performed, calculating a correction to be applied to the lithographic apparatus using an averaged aberration measurement if it is determined that averaging should be performed, and applying the calculated correction to the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: A method including: obtaining a measurement of a metrology target on a substrate processed using a patterning process, the measurement having been obtained using measurement radiation; and deriving a parameter of interest of the patterning process from the measurement, wherein the parameter of interest is corrected by a stack difference parameter, the stack difference parameter representing an un-designed difference in physical configuration between adjacent periodic structures of the target or between the metrology target and another adjacent target on the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate holder (WT) for use in a lithographic apparatus and configured to support a substrate, the substrate holder comprising: a main body (20) having a main body surface; and a plurality of burls (21) projecting from the main body surface; wherein each burl has a distal end configured to engage with the substrate; the distal ends of the burls substantially conform to a support plane whereby a substrate can be supported in a substantially flat state on the burls; and a flow control feature (22, 22c, 22d) configured to form a gas cushion adjacent the periphery of the substrate holder when a substrate is being lowered onto the substrate holder.