Abstract: A support table to support a surface of a substrate, wherein the support table includes: a base surface substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate, a plurality of burls protruding above the base surface, each of the burls having a respective distal end and a first height above the base surface, the burls arranged such that, when the substrate is supported by the support table, the substrate is supported by the respective distal ends, and a plurality of elongate raised protrusions separated by gaps, each of the elongate raised protrusions having a second height above the base surface, wherein the elongate raised protrusions protrude above the base surface between the burls, and the second height is less than the first height; wherein the protrusions are arranged such that a plurality of the gaps are aligned to form a straight gas flow path towards an edge of the base surface.

Abstract: A method for the suppression of upstream-directed field emission in RF accelerators. The method is not restricted to a certain number of cavity cells, but requires similar operating field levels in all cavities to efficiently annihilate the once accumulated energy. Such a field balance is desirable to minimize dynamic RF losses, but not necessarily achievable in reality depending on individual cavity performance, such as early Q0-drop or quench field. The method enables a significant energy reduction for upstream-directed electrons within a relatively short distance. As a result of the suppression of upstream-directed field emission, electrons will impact surfaces at rather low energies leading to reduction of dark current and less issues with heating and damage of accelerator components as well as radiation levels including neutron generation and thus radio-activation.

Abstract: A method includes producing a pulsed light beam; directing the pulsed light beam toward a substrate mounted to a stage of a lithography exposure apparatus; scanning a pulsed light beam and the substrate relative to each other, including projecting the pulsed light beam onto each sub-area of the substrate and moving one or more of the pulsed light beam and the substrate relative to each other; determining a value of a vibration of the stage for each sub-area of a substrate; for each sub-area of the substrate, determining an amount of adjustment to a bandwidth of the pulsed light beam, the adjustment amount compensating for a variation in the stage vibration so as to maintain a focus blur within a predetermined range of values across the substrate; and changing the bandwidth of the pulsed light beam by the determined adjustment amount to thereby compensate for the stage vibration variations.

Abstract: A substrate is provided with device structures and metrology structures (800). The device structures include materials exhibiting inelastic scattering of excitation radiation of one or more wavelengths. The device structures include structures small enough in one or more dimensions that the characteristics of the inelastic scattering are influenced significantly by quantum confinement. The metrology structures (800) include device-like structures (800b) similar in composition and dimensions to the device features, and calibration structures (800a). The calibration structures are similar to the device features in composition but different in at least one dimension. Using an inspection apparatus and method implementing Raman spectroscopy, the dimensions of the device-like structures can be measured by comparing spectral features of radiation scattered inelastically from the device-like structure and the calibration structure.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a first table to support a substrate; a second table, not being configured to support a substrate, including a sensor unit to sense a property of a patterned beam of radiation from a projection system, the second table to move under the projection system when the first table is moved out from under the projection system during a substrate exchange, the first and second tables being independently movable from each other; and a liquid supply system to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate, the first table, and/or the second table, wherein the second table is configured to provide a confining surface at a bottom of a liquid confinement structure when the first table is removed from under the projection system so as to prevent the liquid from leaking out into the remainder of the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for simulating an image formed within a resist layer on a substrate resulting from an incident radiation, wherein the method accounts for scattering of the incident radiation due to features in or underlying the resist layer. Embodiments of the invention include calculating a forward propagating electric field or forward propagating magnetic field resultant from the incident radiation at a depth in the resist layer, calculating a backward propagating electric field or backward propagating magnetic field resultant from the incident radiation at the depth in the resist layer, and calculating a radiation field at the depth in the resist layer from the forward propagating electric field or forward propagating magnetic field and from the backward propagating electric field or backward propagating magnetic field.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support structure to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern; a projection system to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate; a substrate table configured to hold the substrate, the substrate table including a support surface to support an intermediary plate between the projection system and at least one of the substrate and an object positioned on the substrate table and not in contact with the at least one of the substrate and the object; and a liquid supply system to provide a liquid, through which the beam is to be projected, in a space between the projection system and the at least one of the substrate and the object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of detection, registration and quantification of an image. The method may include obtaining an image of a lithographically created structure, and applying a level set method to an object, representing the structure, of the image to create a mathematical representation of the structure. The method may include obtaining a first dataset representative of a reference image object of a structure at a nominal condition of a parameter, and obtaining second dataset representative of a template image object of the structure at a non-nominal condition of the parameter. The method may further include obtaining a deformation field representative of changes between the first dataset and the second dataset. The deformation field may be generated by transforming the second dataset to project the template image object onto the reference image object. A dependence relationship between the deformation field and change in the parameter may be obtained.

Abstract: An encoder includes an optical component and an enclosing device having a first surface portion and a second surface portion. The first surface portion is arranged to receive from an ambient environment a first radiation beam. The second surface portion is arranged to receive from the ambient environment a second radiation beam. The optical component is arranged to combine the first and second radiation beams. The enclosing device is arranged to propagate the first radiation beam along a first path. The first path is between the first surface portion and the optical component. The enclosing device is arranged to propagate the second radiation beam along a second path. The second path is between the second surface portion and the optical component. The enclosing device is arranged to enclose a space, so as to isolate the first path and the second path from the ambient environment.

Abstract: In a laser produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) system, a droplet is irradiated by a laser pulse to produce a plasma in a chamber. This generates forces that cause the plasma to destabilize and subsequent droplets to have their flight trajectory and speed altered as they approach the plasma. This destabilization is detectable from oscillations in the amount of EUV energy generated. To reduce the oscillations by stabilizing the plasma and travel of the droplets, a proportional-integral (PI) controller algorithm is used to modify an energy of subsequent laser pulses based on the EUV energy generated in the chamber. By modifying the energy of subsequent laser pulses, the plasma stabilizes, which reduces effects on droplet flight and stabilizes the amount of EUV energy generated, allowing the plasma chamber to operate for longer intervals and to lower the amount of reserve power maintained by a laser source.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light system includes a steering system that steers and focuses an amplified light beam traveling along a propagation direction to a focal plane near a target location within an extreme ultraviolet light chamber, a detection system including at least one detector positioned to detect an image of a laser beam reflected from at least a portion of a target material within the chamber, a wavefront modification system in the path of the reflected laser beam and between the target location and the detection system, and a controller. The wavefront modification system is configured to modify the wavefront of the reflected laser beam as a function of a target focal plane position along the propagation direction. The controller includes logic for adjusting a location of the focal plane of the amplified light beam relative to the target material based on the detected image of the reflected laser beam.

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 a thin film stack forming an electronic component. The planarization layer is of substantially uniform thickness and/or its outer surface has a peak to valley distance of less than 10 ?m. The planarization layer may be formed by applying two solutions of different concentration. A surface treatment may be applied to the burls to repel a solution of the planarization layer material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for control of a dose of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation generated by a laser produced plasma (LPP) EUV light source. Each laser pulse is modulated to be of a width that is determined to be sufficient to allow for extraction of a suitable uniform amount of energy in the laser source gain medium; in some embodiments the suitable uniform amount of energy to be extracted may be selected to avoid self-lasing. The EUV energy created by each pulse is measured and total EUV energy created by the fired pulses determined, and a desired energy for the next pulse is determined based upon whether the total EUV energy is greater or less than a desired average EUV energy times the number of pulses. The energy of the next pulse is modulated, either by modulating its magnitude or by modulating the amplification of the pulse by one or more amplifiers, but without decreasing the determined width of the laser pulse.

Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.

Abstract: A substrate table of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed which comprises a barrier configured to collect liquid. The barrier surrounds the substrate and is spaced apart from the substrate. In this way any liquid which is spilt from the liquid supply system can be collected to reduce the risk of contamination of delicate components of the lithographic projection apparatus.

Abstract: A method including obtaining calculated wavefront phase information caused by a three-dimensional topography of a pattern of a lithographic patterning device, and computing, using a computer processor, an imaging effect of the three-dimensional topography of the patterning device pattern based on the calculated wavefront information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of detection, registration and quantification of an image. The method may include obtaining an image of a lithographically created structure, and applying a level set method to an object, representing the structure, of the image to create a mathematical representation of the structure. The method may include obtaining a first dataset representative of a reference image object of a structure at a nominal condition of a parameter, and obtaining second dataset representative of a template image object of the structure at a non-nominal condition of the parameter. The method may further include obtaining a deformation field representative of changes between the first dataset and the second dataset. The deformation field may be generated by transforming the second dataset to project the template image object onto the reference image object. A dependence relationship between the deformation field and change in the parameter may be obtained.

Abstract: A product structure (407, 330?) is formed with defects (360-366). A spot (S) of EUV radiation which is at least partially coherent is provided on the product structure (604) to capture at least one diffraction pattern (606) formed by the radiation after scattering by the product structure. Reference data (612) describes a nominal product structure. At least one synthetic image (616) of the product structure is calculated from the captured image data. Data from the synthetic image is compared with the reference data to identify defects (660-666) in the product structure. In one embodiment, a plurality of diffraction patterns are obtained using a series overlapping spots (S(1)-S(N)), and the synthetic image is calculated using the diffraction patterns and knowledge of the relative displacement. The EUV radiation may have wavelengths in the range 5 to 50 nm, close to dimensions of the structures of interest.

Abstract: A substrate table to support a substrate on a substrate supporting area, the substrate table having a heat transfer fluid channel at least under the substrate supporting area, and a plurality of heaters and/or coolers to thermally control the heat transfer fluid in the channel at a location under the substrate supporting area.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates that includes using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates. The method further includes reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly, and applying variable attenuation to EUV radiation that has been output by the free electron laser in order to further control the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic apparatus.