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: 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: A method of determining edge placement error within a structure produced using a lithographic process, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a substrate comprising a first structure produced using the lithographic process, the first structure comprising first and second layers, each of the layers having first areas of electrically conducting material and second areas of non-electrically conducting material; (b) receiving a target signal indicative of a first target relative position which is indicative of a target position of edges between the first areas and the second areas of the first layer relative to edges between the first areas and second areas of the second layer in the first structure during said lithographic process; (c) detecting scattered radiation while illuminating the first structure with optical radiation to obtain a first signal; and (d) ascertaining an edge placement error parameter on the basis of the first signal and the first target relative position.

Abstract: A stage positioning system, includes a first body, a second body and a coupling arranged to couple the first body and the second body to each other. The coupling includes a visco-elastic element arranged to couple the first body and the second body to each other. The stage positioning system may further include a sensor to provide a signal representative of a position of the first body. The stage positioning system may further include an actuator to move the first body. The second body may be arranged to couple the actuator and the coupling to each other.

Abstract: A method of determining a relationship between a stochastic variation of a characteristic of an aerial image or a resist image and one or more design variables, the method including: measuring values of the characteristic from a plurality of aerial images and/or resist images for each of a plurality of sets of values of the one or more design variables; determining a value of the stochastic variation, for each of the plurality of sets of values of the one or more design variables, from a distribution of the values of the characteristic for that set of values of the one or more design variables; and determining the relationship by fitting one or more parameters from the values of the stochastic variation and the plurality of sets of values of the one or more design variables.

Abstract: Method of temperature compensating a focusing system in which a temperature of a thermal lens compensation plate is regulated based on an optical absorption of the thermal lens compensation plate with optical absorption being determined based at least in part on an expected end-of-lifetime value for focus lens optical absorption. A value representative of cumulative time in use of the focusing systems is determined and the temperature of the thermal lens compensation plate is increased to a temperature based at least in part on said cumulative time in use.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus and device manufacturing method is disclosed in which a space between a projection system and an object on a substrate table, is at least partly filled with a liquid. A sensor is positioned to be illuminated by a beam of radiation once it has passed through the liquid. An edge seal member may be provided to at least partly surround an edge of the sensor and to provide a primary surface facing the projection system substantially co-planar with a primary surface of the sensor.

Abstract: An EUV light source target material handling system is disclosed which includes a target material dispenser and a target material repository in which solid target material in the target material repository is converted to target material in liquid form through the use of inductive heating.

Abstract: An EUV light source target material handling system is disclosed which includes a target material dispenser and a target material repository including a nozzle with a radial trench design. The nozzle may be formed from a silicon-on-insulator wafer.

Abstract: A reflective EUV optic such as a collector mirror configured as an array of facets that are spaced apart to form respective gaps between adjacent facets. The gaps are used as inlets for gas flow across one of the facets such that flow is introduced parallel to the optic surface. The facets can be made with offsets such that loss of reflective area of the EUV optic can be minimized. The gas facilitates removal of target material from the surface of the facets.

Abstract: Apparatus for and method of cleaning an electrically conductive surface of an optical element in a system for generating extreme ultraviolet radiation in which electrically conductive surface is used as an electrode for generating a plasma which cleans the surface.

Abstract: Calibration of models for manufacturing processes that are subject to circuit layout proximity effects is performed, including optical proximity correction (OPC) model calibration. A target structure is produced using a layout and a manufacturing process. The target structure is illuminated and an electromagnetic scattering property is detected. A manufacturing process model for simulation of the manufacturing process is produced, which comprises at least one manufacturing process parameter determining a model electromagnetic scattering property using the manufacturing process model and the layout. The model electromagnetic scattering property is compared to the detected electromagnetic scattering property and based on the result of the comparison, calibrated manufacturing process parameters are output for calibrating the manufacturing process model.

Abstract: A gas knife configured to dry a surface in an immersion lithographic apparatus is optimized to remove liquid by ensuring that a pressure gradient is built up in the liquid film on the surface being dried.

Abstract: A support for a movable element includes a stator element, a gravity compensator field inducing element mounted on the stator element, the gravity compensator field inducing element configured to apply a translational force to the movable element by controlling a magnetic field in a gap between the stator element and the movable element, and a plurality of torque compensator field inducing elements mounted on the stator element, the torque compensator field inducing elements configured to apply a torque to the movable element by controlling a magnetic field in the gap between the stator element and the movable element, the torque being about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of the translational force applied by the gravity compensator field inducing element.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for measuring target structures formed by a lithographic process on a substrate. A grating or other structure within the target is smaller than an illumination spot and field of view of a measurement optical system. The position of an image of the component structure varies between measurements, and a first type of correction is applied to reduce the influence on the measured intensities, caused by differences in the optical path to and from different positions. A plurality of structures may be imaged simultaneously within the field of view of the optical system, and each corrected for its respective position. The measurements may comprise first and second images of the same target under different modes of illumination and/or imaging, for example in a dark field metrology application.

Abstract: A method is described that includes illuminating a patterning device pattern with a radiation beam having a symmetric illumination mode, the patterning device pattern comprising a first pattern feature that substantially diffracts radiation of the radiation beam, and a second pattern feature that does not substantially diffract radiation of the radiation beam, introducing an asymmetry, relative to an optical axis, in the substantially diffracted radiation using a phase modulation element, illuminating a radiation beam receiving element with radiation emanating from the phase modulation element to form a receiving element pattern that is related to the patterning device pattern, the receiving element pattern having first and second receiving element pattern features related to the first and second pattern features respectively, and determining information at least indicative of a focal property from positional information regarding the relative positions of the first and second receiving element pattern featur

Abstract: A method of determining a position of an imprint template in an imprint lithography apparatus. In an embodiment, the method includes illuminating an area of the imprint template in which an alignment mark is expected to be found by scanning an alignment radiation beam over that area, detecting an intensity of radiation reflected or transmitted from the area, and identifying the alignment mark via analysis of the detected intensity.

Abstract: In LPP EUV systems, sinusoidal oscillations or instabilities can occur in the generated EUV energy. This is avoided by detecting when the LPP EUV system is approaching such instability and adjusting the LPP EUV system by moving the laser beam of the LPP EUV system. Detection is done by determining when the generated EUV energy is at or above a primary threshold. Adjusting the LPP EUV system by moving the laser beam is done for a fixed period of time, until a subsequently generated EUV energy is below the primary threshold, until a subsequently generated EUV energy is below the primary threshold for a fixed period of time, or until a subsequently generated EUV energy is at or below a secondary threshold below the primary threshold.

Abstract: A metrology target formed by a lithographic process on a substrate includes a plurality of component gratings. Images of the target are formed using +1 and ?1 orders of radiation diffracted by the component gratings. Regions of interest (ROIs) in the detected image are identified corresponding the component gratings. Intensity values within each ROI are processed and compared between images, to obtain a measurement of asymmetry and hence overlay error. Separation zones are formed between the component gratings and design so as to provide dark regions in the image. In an embodiment, the ROIs are selected with their boundaries falling within the image regions corresponding to the separation zones. By this measure, the asymmetry measurement is made more tolerant of variations in the position of the ROI. The dark regions also assist in recognition of the target in the images.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including an inspection apparatus can measure the overlay error of a target in a scribelane is measured. The overlay error of the required feature in the chip area may differ from this due to, for example, different responses to the exposure process. A model is used to simulate these differences and thus a more accurate measurement of the overlay error of the feature determined.