Abstract: A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed.

Abstract: A system in which deformation of a substrate is monitored during processing of the substrate is described. In one embodiment, the distortion in the substrate is measured after each exposure and processing operation by comparing the position of a plurality of reference marks to values in a database. The substrate may be characterized by measuring positions on the substrate for a number of measurement fields and a number of measurement positions per field, calculating an estimated variance based at least on the number of measurement fields, the number of measurement positions per field, and a number of model parameters, and comparing the calculated estimated variance to a threshold amount to determine a status of the substrate.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment of the invention includes determining a map of a second part of a substrate belonging to a group of substrates. The method includes measuring a first part of at least one substrate belonging to the group to create an average profile map or average height map and computing a map of the second part of the substrate belonging to the group, based on the average profile map or the average height map. The computed map is stored for use during a later determination of a height or tilt of a substrate from the group.

Abstract: A system and method are used to form an unpolarized light beam from a polarized light beam. A system comprises a source of radiation and a unpolarizing system. The source of radiation produces a linear polarized beam. The unpolarizing system has first and second optical paths and splits the linear polarized beam. A first portion of the split beam travels along the first optical path having a first path length. A second portion of the split beam travels along the second optical path having a second, different path length. The first and second portions of the split beam are combined to form the unpolarized beam.

Abstract: An immersion lithography objective has a housing in which at least one first optical element is arranged, a second optical element, which follows the first optical element in the direction of the optical axis of the objective, an immersion medium that adjoins the second optical element being located downstream of the latter in the direction of the optical axis, and a retaining structure for the second optical element. The retaining structure has a greater stiffness in the direction of the optical axis than in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a stage system calibration method includes moving the stage relative to an encoder grid in response to a setpoint signal and measuring a position of the stage by a sensor head cooperating with the encoder grid. The position of the stage is controlled by a stage controller. A signal representative of a difference between the setpoint signal and the position of the stage as measured by the sensor head is registered. The stage system is calibrated from the registered signal representative of the difference.

Abstract: A gas analyzing system is disclosed, the system including a gas analyzer and a reduced pressure chamber in which interior the gas analyzer is arranged, the reduced pressure chamber having an inlet configuration for a gas mixture inflow and an outlet configuration for a gas mixture outflow, wherein the outlet configuration during operation is connected to a pump system to facilitate the gas mixture outflow, the outlet configuration having a channel section and a flow section, the flow section having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the channel section.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent. The radiation that is reflected off the substrate is radially polarized.

Abstract: A level sensor for a lithographic projection apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes a light source, a first reflector, a second reflector and a detector. The first reflector is positioned to direct light from the light source towards a wafer surface, and the second reflector is positioned to direct light reflected from the wafer surface to the detector. The first and second reflectors are selected to incur a minimal process dependent apparent surface depression.

Abstract: A double processing technique for device manufacture includes performing a first patterning step to form apertures in a resist layer which apertures are filled before the first resist layer is stripped and replaced by a second resist layer to be used in the second exposure.

Abstract: Spectral purity of a radiation beam of a first wavelength may be improved by providing an optical element that includes a structure having at least first layer including a first material, which structure is configured to be substantially reflective for a radiation of the first wavelength and substantially transparent or absorptive for a radiation of a second wavelength, a second layer including a second material, the second layer being configured to be substantially reflective, absorptive or scattering for the radiation of the second wavelength, and vacuum between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first layer is located upstream in the optical path of incoming radiation with respect to the second layer.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus includes an imprint template operably connected to an imprint actuator. The imprint actuator is actuatable to displace the template along an imprint axis to bring the template into contact with an imprintable medium. The template is connected to the actuator via a bearing configured to permit substantially unrestricted displacement of the actuator relative to the template along an axis substantially perpendicular to the imprint axis during release of the template from the imprintable medium.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support structure configured to hold a patterning device. The patterning device is configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. The lithographic apparatus further includes a substrate table configured to hold a substrate. The substrate has a surface coated at least partially with a layer of radiation sensitive material. The lithographic apparatus also includes a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a liquid supply system. The liquid supply system is configured to supply a prewetting liquid on top of the layer of radiation sensitive material to prewet the substrate, and is configured to supply an immersion liquid in a space between the prewet substrate and at least a portion of the projection system.

Abstract: Reconstruction of an object by which radiation is diffracted is disclosed. Specifically, the reconstruction includes: estimating the object shape; deriving a model diffraction pattern from the estimated shape; illuminating the object with radiation; detecting a diffraction pattern of radiation diffracted by the object; comparing the model diffraction pattern and the detected diffraction pattern; and determining the actual object shape from the difference between the model diffraction pattern and the detected diffraction pattern, wherein the model diffraction pattern is determined using Bloch Mode Expansion.

Abstract: An exposure system for manufacturing flat panel displays (FPDs) includes a reticle stage adapted to support a reticle. A substrate stage is adapted to support a substrate. A reflective optical system is adapted to image the reticle onto the substrate. The reflective optical system includes a primary mirror including a first mirror and a second mirror, and a secondary mirror. The reflective optical system has sufficient degrees of freedom for both alignment and correction of third order aberrations when projecting an image of the reticle onto the substrate by reflections off the first mirror, the secondary mirror, and the second mirror.

Abstract: A method that includes conditioning a radiation beam, imparting the radiation beam with a pattern to form a patterned radiation beam by a reticle having a pattern image area and a reticle mark, and projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate by a projection system. The method further includes illuminating the reticle mark by the radiation beam for generating an aerial image of the reticle, projecting the aerial image on an image sensor, collecting image data from the image sensor, obtaining from the image data positional parameters of the aerial image, and correcting any deviation of the positional parameters from a required position of the aerial image by compensating an illumination induced thermal expansion of the reticle by an estimated correction of magnification settings of the projection system, the estimated correction being calculated from a prediction of the temporal thermal expansion of the reticle.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a device having an emissive portion, a memory, and a dictionary decompressor. The device having an emissive portion is configured to produce a patterned beam. The memory is configured to store a compressed representation of a requested dose pattern, comprising two groups of repeating pattern features, to be formed on a surface by the patterned beam. The dictionary decompressor at least partially decompresses the compressed representation. The dictionary decompressor comprises a first dictionary memory configured to store pattern data corresponding to a first group of the two groups of repeating pattern features and a second dictionary memory configured to store pattern data corresponding to a second group of the two groups of repeating pattern features. The repeating pattern features in the first group have one or more differing characteristics than the repeating pattern features in the second group. Related methods are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a height detecting apparatus for a lithographic apparatus. The height mapping apparatus includes a height mapping unit for providing at least one height map of a top surface of an object to be placed in a radiation beam of the lithographic apparatus, the object to be clamped by a clamping force applied thereto on a support constructed to support the object. The height mapping apparatus also includes a control unit for controlling the mapping unit to provide the at least one height map of the object relative to at least two different clamping pressure levels.

Abstract: A multi-layered spectral purity filter improves the spectral purity of extreme ultra-violet (EUV) radiation and also collects debris emitted from a radiation source.

Abstract: The X, Y and Rz positions of a mask stage are measured using two optical encoder-reading heads measuring displacements of respective grid gratings mounted on the mask stage. The grid gratings are preferably provided on cut-away portions of the mask table so as to be coplanar with the pattern on the mask itself. Measurements of the table position in the other degrees of freedom can be measured with capacitive or optical height sensors.