Abstract: A gas contamination sensor includes an ion source configured to generate a beam of ions from a sample of gas to be tested, and first and second ion detectors, each positioned to receive ions from the beam of ions that are deflected by different extents. The first ion detector is configured to receive ions generated from a primary gas in the gas being tested, and the second ion detector is configured to receive ions that are generated from the contaminant gas within the sample being tested.

Abstract: An imprintable medium dispenser includes a chamber, a nozzle, and an actuator connected to the chamber and configured to be actuated and thereby generate a pressure wave within the chamber such that imprintable medium is dispensed from the nozzle. The imprintable medium dispenser is provided with a control circuit which includes a monitoring apparatus configured to receive a transient oscillation signal generated when the actuator is actuated, and to monitor the operation of the imprintable medium dispenser by monitoring the transient oscillation signal.

Abstract: A method of splitting a lithographic pattern into two sub-patterns, includes generating test structures corresponding to structures of interest in the lithographic pattern, varying the test structures through a selected range of dimensions, simulating an image of the test structures, determining an image quality metric for the simulated image, analyzing the determined image quality metric to determine pitch ranges for which split improves the image quality metric and ranges for which split does not improve the image quality metric, and generating the two sub-patterns in accordance with the determined pitch ranges.

Abstract: The invention provides a level sensor configured to determine a height level of a surface of a substrate supported on a movable substrate support, the level sensor including multiple projection units, multiple detection units, and a processing unit to calculate a height level for each of a plurality of measurement locations on the basis of the measurement beams from the projection units, wherein the level sensor is configured to measure height levels simultaneously at multiple measurement locations on the substrate, wherein the substrate support is configured to move the substrate in a first direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate to measure a height level at different locations on the substrate, and wherein at least part of the multiple measurement locations are at least spaced in a second direction that is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate and perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an actuator for producing a force in a first direction between a first and a second part including a first magnet assembly and a second magnet assembly each attached opposite to each other to the first part of the apparatus, the first magnet assembly including a first main magnet system and a first outer subsidiary magnet system, and the second magnet assembly including a second main magnet system and a second outer subsidiary magnet system, the first and second main magnet system defining a space between them in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The actuator includes a coil attached to the second part. The distance between the first outer subsidiary magnet system and the second outer subsidiary magnet system in the second direction is substantially zero.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method for improving a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method comprising defining a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a stochastic effect of the lithographic process.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system, a support, a patterning device, a substrate table, a projection system, and a detector. The apparatus further includes a polarization changing element, such as a quarter-wave plate, that is adjustable and a polarization analyzer, such as a linear polarizer. The polarization changing element and the polarization analyzer are arranged in order in the radiation beam path at the level at which a patterning device would be held by the support. By taking intensity measurements for different rotational orientations of the polarization changing element, information on the state of polarization of the radiation at the level of the patterning device can be obtained. Because the polarization analyzer is located before the projection system, the measurements are not affected by the fact that the detector is located after the projection system, such as at the level of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining higher order distortions of a patterning device of a lithographic apparatus, and associated apparatus. The higher order distortions are measured using the transmission imaging device. In a main embodiment, enhanced reticles are used which may have additional alignment gratings in the perimeter, in the scribe lanes of the image field or in the image field itself.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and a sensor is filled with a liquid.

Abstract: In an immersion lithographic apparatus, bubble formation in immersion liquid is reduced or prevented by reducing a gap size or area on a substrate table and/or covering the gap.

Abstract: A positioning system to position a movable object having a body, the positioning system includes an object position measurement system, an object actuator, and an object controller, wherein the positioning system further includes a stiffener to increase the stiffness and/or to damp relative movements within the body of the object, the stiffener including; one or more sensors, wherein each sensor is arranged to determine a measurement signal representative of an internal strain or relative displacement in the body, one or more actuators, wherein each actuator is arranged to exert an actuation force on a part of the body, and at least one controller, configured to provide on the basis of the measurement signal of at least one of the sensors, an actuation signal to at least one of the actuators to increase the stiffness and/or to damp movements within the body.

Abstract: A detection method for detecting a property of an extended pattern formed by at least one line generally extending in a first direction. The extended pattern is formed on a substrate or on a substrate table and may extend, for example, over a length of at least 50× the width of the line. The extended pattern is focus sensitive. The detection method includes moving the substrate table in a first direction and measuring along that first direction a property of the extended pattern. The property can be a result of a physical property of the extended pattern in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In a next step a calibration of the substrate table position can be derived from the measured position of the extended pattern.

Abstract: An optical assembly is mounted in a projection exposure apparatus (101) for EUV microlithography and includes at least one vacuum chamber (70, 71, 68a), at least one optical element (6, 7; 65, 66; 63) arranged in the vacuum chamber (70, 71, 68a), the optical element (6, 7; 65, 66; 63) having an optical surface (18) arranged to be impinged upon by a useful beam bundle (3) of the projection exposure apparatus (101), and a cleaning device (72) configured to clean the optical surface (18). The cleaning device (72) is configured to perform particle cleaning of the optical surface (18) at a gas pressure within the vacuum chamber (70,71, 68a) which is higher than a vacuum pressure (po) for performing an exposure operation with the projection exposure apparatus (101). As a result, optical elements having respective optical surfaces arranged to be impinged upon by a useful beam bundle can be cleaned reliably of foreign particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device manufacturing method comprising exposing a substrate with a patterned beam of radiation formed by a reticle mounted on a displaceable reticle stage, wherein the method comprises the steps of determining a non-linear function for approximating a height and a tilt profile of a reticle surface with respect to the reticle stage and controlling a displacement of the reticle stage during exposure of the substrate in accordance with the non-linear function. The invention further relates to a lithographic apparatus and a computer program.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electrostatic clamp configured to electrostatically clamp an article to an article support in a lithographic apparatus. The method includes providing a first layer of material, etching a recess in the first layer of material, and disposing an electrode in the recess of the first layer of material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lithographic apparatus comprising a member susceptible to deformation and a deformation sensor for measuring a deformation of said member. The deformation sensor comprises a first birefringence sensing element arranged to be subjected to stress in dependency of the deformation of said member and a light system configured to transmit polarized light through the first birefringence sensing element, wherein said polarized light has a first polarization state prior to being transmitted through the first birefringence sensing element. The deformation sensor further comprises a detector for detecting a second polarization state of the polarized light after being transmitted through the first birefringence sensing element and a calculation unit to determine the deformation of said member based on the first and second polarization state.

Abstract: A movable stage system is configured to support an object. The stage system comprises an object table configured to support the object and an object table support defining an object table support surface configured to support the object table. The object table support comprises at least one first actuator to drive the object table support in a first driving direction substantially parallel to the object table support surface. In a projection on a plane parallel to the object table support surface the at least one actuator is spaced with respect to the object table in a direction perpendicular to the first driving direction such that the risk on slip between the object table support and the object table supported thereon is decreased.

Abstract: A support for an object, e.g., a semiconductor substrate, includes a main body having a surface configured and arranged to have a plurality of projections. Each of the projections has an associated electrostatic actuator for displacing a free end of the associated projection relative to the main body at least in a direction in a plane parallel to a main surface of the object.

Abstract: An inspection method reflects radiation with a known polarization beam off a periodic structure, such as a grating. The reflected radiation beam is split into first and second orthogonally polarized sub-beams. The phase of the first sub-beams is shifted with respect to the second sub-beam. A first image resultant from the first sub-beam and a second image resultant from the second sub-beam are simultaneously detected. A difference in intensity values is used to derived from the detected first and second images together to determine an overlay error in the periodic structure.

Abstract: A displacement measurement system comprising at least one retro reflector and a diffraction grating. Said displacement measurement system is constructed and arranged to measure a displacement by providing a first beam of radiation to the measurement system, wherein the diffraction grating is arranged to diffract the first beam of radiation a first time to form diffracted beams. The at least one retro reflector is arranged to subsequently redirect the diffracted beams to diffract a second time on the diffraction grating. The at least one retro reflector is arranged to redirect the diffraction beams to diffract at least a third time on the diffraction grating before the diffracted beams are being recombined to form a second beam. And the displacement system is provided with a sensor configured to receive the second beam and determine the displacement from an intensity of the second beam.