Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a measurement system with a measurement radiation system to provide a measurement beam of radiation, at least two reflectors to reflect a portion of the measurement beam between the reflectors; and a detector to detect a wavelength of at least a portion of the measurement beam transmitted through one of the reflectors.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radiation source comprising: a reservoir configured to retain a volume of fuel; a nozzle, in fluid connection with the reservoir, and configured to direct a stream of fuel along a trajectory towards a plasma formation location; a laser configured to direct laser radiation at the stream at the plasma formation location to generate, in use, a radiation generating plasma; and a contamination filter assembly located in a fuel flow path of the radiation source, upstream of a nozzle outlet, a filter medium of that contamination filter assembly being held in place within the contamination filter assembly by a clamping force provided by one or more objects that at least partially surround the filter medium.

Abstract: A self-assemblable polymer is disclosed, having first and second molecular configurations with the first molecular configuration has a higher Flory Huggins parameter for the self-assemblable polymer than the second molecular configuration, and the self-assemblable polymer is configurable from the first molecular configuration to the second molecular configuration, from the second molecular configuration to the first molecular configuration, or both, by the application of a stimulus. The polymer is of use in a method for providing an ordered, periodically patterned layer of the polymer on a substrate, by ordering and annealing the polymer in its second molecular configuration and setting the polymer when it is in the first molecular configuration.

Abstract: A radiation source comprises a reservoir, a nozzle, a laser, and a positive lens. The reservoir is configured to retain a volume of fuel. The nozzle, in fluid connection with the reservoir, is configured to direct a stream of fuel along a trajectory towards a plasma formation location. The laser configured to direct laser radiation at the stream at the plasma formation location to generate, in use, a radiation generating plasma. The positive lens arrangement configured to focus an at least potential spread of trajectories of the stream of fuel toward the plasma formation location, the lens comprising an electric field generating element and/or a magnetic field generating element.

Abstract: An imprint lithography method is disclosed for forming a patterned layer from a UV-curable, imprintable liquid medium on a substrate by means of an imprint template with a patterned surface. The method involves bringing together the patterned surface and the UV-curable medium for a filling period, illuminating the UV-curable medium with UV-radiation for an illumination period, holding the patterned surface and the UV-curable imprintable liquid medium together for a holding period such that the UV-curable medium has formed a self-supporting patterned layer, and separating the patterned surface and the patterned layer at the end of the holding period. The start time of the illumination period is earlier than the end time of the filling period by a pre-cure period. Also, a method is disclosed where the end time of the illumination period is earlier than the end time of the holding period.

Abstract: A radiation source is configured to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation. The radiation source includes a fuel supply configured to supply a fuel to a plasma formation site; a laser configured to emit a beam of radiation to the plasma formation site so that a plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet radiation is generated when the beam of radiation impacts the fuel; a fuel particulate interceptor constructed and arranged to shield at least part of the radiation source from fuel particulates that are emitted by the plasma, the fuel particulate interceptor comprising a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being positioned closer to the plasma formation site than the first portion, and the first portion being rotatable; and a fuel particulate remover constructed and arranged to remove fuel particulates from a surface of the fuel particulate interceptor and to direct the fuel particulates towards a collection location.

Abstract: A method of operating a lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The method includes moving a substrate table supporting a substrate relative to a projection system and adjusting the scanning speed between the substrate table and the projection system during imaging of a target within a predefined area at or near an edge of the substrate, or adjusting the stepping speed between adjacent target positions in a predefined area at or near the edge of the substrate, or both. The adjusting the scanning and/or stepping speed may comprise lowering the speed. The projection system is configured to project a patterned beam of radiation on to a target portion of the substrate.

Abstract: In an all-wet immersion lithographic apparatus, the immersion liquid is allowed to flow off an edge of the substrate table. The immersion liquid is moved with the substrate table during exposure. The motion of the immersion liquid may result in a disturbance and/or de-wetting. A geometry of the substrate table is proposed that may reduce such a disturbance and/or de-wetting. The cross-sectional edge profile of the substrate table and/or the plan shape of the substrate table are considered.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space defined between a projection system and a facing surface facing the fluid handling structure is disclosed. A first portion of an undersurface of the fluid handling structure, in use, is a different distance from the facing surface than a second portion of the undersurface. Further, the first portion has defined in it a supply opening configured to supply liquid toward the facing surface, and an extraction opening configured to remove fluid from between the fluid handling structure and the facing surface.

Abstract: A detector detects radiation from a mask to form an image, but the focal plane of the image is in front of the mask. Any particles arranged on the mask will be in focus. However, the pattern on the mask will be out of focus. It is therefore possible to detect the existence and location of particles on a mask having an arbitrary pattern. The depth of field of the detector is small and the focal plane is no further from the surface of the patterning device than two times the depth of field.

Abstract: A method for removal of a deposition on an uncapped multilayer mirror of an apparatus. The method includes providing a gas that includes one or more of H2, D2, and DH, and one or more additional compounds selected from hydrocarbon compounds and/or silane compounds in at least part of the apparatus; producing hydrogen and/or deuterium radicals and radicals of the one or more additional compounds, from the gas; and bringing the uncapped multilayer mirror with deposition into contact with at least part of the hydrogen and/or deuterium radicals and the radicals of the one or more additional compounds to remove at least part of the deposition.

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: An immersion lithographic apparatus is provided with a liquid confinement structure which defines at least in part a space configured to contain liquid between the projection system and the substrate. In order to reduce the crossing of the edge of the substrate which is being imaged (which can lead to inclusion of bubbles in the immersion liquid), the cross-sectional area of the space in a plane parallel to the substrate is made as small as possible. The smallest theoretical size is the size of the target portion which is imaged by the projection system. In an embodiment, the shape of a final element of the projection system is also changed to have a similar size and/or shape in a cross-section parallel to the substrate to that of the target portion.

Abstract: A system for removing contaminant particles from the path of the beam of EUV radiation is provided in which at least a first AC voltage is provided to a pair of electrodes on opposite sides of the path of the beam of EUV radiation as a first stage of a regime of voltages and, as a second stage of the regime of voltages, a DC voltage is provided to the electrodes.

Abstract: A method and system are described for determining lithographic processing conditions for a lithographic process. After obtaining input, a first optimization is made for illumination source and mask design under conditions of allowing non-rectangular sub-resolution assist features. Thereafter, mask design is optimized in one or more further optimizations for which only rectangular sub-resolution assist features are allowed. The latter results in good lithographic processing while limiting the complexity of the mask design.

Abstract: The invention relates to a marker structure for optical alignment of a substrate and provided thereon. The marker structure has a first reflecting surface at a first level and a second reflecting surface at a second level. A separation between the first level and the second level determines a phase depth condition. The marker structure further has an additional structure. The additional structure is arranged to modify the separation during manufacture of the marker structure. The invention further relates to a method of forming such a marker structure.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure for a lithographic apparatus has, at a boundary of a space configured to contain immersion fluid to a region external to the fluid handling structure, a gas supply opening radially outward of the space, a fluid recovery opening radially outward of the gas supply opening, and a damper surface extending at least 0.5 mm radially outwards from the fluid recovery opening along the undersurface of the fluid handling structure.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate support constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the substrate support includes parts that are made of an open cell plastic foam material.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus and method are disclosed in which measures are taken to account for dissolution of resist components, such as photo-acids or photo-acid generators, in immersion liquid. This may involve ensuring that each relevant part of the substrate is covered by liquid the same amount of time and/or by compensating for the differing amounts of time each relevant part of the substrate is covered by liquid by varying exposure intensity or duration based on the amount of time the substrate is covered by liquid.

Abstract: Algorithm for reconstructing grating profile in a metrology application is disclosed to numerically solve a volume integral equation for a current density. It employs implicit construction of a vector field that is related to electric field and a current density by a selection of continuous components of vector field being continuous at one or more material boundaries, so as to determine an approximate solution of a current density. The vector field is represented by a finite Fourier series with respect to at least one direction, x, y. Numerically solving volume integral equation comprises determining a component of a current density by convolution of the vector field with a convolution operator, which comprises material and geometric properties of structure in the x, y directions. The current density is represented by a finite Fourier series with respect to x, y directions. Continuous components are extracted using convolution operators acting on electric field and current density.