Abstract: A sensor for an immersion system is disclosed. The sensor comprises: a sensing device, a transparent layer and an opaque patterning layer. The sensing device is configured to sense a property of a beam of radiation. The transparent layer is configured to allow the passage of a beam of radiation therethrough. The transparent layer covers the sensing device. The opaque patterning layer is configured to impart a pattern to the beam of radiation. In the patterning layer is an opening in which is located an infilling material. The infilling material is transparent to the beam of radiation and has a similar refractive index to that of the transparent layer.

Abstract: A substrate for use in a lithographic projection apparatus. The substrate includes a sealing coating that covers at least a part of a first interface between two layers on the substrate, or between a layer and the substrate, and does not extend to a central portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a radiation beam onto a substrate, a detector configured to inspect the substrate, and a substrate table configured to support the substrate and move the substrate relative to the projection system and the detector. The detector is arranged to inspect a portion of the substrate while the substrate is moved and before the portion is exposed to the radiation beam.

Abstract: There is provided a multilayer mirror (80) comprising a layer of a first material (84) and a layer of silicon (82). The layer of the first material and the layer of silicon form a stack of layers. An exposed region of the layer of silicon comprises a modification that is arranged to improve the robustness of the exposed region of silicon.

Abstract: A pattern from a patterning device is applied to a substrate by a lithographic apparatus. The applied pattern includes product features and metrology targets. The metrology targets include large targets and small targets which are for measuring overlay. Some of the smaller targets are distributed at locations between the larger targets, while other small targets are placed at the same locations as a large target. By comparing values measured using a small target and large target at the same location, parameter values measured using all the small targets can be corrected for better accuracy. The large targets can be located primarily within scribe lanes while the small targets are distributed within product areas.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed where at least part of a space between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate is filled with a liquid by a liquid supply system. The projection system is separated into two separate physical parts. With substantially no direct connection between the two parts of the projection system, vibrations induced in a first of the two parts by coupling of forces through the liquid filling the space when the substrate moves relative to the liquid supply system affects substantially only the first part of the projection system and not the other second part.

Abstract: A system and method determine an approximate structure of an object on a substrate. This may be applied in model based metrology of microscopic structures to assess critical dimension or overlay performance of a lithographic apparatus. A scatterometer is used to determine approximate structure of an object, such as a grating on a stack, on a substrate. The wafer substrate has an upper layer and an underlying layer. The substrate has a first scatterometry target region, including the grating on a stack object. The grating on a stack is made up of the upper and underlying layers. The upper layer is patterned with a periodic grating. The substrate further has a neighboring second scatterometry target region, where the upper layer is absent. The second region has just the unpatterned underlying layers.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system for supplying a beam of radiation, a patterning arrangement incorporating an array of individually controllable elements for imparting a pattern to the beam cross-section, a substrate table for supporting a substrate, and a projection system incorporating a microlens array for projecting the beam onto a target portion of the substrate. An error compensator is provided for supplying error correction values for compensating for the effect of positional errors in the microlens array, and a grey scale modulator is provided for supplying drive signals to controllable elements of the patterning arrangement in dependence on the error correction values in order to compensate for the effect of positional errors in the microlens array by varying the intensity of some parts of the pattern relative to other parts of the pattern.

Abstract: A displacement measurement system configured to provide measurement of the relative displacement of two components in six degrees of freedom with improved consistency and without requiring excessive space.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a spectral purity filter includes an aperture, the aperture being arranged to diffract a first wavelength of radiation and to allow at least a portion of a second wavelength of radiation to be transmitted through the aperture, the second wavelength of radiation being shorter than the first wavelength of radiation, wherein the aperture has a diameter greater than 20 ?m.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus for immersion lithography is disclosed in which a seal between different parts of a substrate table is arranged to be easily applied and removed and in an embodiment, reduces transmission of forces between the different parts.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method are disclosed. According to a disclosed embodiment, the fluid handling structure is configured to confine an immersion fluid in a space between a final element of a projection system and a facing surface during movement of the facing surface relative to the structure, wherein the structure has at least one heater to heat a portion of the facing surface adjacent to the heater, the at least one heater having a fluid heater to heat fluid flow from the structure onto the facing surface, the heater thereby heating the portion.

Abstract: A method of, and associated apparatuses for, determining an overlay error resultant from structure defects such as asymmetry. The method comprises measuring scattering properties of a first target comprising a first structure and a second structure, constructing a model of the first structure using the measured scattering properties, the model comprising a first model structure corresponding to the first structure, modifying the model by overlaying the first model structure with an intermediate model structure, further modifying the model by replacing the intermediate model structure with a second model structure, corresponding to the second structure, calculating a second defect-induced overlay error between the first model structure and the second model structure, the first and second model structures being overlaid with respect to each other in the further modified model and determining an overlay error in a second target using the calculated second defect-induced overlay error.

Abstract: A position measurement system includes a first part and a second part for determining a position of a first member relative to a second member by providing a position signal representing a position of the first part relative to the second part, and a computational unit comprising an input terminal for receiving the position signal. The computational unit is configured to, in use, apply a conversion to the position signal to obtain a signal representing a position of the first member relative to the second member; and apply an adjustment to the conversion to at least partly compensate for a drift of the first part or the second part or both. The adjustment is based on a predetermined drift characteristic of the first part or the second part or both respectively. The predetermined drift characteristic includes one or more base shapes of the first part and/or the second part.

Abstract: Determining line edge roughness comprises reflecting at least one radiation beam off the object, observing a first optical response signature from a beam reflected from the object, or a component thereof, being polarized with an electrical vector in a first orientation relative to the object; and observing a second optical response signature from a beam reflected from the object, or a component thereof, being polarized with an electrical vector in a second orientation relative to the object. Line edge roughness can then be determined from the two optical response signatures.

Abstract: A target structure including a periodic structure is formed on a substrate. An image of the target structure is detected while illuminating the target structure with a beam of radiation, the image being formed using a first part of non-zero order diffracted radiation while excluding zero order diffracted radiation. Intensity values extracted from a region of interest within the image are used to determine a property of the periodic structure. A processing unit recognizes locations of a plurality of boundary features in the image of the target structure to identify regions of interest. The number of boundary features in each direction is at least twice a number of boundaries of periodic structures within the target structure. The accuracy of locating the region is greater than by recognizing only the boundaries of the periodic structure(s).

Abstract: A substrate table with a sensor that includes a block of material provided with a layer of material opaque to radiation. The layer of material has at least one window configured to allow the transmission of the radiation. The sensor includes a wavelength conversion material located at the window, and a waveguide positioned to receive radiation emitted by the wavelength conversion material. The waveguide is embedded in the block of material and configured to guide radiation emitted by the wavelength conversion material through the block of material and towards a detector.

Abstract: An interferometric displacement measuring system operable to measure displacements of a movable object of the lithographic apparatus in a first direction using a measurement beam of radiation and a reflector. The reflector being substantially planar and substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Calibration is obtained using a first set of measurements of the angular position movable object. A phase offset in the measurement beam is affected. A second set of measurements of the angular position of the movable object is obtained. The interferometric displacement measuring system is calibrated based on the first and second sets of measurements.

Abstract: A method of, and associated apparatus for, determining focus corrections for a lithographic projection apparatus. The method comprises exposing a plurality of global correction fields on a test substrate, each comprising a plurality of global correction marks, and each being exposed with a tilted focus offset across it; measuring a focus dependent characteristic for each of the plurality of global correction marks to determine interfield focus variation information; and calculating interfield focus corrections from the interfield focus variation information.

Abstract: A sensor includes a semiconductor body having a top and bottom surface, a first doped surface oriented region of a first conductivity type at the top surface, and a second doped surface oriented region of a second and opposite conductivity type at the bottom surface, wherein a sensitive area is defined where the first region overlaps with the second region. A resistive layer is partially arranged in the sensitive area. The sensor includes two first electrode contacts and two second electrode contacts, wherein the first electrode contacts are placed on the resistive layer to define a first detection area in the sensitive area between the first electrode contacts, and wherein the second electrode contacts are placed partially in the sensitive area on the bottom surface of the body, the surfaces of the second electrodes in the sensitive area defining a second detection area that overlaps with the first detection area.