Abstract: A method of obtaining information indicative of the topography of a surface of a flexible substrate, the method including directing a beam of radiation at the surface of the flexible substrate; and detecting changes in intensity distribution, or angle of reflection, of the beam of radiation after the beam of radiation has been reflected from the surface of the substrate to obtain information indicative of the topography of the surface of the flexible substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system that includes a plurality of reflective optics. One of the reflective optics is provided with an opening which passes through the reflective optic. The opening is closed by a covering layer that is substantially transparent to EUV radiation. The covering layer prevents contamination from entering the projection system, while allowing patterned EUV radiation to pass from the projection system onto a substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic system includes an immersion type lithographic apparatus, which includes a support constructed and arranged to support a substrate, a projection system constructed and arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partially fill a space between the projection system and at least one of the substrate and support with an immersion liquid, a liquid supply system arranged to provide the immersion liquid to the liquid confinement structure, and a cleaning liquid supply system arranged to provide a cleaning liquid to a surface of the lithographic apparatus that comes into contact with the immersion liquid. The system includes a switch to provide the cleaning liquid directly to the liquid confinement structure and to provide the immersion liquid indirectly to the liquid confinement structure via a liquid purification system.

Abstract: An EUV radiation source includes a fuel supply configured to supply fuel to a plasma formation location. The fuel supply includes a nozzle configured to eject droplets of fuel, and a droplet accelerator configured to accelerate the fuel droplets. The EUV radiation source includes a laser radiation source configured to irradiate the fuel supplied by the fuel supply at the plasma formation location.

Abstract: An EUV radiation source that includes a fuel supply configured to supply fuel to a plasma formation location. The fuel supply includes a reservoir configured to hold fuel at a temperature that is sufficiently high to maintain the fuel in liquid form, and a pressure vessel configured to contain the reservoir, the pressure vessel being at least partially thermally isolated from the reservoir. The EUV radiation source also includes a laser radiation source configured to irradiate fuel supplied by the fuel supply at the plasma formation location.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses, methods, and lithographic systems for holographic mask inspection. A holographic mask inspection system (300, 600, 700) includes an illumination source (330), a spatial filter (350), and an image sensor (380). The illumination source being configured to illuminate a radiation beam (331) onto a target portion of a mask (310). The spatial filter (350) being arranged in a Fourier transform pupil plane of an optical system (390, 610, 710), where the spatial filter receives at least a portion of a reflected radiation beam (311) from the target portion of the mask. The optical system being arranged to combine (360, 660, 740) the portion of the reflected radiation beam (311) with a reference radiation beam (361, 331) to generate a combined radiation beam. Further, the image sensor (380) being configured to capture holographic image of the combined radiation beam. The image may contain one or more mask defects.

Abstract: Improved complementary phase shift mask (c:PSM) imaging techniques are described, including a method in which scattering bars are provided on the trim mask in order to allow better CD uniformity to be achieved in the double exposure process. The number, size and position of the scattering bars can be optimised to achieve a desired isofocal CD and/or a desired level of sensitivity of the CD to trim exposure energy used in the second exposure step of the c:PSM process. The trim exposure dose can be regulated, and/or the trim width used on the trim mask can be optimised, to compensate for iso-dense bias so as to achieve optical proximity correction.

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

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system has a final element. The apparatus also includes a barrier member surrounding a space between the projection system and, in use, the substrate, to define in part with the final element a reservoir for liquid. The barrier member is spaced from the final element to define a gap therebetween. The apparatus further includes a deformable seal between a radially outer surface of the final element and a radially outer surface of the barrier member. The deformable seal is configured to substantially prevent a gas from flowing past the seal towards or away from the reservoir of liquid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a substrate holder for use in a lithographic apparatus, the method including providing a main body having a surface and a plurality of burls projecting from the surface and having end surfaces to support a substrate, providing a carrier surface adjacent the main body surface, and forming a conductive layer on at least part of the main body surface and an integral part on at least part of the carrier surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a lithographic apparatus including an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a patterning device 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, an active air mount to support the projection system, the active air mount including at least one actuator, and a feed-forward device, the feed-forward device being configured to provide on the basis of a set-point signal of a movable object, a feed-forward signal to the at least one actuator, wherein the feed-forward signal is designed to decrease a disturbance effect on the projection system due to movement of the movable object.

Abstract: A mask can be used to print a pattern. Due to mask pattern surface topography, an image error may occur, such as an intensity imbalance between adjacent bright lines in the projected pattern. To help alleviate or eliminate the problem of intensity imbalance, the projection system may include an optical phase adjuster constructed and arranged to adjust a phase of an electric field of optical beams of radiation beam traversing the adjuster. A reduction of intensity imbalance is achieved by suitably adjusting the phases of the zeroth, plus first and minus first-order diffracted radiation emanating from the mask pattern. By adjusting the phase differently for different portions of the illumination, the method can be applied such that no decrease of depth of focus due, for example, the 0th order is occurring.

Abstract: A multivariable solver for proximity correction uses a Jacobian matrix to approximate effects of perturbations of segment locations in successive iterations of a design loop. The problem is formulated as a constrained minimization problem with box, linear equality, and linear inequality constraints. To improve computational efficiency, non-local interactions are ignored, which results in a sparse Jacobian matrix.

Abstract: A substrate distortion measurement apparatus comprising one or more optical detectors arranged to measure the locations of pits or holes provided in a substrate, a memory arranged to store previously determined locations of the pits or holes in the substrate, and a comparator arranged to compare the measured locations of the pits or holes with the previously determined locations of the pits or holes, to determine distortion of the substrate.

Abstract: In one an embodiment, there is provided an assembly comprising at least one detector. Each of the at least one detector includes a substrate having a doped region of a first conduction type, a layer of dopant material of a second conduction type located on the substrate, a diffusion layer formed within the substrate and in contact with the layer of dopant material and the doped region of the substrate, wherein a doping profile, which is representative of a doping material concentration of the diffusion layer, increases from the doped region of the substrate to the layer of dopant material, a first electrode connected to the layer of dopant material, and a second electrode connected to the substrate. The diffusion layer is arranged to form a radiation sensitive surface.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a technique of, and system for simulating, verifying, inspecting, characterizing, determining and/or evaluating the lithographic designs, techniques and/or systems, and/or individual functions performed thereby or components used therein. In one embodiment, the present invention is a system and method that accelerates lithography simulation, inspection, characterization and/or evaluation of the optical characteristics and/or properties, as well as the effects and/or interactions of lithographic systems and processing techniques.

Abstract: A conditioning system for conditioning a part of a lithographic apparatus, includes an evaporator positioned in thermal contact with the part for extracting heat from the part by evaporation of a fluid inside the evaporator; a condenser for removing heat from the fluid inside the condenser; fluid lines arranged between the evaporator and the condenser to form a fluid circuit; a pump arranged in the circuit to circulate the fluid in the circuit; an accumulator to hold fluid, wherein the accumulator is in fluid communication with the circuit and comprises a heat exchanger to transfer heat from or to fluid inside the accumulator; a temperature sensor to provide a signal representative of the fluid temperature; and a controller to maintain a substantially constant temperature of the fluid inside the circuit by regulating the amount of heat transferred by the heat exchanger based on the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus includes a plasma radiation source, a foil trap provided with a plurality of thin foils that extend substantially parallel to the direction of radiation from the plasma source, and a grid disposed between the plasma radiation source and the foil trap. A space is located between the grid and the foil trap. An electrical potential application circuit is constructed and arranged to apply an electrical potential to the grid so that the grid repels electrons emitted by the plasma radiation source and creates a positive space charge between the grid and the foil trap to deflect ions emitted by the plasma radiation source to the foil trap. A distance between the grid and the foil trap is at least equal to one-half of a radius of the foil trap.

Abstract: In a scatterometric method, different targets with different sensitivities to a parameter of interest are printed in a calibration matrix and different spectra obtained. Principal component analysis is applied to the different spectra to obtain a calibration function that is less sensitive to variation in the underlying structure than a calibration function obtained from spectra obtained from a single target.

Abstract: In an EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography apparatus, an illumination system includes a multifaceted field mirror and a multifaceted pupil mirror. A field facet mirror within mirror focuses EUV radiation onto a particular associated pupil facet mirror, from where it is directed to a target area. Each field facet mirror is modified to scatter unwanted DUV (deep ultraviolet) radiation into a range of directions. The majority of DUV falls onto neighboring pupil facet mirrors within the pupil mirrors, so that the amount of DUV radiation reaching target E is suppressed in comparison to the wanted EUV radiation. Because the distance between mirrors is much greater than the width of an individual pupil facet mirror, good DUV suppression can be achieved with only a narrow scattering angle. Absorption of EUV radiation in the scattering layer can be minimized.