Abstract: A maskless lithography system has a patterning array assembly formed by a plurality of patterning arrays, each patterning array having a substrate. Each patterning array has a plurality of individually controllable elements to endow an incoming radiation beam with a patterned cross-section. To reduce the global unflatness of the patterning array assembly that is oriented in a first plane, the position of at least one substrate of a patterning array is adjusted to a second orientation. Reduction of the global unflatness of the patterning array assembly reduces a telecentricity error without introducing additional error into the maskless lithography system.

Abstract: A coherence remover includes a first partially reflective surface and a second partially reflective surface. The coherence remover is configured to receive an input beam. Each of the first and second reflective surfaces is configured to reflect a respective portion of the input beam to produce respective one or more intermediate beams. The intermediate beams collectively form an output beam that has a reduced coherence compared to the input beam.

Abstract: Liquid is supplied to a space between the projection system of a lithographic apparatus and a substrate. A flow of gas towards a vacuum inlet prevents the humid gas from escaping to other parts of the lithographic apparatus. This may help to protect intricate parts of the lithographic apparatus from being damaged by the presence of humid gas.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus, includes a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart a beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a liquid supply system configured to provide liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table; a sensor configured to measure an exposure parameter using a measuring beam projected through the liquid; and a correction system configured to determine an offset based on a change of a physical property impacting a measurement made using the measuring beam to at least partly correct the measured exposure parameter.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a laser cleaning device. The laser cleaning device is constructed and arranged to clean a surface. The laser cleaning device includes a laser source constructed and arranged to generate radiation, and an optical element constructed and arranged to focus the radiation in a focal point in order to generate a cleaning plasma in a background gas above the surface. The laser cleaning device is further provided with a gas supply constructed and arranged to generate a jet of protection gas at a location near the plasma.

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 method of placing a substrate onto a surface of a substrate holder, in which the surface is provided with a plurality of burls. Substrate placement data for allowing placement of the substrate at a certain position with respect to a position of the plurality of burls on the surface of the substrate holder is calculated. The substrate is placed at the certain position in accordance with the substrate placement data. The certain position may be based on the position at which placement would result in a minimized overlay error or may be based on the position at which placement would result in minimized substrate deformation.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for object inspection, in particular for inspection of reticles used in a lithography process. The method includes interferometrically combining a reference radiation beam with a probe radiation beam, and storing their complex field images. The complex field image of one object is then compared with that of a reference object to determine the differences. The systems and methods have particular utility in the inspection of a reticle for defects.

Abstract: A detector including a layer of scintillation material, a layer of spacer material on the scintillation material, and a spectral purity filter layer on the spacer material.

Abstract: A method is provided for placing a substrate onto a surface of a substrate holder, the surface having a plurality of burls. First substrate placement data is calculated. This data enables placement of the substrate at a certain position with respect to a position of the plurality of burls on the surface of the substrate holder. Then, the substrate is placed at the certain position in accordance with the substrate placement data. The certain position may be based on the position at which placement would result in a minimized overlay error or may be based on the position at which placement would result in minimized substrate deformation.

Abstract: The use of electro wetting to control the behavior of immersion liquid within an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: An “angle-resolved” version of FD-OCT is used to measure reflectance properties. An inspection apparatus comprises an illumination source configured to provide an illumination beam, an interferometer configured to use the illumination beam to illuminate a target on a substrate at an incidence angle and to use radiation reflected from the substrate with a reference beam derived from the illumination beam to produce an output beam, a sampling device arranged to select a portion of the output beam, a spectrometer configured to receive the selected portion of the output beam and to measure a spectrum of the received selected portion of the output beam, and a processor configured to determine from the measured spectrum reflectance properties of the target such as raw spectrometer spectral data, the Fourier transformed data, the extracted intensity components or carrier phase or the calculated complex reflectance.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system for providing a beam of extreme ultra-violet radiation, a masking device for controlling the illumination of a patterning device by the beam of radiation, a support for supporting the patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart a pattern to the beam of radiation, a substrate table for holding a substrate, and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate. The masking device includes a masking blade including a masking edge configured to delimit a boundary of an illumination region on the patterning device. The masking blade is configured to reflect extreme ultra-violet radiation incident on the masking blade such that at least a portion of the reflected radiation is not captured by the projection system.

Abstract: A method is used to calibrate a target surface of a position measurement system configured to measure a position of a movable object. The position measurement system includes the target surface mounted on the movable object, a stationary sensor system, and a processing device to calculate a position of the movable object on the basis of at least one measurement signal of the sensor system. The processing device includes a correction map of the target surface to correct for irregularities of the target surface. The method includes recalibrating the correction map of the target surface by measuring the target surface and determining a recalibrated correction map of the complete target surface on the basis of the measured target surface and one or more deformation modes of the target surface and/or physical objects affecting the target surface.

Abstract: A method for configuring an illumination source of a lithographic apparatus, the method including dividing the illumination source into pixel groups, each pixel group including one or more illumination source points in a pupil plane of the illumination source; changing a polarization state of each pixel group and determining an incremental effect on each of the plurality of critical dimensions resulting from the change of polarization state; calculating a first plurality of sensitivity coefficients for each of the plurality of critical dimensions using the determined incremental effects; selecting an initial illumination source; iteratively calculating a lithographic metric as a result of a change of polarization state using the calculated first plurality of sensitivity coefficients, the change of the polarization state of the pixel group in the initial illumination source creating a modified illumination source; and adjusting the initial illumination source based on the iterative results of calculations.

Abstract: A lithographic simulation process is described, where each source point in a preselected group of source points at a pupil plane of an illumination source is represented by one or more variable parameters, wherein at least some of the variable parameters characterize a polarization state at the source point. One or both of the preselected group of source points in the illumination source and a representation of the design layout are iteratively reconfigured based on a computed gradient of a cost function with respect to the one or more variable parameters until a desired lithographic response is obtained, wherein the cost function comprises an aerial image intensity of a representation of the design layout projected using the preselected group of source points. Physical hardware to implement the source polarization variation is also described.

Abstract: A detector module (20) is described that includes at least one detector (30) for sensing photon radiation, an electronic circuit (40) coupled to the at least one detector (30), and a housing (50) having a first and a second body (60, 70), each having a bottom part (62, 72) and an at least partially cylindrical part (64, 74) extending from the bottom part (62, 72), wherein the at least partially cylindrical part (64) of the first body (60) is thermally coupled with the at least partially cylindrical part (74) of the second body (70), wherein the at least partially cylindrical part (64) of the first body (60) extends towards the bottom part (72) of the second body (70), and wherein the electronic circuit (40) is arranged inside the housing (50). A lithographic apparatus including the detector module (20) is also described.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes an encoder type sensor system configured to measure a position of a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus relative to a reference structure. The encoder type sensor system includes an encoder sensor head and an encoder sensor target and the lithographic apparatus comprises a recess to accommodate the encoder sensor target.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which a gas knife is shaped and a liquid removal device is positioned to improve removal of liquid from the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A positioning system to position a table within a base frame of a lithographic apparatus, the positioning system including first and second actuators and a controller. The first actuator exerting an actuation force on the table. The first actuator being connected to a balance mass constructed and arranged to absorb a reaction force of the first actuator. The controller and second actuator constructed and arranged to exert a compensation force and/or torque to compensate a torque caused by the actuation force exerted by the first actuator on the balance mass.