Abstract: A method for providing a pattern on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes providing a first pattern in a first layer of photoresist and a first layer of bottom anti-reflective coating material on the substrate, etching the first pattern into the substrate, providing a second layer of photoresist and a second layer of bottom anti-reflective coating material on the substrate, providing a second pattern in the second layers of photoresist and bottom anti-reflective coating material, and etching the second pattern into the substrate, the first and second patterns on the substrate together defining the pattern.

Abstract: In a scatterometry apparatus having an illumination aperture stop, a field stop is provided at an intermediate image to control a spot size on a substrate. The field stop may be apodized, e.g., having a transmissivity in the form of a trapezium or a Gaussian shape.

Abstract: A zone plate includes a plurality of consecutively arranged, adjacent, and alternating first and second regions. The first regions are arranged to be substantially transparent to a first predetermined wavelength of radiation and a second predetermined wavelength of radiation that is different from the first predetermined wavelength of radiation. The second regions are arranged to be substantially opaque, diffractive, or reflective to the first predetermined wavelength of radiation and substantially transparent to the second predetermined wavelength of radiation.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a source collector module including a collector, configured to collect radiation from a radiation source; an illuminator configured to condition the radiation collected by the collector and to provide a radiation beam; and a detector arrangement comprising a reflector arrangement disposed in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the illuminator, the reflector arrangement being arranged to reflect radiation from the source collector module; and a sensor arrangement disposed in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the reflector arrangement, the sensor arrangement being configured to measure at least one property of radiation reflected by the reflector, the detector arrangement being configured to determine the location of a far field position of the radiation as a function of at least one property of the radiation reflected by the reflector and measured by the sensor arrangement.

Abstract: Ghost reflections in a catadioptric scatterometer objective are excluded from an angle-resolved spectrum measurement by using a partial pupil for illumination and for the measurement excluding the area of the pupil plane that has been illuminated. Ghost reflections are reflected back into same point in the pupil plane. The ghost reflections do not interfere with the signal in the non-illuminated area of the pupil plane. An illumination system provides a beam of electromagnetic radiation to illuminate a first area in an illumination pupil plane of the objective. The objective is arranged as to illuminate the substrate with the beam of electromagnetic radiation. The illumination pupil plane is the back projected image of the pupil plane of the objective and is also imaged into the measurement pupil plane at the back focal plane of the objective, via auxiliary optics.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning the inside of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. A cleaning device may be provided in the substrate table and an ultrasonic emitter may be provided to create an ultrasonic cleaning liquid.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate is disclosed. The lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system and an outlet connected to a pumping system to pump away gas from between an inner wall and outer wall of the illumination system or, if a radiation source is present, between the inner wall of the illumination system and an inner wall of the radiation source.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus for immersion lithography is disclosed in which a seal between different parts of the substrate table may be arranged to reduce the transmission of forces between the different parts.

Abstract: A method of providing a set of alignment marks on a substrate including the following steps. Exposing a first pattern on at least one exposure area of a layer of a substrate, the first pattern comprising a repetitive set of elements having a first element size. Exposing a second pattern on the at least one exposure area on top of the first pattern, the second pattern comprising a repetitive set elements of a second element size, the second element size being larger or smaller than the first element size. The elements of the first and second patterns partly overlap and combined form a set of repetitive large-sized alignment marks, such that the edges of the alignment marks in the direction of repetition are formed by small-sized elements.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus has adaptations to prevent or reduce bubble formation in one or more gaps in the substrate table by preventing bubbles escaping from the gap into the beam path and/or extracting bubbles that may form in the gap.

Abstract: A system is configured to measure two separately polarized beams upon diffraction from a substrate in order to determine properties of the substrate. Circularly or elliptically polarized light sources are passed via a fixed phase retarder in order to change the phase of one of two orthogonally polarized radiation beams with respect to the two beams. The relative phases of the two radiation beams and other features of the beams are measured in a detector to provide information on the properties of the substrate surface.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus measures a property of a substrate including a periodic structure. An illumination system provides a beam of radiation with an illumination profile including a plurality of illuminated portions. A radiation projector projects the beam of radiation onto the substrate. A detector detects radiation scattered from the periodic structure and separately detects first order diffracted radiation and at least one higher order of diffracted radiation of each of the illuminated portions. A processor determines the property of the substrate from the detected radiation. The plurality of illuminated portions are arranged such that first order diffracted radiation arising from one or more of the illuminated portions are not overlapped by zeroth order or first order diffracted radiation arising from any other of the illuminated portions.

Abstract: In a method for determining one or more properties of a substrate, scatterometry spectra can be measured from one or more targets on the substrate. Reconstructions of each of said spectra can be performed to derive one or more values for the property of the substrate, by comparing representations of each of the measured spectra with one or more modeled representations of spectra calculated using variable parameter values. At least one parameter in the reconstruction for each spectrum can be linked to the value of the parameter used in the reconstruction for a different spectrum.

Abstract: According to an example, a first layer of a substrate comprises a plurality of gratings having a periodicity P. A second layer of the substrate comprises a plurality of gratings, overlapping with the first set of gratings, and having a periodicity of NP, where N is an integer greater than 2. A first set of gratings has a bias of +d and the second set of gratings has a bias of ?d. A beam of radiation is projected onto the gratings and the angle resolved spectrum of the reflected radiation detected. The overlay error is then calculated using the angle resolved spectrum of the reflected radiation.

Abstract: A method for performing a software process, such as a real time software process, is disclosed, the process having a plurality of tasks, the method including starting a task of the plurality of tasks of the process, monitoring a progress of the started task, comparing the progress with a desired progress, if the progress does not meet the desired progress, skipping at least a part of a task of the plurality of tasks, and performing the process making use of an outcome of the tasks which have been completed. The monitoring of the progress may be performed upon completion of the task or at a predetermined moment in time.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a position measuring system configured to measure a position of a moveable object with respect to a reference frame of the lithographic apparatus, in at least one direction of an orthogonal x-y-z coordinate system of the moveable object. The position measuring system includes an optical x-z-encoder configured to measure a displacement of a radiation source, a first grating, and a detector with respect to a second grating of the encoder. The first grating includes an alignment marker. A controller is configured to define a zero level of the moveable object with respect to the reference frame in at least one of the x- and z-direction by performing the scanning along the first grating, the alignment marker during the scanning step causing changes in the phase of the response of both the first positive and negative orders.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck including a substrate, a support layer to support an object, an electrode layer comprising an electrode and being disposed between the substrate and the support layer configured to apply an electrostatic attraction force on the object upon energization of the electrode, and a plurality of actuators for deforming the support layer.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a high voltage pad and a high voltage plate. When connected to another electrical connector, the two plates, which are at the same voltage as the pads, form a region of high voltage in which the field is low. The pads are positioned in that region. An electrostatic clamp of an EUV lithographic apparatus may have such a pad and plate, for connecting to the electrical connector. By placing the interconnection in a low field region, triple points (points of contact between a conductor, a solid insulator and a gas) may be present in that region.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to de-gas a liquid includes a semi-permeable membrane having a first side on which the liquid is provided; and (i) a vaporizer configured to provide vapor of the liquid to a second side of the membrane; or (ii) a gas inlet configured to provide a gas to the second side of the membrane, the gas adapted to dissociate when dissolved in the liquid and an ion exchanger for the liquid downstream of the semi-permeable membrane.