Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a stationary magnet motor to drive a support such as a substrate support or a patterning device support, may be provided with a measurement system to measure a position of the support in question, e.g., to provide a safety system to prevent a collision of the support with another part. The measurement system may be configured to measure a magnetic field strength of an alternating magnetic field generated by the magnet assembly of the stationary magnet motor, and/or measure generation of eddy currents in a metallic layer shielding the magnet assembly in combination with an inductance measurement of an electromagnet generating the alternating magnetic field causing the eddy currents, and/or measure light using an optical position sensitive sensor such as a CCD metric or linear photodiode positioned in a light plane emitted by an emitter.

Abstract: A system and method are used to compensate for thermal effect on a lithographic apparatus. The system comprises a patterning device, a projection system, a substrate position controller, and a substrate-position-based expansion-compensator. The patterning device modulates a radiation beam. The projection system projects the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The substrate position controller moves the substrate relative to the projection system sequentially through a plurality of exposure positions. The substrate-position-based expansion-compensator interacts with the substrate position controller to modify the exposure positions in order at least partially to compensate for thermally-induced geometrical changes of at least one of the substrate and projection system.

Abstract: In a device manufacturing method using a lithographic apparatus, corrections to the dose are applied, within and/or between fields, to compensate for CD variations due to heating of elements of the projection system of the lithographic apparatus.

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 substrate table for an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a recess, configured to receive a substrate of a given size, and a fluid extraction system, configured to extract fluid from a gap between the edge of the substrate and the edge of the recess, the fluid extraction system configured such that the rate of flow of fluid extracted from a localized section of the gap is greater than the rate of flow of fluid extracted from another section of the gap.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus has a surface that in use is contacted by the immersion liquid and the surface has a surface roughness Ra that is less than or equal to 0.2 ?m. Immersion liquid on the surface may have a contact angle of 60° or greater. The surface may be able to maintain its properties so that immersion liquid on the surface may have the contact angle for a prolonged period of immersion in the immersion liquid.

Abstract: A system to recycle immersion fluid in an immersion fluid lithographic apparatus is described. A recycling path comprising a plurality of parallel paths, each of which has its own parallel liquid treatment unit optimized to treat fluid which is directed through it, is disclosed.

Abstract: A system is used to perform fast and slow applications, for example fast application can be pulse trimming. The system includes a radiation source, an electro-optical modulator, and a beam splitter. The radiation source is configured to generate a polarized beam of radiation. The electro-optical modulator, formed of crystalline quartz, is configured to modulate the beam of radiation. The beam splitter is configured to direct a first portion of the beam to a beam dump and to form an output beam from a second portion of the beam.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a device having an emissive portion, a memory, and a dictionary decompressor. The device having an emissive portion is configured to produce a patterned beam. The memory is configured to store a compressed representation of a requested dose pattern, comprising two groups of repeating pattern features, to be formed on a surface by the patterned beam. The dictionary decompressor at least partially decompresses the compressed representation. The dictionary decompressor comprises a first dictionary memory configured to store pattern data corresponding to a first group of the two groups of repeating pattern features and a second dictionary memory configured to store pattern data corresponding to a second group of the two groups of repeating pattern features. The repeating pattern features in the first group have one or more differing characteristics than the repeating pattern features in the second group. Related methods are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a beam of electromagnetic radiation includes a plasma radiation source, and a foil trap provided with a plurality of thin foils that extend substantially parallel to the direction of radiation from the plasma source. A grid is disposed between the plasma radiation source and the foil trap. A space is located between the grid and the foil trap. The apparatus also include an electrical potential application circuit that 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.

Abstract: An array of individually controllable elements includes elements, each formed of a stack of layers of dielectric material. At least one layer is an electro-optical material. The at least one layer's refractive index for radiation that is plane polarized in a given direction can be changed by application of a voltage in order to change the reflection/transmission characteristic of the boundary between this layer and the adjacent layer.

Abstract: A single exposure method and a double exposure method for reducing mask error factor and for enhancing lithographic printing-process resolution is presented. The invention comprises decomposing a desired pattern of dense lines and spaces in two sub patterns of semi dense spaces that are printed in interlaced position with respect to each other, using positive tone resist. Each of the exposures is executed after applying a relative space-width widening to the spaces of two corresponding mask patterns of semi dense spaces. A factor representative for the space-width widening has a value between 1 and 3, thereby reducing mask error factor and line edge roughness.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system having a lower surface. The apparatus also has a liquid confinement structure defining, in use, in part with the lower surface and the substrate and/or substrate table, an immersion space, the immersion space comprising, in use, a liquid meniscus between a part of the lower surface facing a surface of the liquid confinement structure and a facing surface of the liquid confinement structure facing the part of the lower surface. The apparatus also has a pinning surface comprising a plurality of meniscus pinning features, the pinning surface being part of or on the part of the lower surface, or part of or on the facing surface of the liquid confinement structure, or part of or on both.

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: In an immersion lithography apparatus, the immersion liquid is supplied from a tank via a flow restrictor. The liquid held in the tank is maintained at a substantially constant height above the flow restrictor to ensure a constant flow of liquid.

Abstract: An actuator is disclosed that includes a body, the body having a face, and a plurality of conduits located in the body, each conduit deformable in response to a change of pressure within the conduit, the deformation of the conduit configured to cause a deformation of the face.

Abstract: A collector assembly for use in a laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet radiation source for use in lithography has a collector body having a collector mirror and a window in the collector body. The window is transmissive to excitation radiation, which may be an infrared laser beam, so that it can pass through the window to excite the plasma, and the window has an EUV minor on its surface which is also transmissive to the excitation beam but which can reflect EUV generated by the plasma to the collector location of the collector mirror. The window may improve the collection efficiency and reduce non-uniformity in the image at the collector location. Radiation sources, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing methods may make use of the collector.

Abstract: In a device manufacturing method and a metrology apparatus, metrology measurements are executed using radiation having a first wavelength. Subsequently a grid of conducting material is applied on the substrate, the grid having grid openings which in a first direction in the plane of the grid are smaller than the first wavelength. The space in the scribe lane where the measurement target was, is now shielded and may be used again in further layers or processing steps of the substrate.

Abstract: In a lithographic projection apparatus, a liquid supply system maintains liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate. The liquid supply system may further include a de-mineralizing unit, a distillation unit, a de-hydrocarbonating unit, a UV radiation source, and/or a filter configured to purify the liquid. A gas content reduction device may be provided to reduce a gas content of the liquid. A chemical may be added to the liquid using an adding device to inhibit lifeform growth and components of the liquid supply system may be made of a material which is non-transparent to visible light such that growth of lifeforms may be reduced.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate. The apparatus includes a support configured to hold a patterned object, and a measurement system configured to detect orientations and/or densities of user area structures that are present on a user area of the patterned object.