Abstract: An apparatus (100) for receiving input radiation (108) and broadening a frequency range of the input radiation so as to provide broadband output radiation (110). The apparatus comprises a fiber (102), wherein the fiber (102) may comprise a hollow core (104) for guiding radiation propagating through the fiber (102). The apparatus (100) further comprises an apparatus for providing a gas mixture (106) within the hollow core (104). The gas mixture (106) comprises a hydrogen component, and a working component, wherein the working component is for broadening a frequency range of a received input radiation (108) so as to provide the broadband output radiation (110). The apparatus may be included in a radiation source.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support structure to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern; a projection system to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate; a substrate table configured to hold the substrate, the substrate table including a support surface to support an intermediary plate between the projection system and at least one of the substrate and an object positioned on the substrate table and not in contact with the at least one of the substrate and the object; and a liquid supply system to provide a liquid, through which the beam is to be projected, in a space between the projection system and the at least one of the substrate and the object.

Abstract: A method of determining an optimal operational parameter setting of a metrology system is described. Free-form substrate shape measurements are performed. A model is applied, transforming the measured warp to modeled warp scaling values. Substrates are clamped to a chuck, causing substrate deformation. Alignment marks of the substrates are measured using an alignment system with four alignment measurement colors. Scaling values thus obtained are corrected with the modeled warp scaling values to determine corrected scaling values. An optimal alignment measurement color is determined, based on the corrected scaling values. Optionally, scaling values are selected that were measured using the optimal alignment measurement color and a substrate grid is determined using the selected scaling values. A substrate may be exposed using the determined substrate grid to correct exposure of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of mitigating for a process dependent stray light artifact on a measurement a structure. The method comprises obtaining a calibration scaling factor for the process dependent stray light artifact based on a reference angle resolved measurement and target angle resolved measurement, and a correction of an image with the obtained calibration scaling factor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring a parameter of interest of a target structure formed on substrate are disclosed. In one arrangement, the target structure comprises a first sub-target and a second sub-target. The first sub-target comprises a first bias and the second sub-target comprises a second bias. The method comprises determining the parameter of interest using a detected or estimated reference property of radiation at a first wavelength scattered from the first sub-target and a detected or estimated reference property of radiation at a second wavelength scattered from the second sub-target. The first wavelength is different to the second wavelength.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metrology sensor apparatus and associated method. The metrology sensor apparatus comprises an illumination system operable to illuminate a metrology mark on a substrate with illumination radiation having a first polarization state and an optical collection system configured to collect scattered radiation, following scattering of the illumination radiation by the metrology mark. The metrology mark comprises a main structure and changes, relative to the first polarization state, at least one of a polarization state of a first portion of the scattered radiation predominately resultant from scattering by the main structure and a polarization state of a second portion of radiation predominately resultant from scattering by one or more features other than the main structure, such that the polarization state of the first portion of the scattered radiation is different to the polarization state of the second portion of the scattered radiation.

Abstract: As increasing numbers of layers, using increasing numbers of specific materials, are deposited on substrates, it becomes increasingly difficult to detect alignment marks accurately for, for example, applying a desired pattern onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus, in part due to one or more of the materials used in one or more of the layers being wholly or partially opaque to the radiation used to detect alignment marks. In a first step, the substrate is illuminated with excitation radiation. In a second step, at least one effect associated with a reflected material effect scattered by a buried structure is measured. The effect may, for example, include a physical displacement of the surface of the substrate. In a third step, at least one characteristic of the structure based on the measured effect is derived.

Abstract: The invention provides a vibration isolation device configured to support a structure, comprising: an air mount having a base part mounted on a reference structure and a vibration isolated part, and an inverted pendulum device, wherein a lower end of the inverted pendulum device is mounted on the vibration isolated part of the air mount and an upper end of the inverted pendulum device support the structure to be supported, wherein the vibration isolation device comprises a stiffness adjustment device configured to adjust the stiffness of the inverted pendulum device.

Abstract: A method, including: measuring a first plurality of instances of a metrology target on a substrate processed using a patterning process to determine values of at least one parameter of the patterning process using a first metrology recipe for applying radiation to, and detecting radiation from, instances of the metrology target; and measuring a second different plurality of instances of the metrology target on the same substrate to determine values of the at least one parameter of the patterning process using a second metrology recipe for applying radiation to, and detecting radiation from, instances of the metrology target, wherein the second metrology recipe differs from the first metrology recipe in at least one characteristic of the applying radiation to, and detecting radiation from, instances of the metrology target.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus having a controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table relative to an immersion space between the support table and a projection system to follow a route having a series of motions, the controller adapted to: predict a speed of an edge of the immersion space relative to an edge of an object on the support table when the edge of the immersion space passes over the edge of the object during at least one motion of the series of motions of the route; compare the speed to a predetermined parameter and to predict liquid loss from the immersion space during the at least one motion if the speed is greater than the predetermined parameter; and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify one or more parameters of the route during the at least one motion accordingly.

Abstract: Electron emitters and methods of fabricating the electron emitters are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, an electron emitter includes a tip with a planar region having a diameter in a range of approximately (0.05-10) micrometers. The electron emitter tip is configured to release field emission electrons. The electron emitter further includes a work-function-lowering material coated on the tip.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing charged particle flooding in a charged particle beam apparatus are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam system includes a charged particle source and a controller which controls the charged particle beam system to emit a charged particle beam in a first mode where the beam is defocused and a second mode where the beam is focused on a surface of a sample.

Abstract: A method including performing a first simulation for each of a plurality of different metrology target measurement recipes using a first model, selecting a first group of metrology target measurement recipes from the plurality of metrology target measurement recipes, the first group of metrology target measurement recipes satisfying a first rule, performing a second simulation for each of the metrology target measurement recipes from the first group using a second model, and selecting a second group of metrology target measurement recipes from the first group, the second group of metrology target measurement recipes satisfying a second rule, the first model being less accurate or faster than the second model and/or the first rule being less restrictive than the second rule.

Abstract: A radiation source comprises: an emitter for emitting a fuel target towards a plasma formation region; a laser system for hitting the target with a laser beam to generating a plasma; a collector for collecting radiation emitted by the plasma; an imaging system configured to capture an image of the target; one or more markers at the collector and within a field of view of the imaging system; and a controller. The controller receives data representative of the image; and controls operation of the radiation source in dependence on the data.

Abstract: A structure for grounding an extreme ultraviolet mask (EUV mask) is provided to discharge the EUV mask during the inspection by an electron beam inspection tool. The structure for grounding an EUV mask includes at least one grounding pin to contact conductive areas on the EUV mask, wherein the EUV mask may have further conductive layer on sidewalls or/and back side. The inspection quality of the EUV mask is enhanced by using the electron beam inspection system because the accumulated charging on the EUV mask is grounded. The reflective surface of the EUV mask on a continuously moving stage is scanned by using the electron beam simultaneously. The moving direction of the stage is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the electron beam.

Abstract: A method of performing a lithographic exposure of a substrate, the substrate being held on a substrate table, the substrate table comprising a cooling system operative to cool the substrate table, the method comprising performing an alignment measurement of the substrate, applying heat to the substrate table to reduce cooling of the substrate table provided by the cooling system, the heat being applied between a time at which the alignment measurement is performed and a time at which the lithographic exposure is performed and performing the lithographic exposure of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of tuning a patterning stack, the method including: defining a function that measures how a parameter representing a physical characteristic pertaining to a pattern transferred into a patterning stack on a substrate is affected by change in a patterning stack variable, the patterning stack variable representing a physical characteristic of a material layer of the patterning stack; varying, by a hardware computer system, the patterning stack variable and evaluating, by the hardware computer system, the function with respect to the varied patterning stack variable, until a termination condition is satisfied; and outputting a value of the patterning stack variable when the termination condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A scatterometer performs diffraction based measurements of one or more parameters of a target structure. To make two-color measurements in parallel, the structure is illuminated simultaneously with first radiation (302) having a first wavelength and a first angular distribution and with second radiation (304) having a second wavelength and a second angular distribution. The collection path (CP) includes a segmented wavelength-selective filter (21, 310) arranged to transmit wanted higher order portions of the diffracted first radiation (302X, 302Y) and of the diffracted second radiation (304X, 304Y), while simultaneously blocking zero order portions (302?, 304?) of both the first radiation and second radiation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate within a lithographic apparatus. The system includes a radiation source. The radiation source includes a grating structure operable to suppress the zeroth order of reflected radiation for at least a first component wavelength. The grating structure has a periodic profile including regularly spaced structures providing three surface levels, such that radiation diffracted by the grating structure includes radiation of three phases which destructively interfere for at least the zeroth order of the reflected radiation for the first component wavelength. The grating structure is on a radiation collector within the source.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which at least a part of the liquid supply system (which provides liquid between the projection system and the substrate) is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate during scanning. The part is moved to reduce the relative velocity between that part and the substrate so that the speed at which the substrate may be moved relative to the projection system may be increased.