Abstract: An actuator, configured to move a first object with respect to a second object, that includes a first body having an annular ring, a second body, arranged movably with respect to the first body, having a longitudinal shaft at least partially disposed within the annular ring, and at least one spring device, arranged between the first body and the second body, wherein the at least one spring device is configured to guide relative movements between the first body and the second body in a range of movement, and the at least one spring device has two or more leaf springs, wherein each of the two or more leaf springs is connected to the first body and to the second body, and wherein at least one of the leaf springs is in a non-planar state when the spring device is in an equilibrium position.

Abstract: A dark field metrology device includes an objective lens arrangement and a zeroth order block to block zeroth order radiation. The objective lens arrangement directs illumination onto a specimen to be measured and collects scattered radiation from the specimen, the scattered radiation including zeroth order radiation and higher order diffracted radiation. The dark field metrology device is operable to perform an illumination scan to scan illumination over at least two different subsets of the maximum range of illumination angles; and simultaneously perform a detection scan which scans the zeroth order block and/or the scattered radiation with respect to each other over a corresponding subset of the maximum range of detection angles during at least part of the illumination scan.

Abstract: A method of determining an estimated intensity of radiation scattered by a target illuminated by a radiation source, has the following steps: obtaining and training (402) a library REFLIB of wavelength-dependent reflectivity as a function of the wavelength, target structural parameters and angle of incidence R(?,?,x,y); determining (408) a wide-band library (W-BLIB) of integrals of wavelength-dependent reflectivity R of the target in a Jones framework over a range of radiation source wavelengths ?; training (TRN) (410) the wide-band library; and determining (412), using the trained wide-band library, an estimated intensity (INT) of radiation scattered by the target illuminated by the radiation source.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus (302) includes a higher harmonic generation (HHG) radiation source for generating (310) EUV radiation. Operation of the HHG source is monitored using a wavefront sensor (420) which comprises an aperture array (424, 702) and an image sensor (426). A grating (706) disperses the radiation passing through each aperture so that the image detector captures positions and intensities of higher diffraction orders for different spectral components and different locations across the beam. In this way, the wavefront sensor can be arranged to measure a wavefront tilt for multiple harmonics at each location in said array. In one embodiment, the apertures are divided into two subsets (A) and (B), the gratings (706) of each subset having a different direction of dispersion. The spectrally resolved wavefront information (430) is used in feedback control (432) to stabilize operation of the HGG source, and/or to improve accuracy of metrology results.

Abstract: A method, system and program for determining a position of a feature referenced to a substrate. The method includes measuring a position of the feature, receiving an intended placement of the feature and determining an estimate of a placement error based on knowledge of a relative position of a first reference feature referenced to a first layer on a substrate with respect to a second reference feature referenced to a second layer on a substrate. The updated position may be used to position the layer of the substrate having the feature, or another layer of the substrate, or another layer of another substrate.

Abstract: A grating is provided on a mirror for specularly reflecting and diffracting a grazing-incidence beam of radiation and has a periodic structure with a grating period comprising first (ridge) and second (trench) substructures either side of a sidewall 806 facing the incident beam 800. The ridge is configured to specularly reflect the beam from the flat top 808 of the ridge into a specularly reflected beam 810 in a zeroth-order direction ??=?. The grating is configured with fixed or varying pitch to diffract the beam from the grating periods in one or more non-zero-diffraction-order direction ????. The shape of the trench may be is described by structural parameters top width and depth that define the aspect ratio of the trench. The shape is determined such that any rays (and optionally diffraction) of the beam that reflect once from the trench floor in the zeroth-order direction are obscured by the sidewall.

Abstract: An overlay metrology target (T) is formed by a lithographic process. A first image (740(0)) of the target structure is obtained using with illuminating radiation having a first angular distribution, the first image being formed using radiation diffracted in a first direction (X) and radiation diffracted in a second direction (Y). A second image (740(R)) of the target structure using illuminating radiation having a second angular illumination distribution which the same as the first angular distribution, but rotated 90 degrees. The first image and the second image can be used together so as to discriminate between radiation diffracted in the first direction and radiation diffracted in the second direction by the same part of the target structure. This discrimination allows overlay and other asymmetry-related properties to be measured independently in X and Y, even in the presence of two-dimensional structures within the same part of the target structure.

Abstract: In a lithographic process, product units such as semiconductor wafers are subjected to lithographic patterning operations and chemical and physical processing operations. Alignment data or other measurements are made at stages during the performance of the process to obtain object data representing positional deviation or other parameters measured at points spatially distributed across each unit. This object data is used to obtain diagnostic information by performing a multivariate analysis to decompose a set of vectors representing the units in the multidimensional space into one or more component vectors. Diagnostic information about the industrial process is extracted using the component vectors. The performance of the industrial process for subsequent product units can be controlled based on the extracted diagnostic information.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a patterning process, the method including: obtaining the result of a first measurement of a first metrology target; obtaining the result of a second measurement of a second metrology target, the second metrology target having a structural difference from the first metrology target that generates a sensitivity difference and/or an offset, of a process parameter of the patterning process between the first and second metrology targets; and determining a value pertaining to the patterning process based on the results of the first and second measurements.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining a characteristic of interest, in particular focus, relating to a structure on a substrate formed by a lithographic process, and an associated patterning device and lithographic system. The method comprises forming a modified substrate feature on the substrate using a corresponding modified reticle feature on a patterning device, the modified substrate feature being formed for a primary function other than metrology, more specifically for providing a support for a vertically integrated structure. The modified reticle feature is such that said modified substrate feature is formed with a geometry dependent on the characteristic of interest during formation. The modified substrate feature can be measured to determine said characteristic of interest.

Abstract: A method of measuring overlay uses a plurality of asymmetry measurements from locations (LOI) on a pair of sub-targets (1032, 1034) formed on a substrate (W). For each sub-target, the plurality of asymmetry measurements are fitted to at least one expected relationship (1502, 1504) between asymmetry and overlay, based on a known bias variation deigned into the sub-targets. Continuous bias variation in one example is provided by varying the pitch of top and bottom gratings (P1/P2). Bias variations between the sub-targets of the pair are equal and opposite (P2/P1). Overlay (OV) is calculated based on a relative shift (xs) between the fitted relationships for the two sub-targets. The step of fitting asymmetry measurements to at least one expected relationship includes wholly or partially discounting measurements (1506, 1508, 1510) that deviate from the expected relationship and/or fall outside a particular segment of the fitted relationship.

Abstract: An apparatus having: a vacuum chamber for enclosing an article support, the article support configured to support an article such that a volume is defined between the article support and the article, the article support including a plurality of supporting protrusions configured to provide a plane of support for the article; a conduit for providing a fluid to the volume such that the fluid provides heat transfer between the article and the article support; and a controller for controlling the fluid supply to the volume, wherein the controller is configured to control a fluid supply unit to start removing the fluid substantially at a time the article reaches a stable temperature.

Abstract: A mounted hollow-core fiber arrangement includes a hollow-core fiber having a microstructure, and a mount arrangement including a plurality of mounting contacts configured to apply a force to an outer layer of the hollow-core fiber. A portion of the hollow-core fiber is located in a receiving region of the mount arrangement. The plurality of mounting contacts are positioned around the receiving region. The mounting contacts are distributed around the receiving region, the distribution of the mounting contacts corresponding to a distribution of features of the microstructure of the hollow-core fiber. The mounted hollow core fiber can be used in a radiation source apparatus for providing broadband radiation.

Abstract: An extraction body for a support apparatus of a lithographic apparatus. The support apparatus is configured to support an object. The extraction body is formed with an opening at a surface thereof. The opening extends within the extraction body forming a first passageway. The first passageway is configured to fluidly communicate an extraction channel in the extraction body to liquid between the surface and the object. A first pressure in the extraction channel is less than ambient pressure. At least a part of the first passageway is sized and dimensioned such that when the liquid enters the first passageway via the opening, a second pressure in the first passageway associated with surface tension of the liquid is lower than the first pressure such that at least a portion of the liquid is retained in the first passageway.

Abstract: A patterning device configured for use in a lithographic apparatus, the lithographic apparatus being configured to use radiation for imaging a pattern at the patterning device via projection optics onto a substrate. The patterning device including a first component for reflecting and/or transmitting the radiation, and a second component covering at least a portion of a surface of the first component and configured to at least partially absorb the radiation incident on the second component. The second component has a sidewall, wherein at least one part of the sidewall extends away from the first component at an angle, the angle being with respect to a plane parallel to the surface of the first component, and wherein the angle is less than 85 degrees.

Abstract: An illumination adjustment apparatus, to adjust a cross slot illumination of a beam in a lithographic apparatus, includes a plurality of fingers to adjust the cross slot illumination to conform to a selected intensity profile. Each finger has a distal edge that includes at least two segments. The two segments form an indentation of the distal edge.

Abstract: A multi-beam inspection apparatus including an improved source conversion unit is disclosed. The improved source conversion unit may comprise a micro-structure deflector array including a plurality of multipole structures. The micro-deflector deflector array may comprise a first multipole structure having a first radial shift from a central axis of the array and a second multipole structure having a second radial shift from the central axis of the array. The first radial shift is larger than the second radial shift, and the first multipole structure comprises a greater number of pole electrodes than the second multipole structure to reduce deflection aberrations when the plurality of multipole structures deflects a plurality of charged particle beams.

Abstract: The invention provides an object positioner comprising:—an object support having an object support surface which is configured to engage at least a part of an object, said object support surface having a support surface temperature,—a thermal device, which thermal device is configured to provide at least a part of the object with a first object temperature, which first object temperature differs from the support surface temperature by a first predetermined temperature difference.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a patterned layer of material are disclosed. In one arrangement, a selected portion of a surface of a substrate is irradiated during a deposition process, the irradiation being such as to locally drive the deposition process in the selected portion to form a layer of deposited material in a pattern defined by the selected portion. The deposited material is annealed to modify the deposited material.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising includes an object table which carries an object. The lithographic apparatus may further comprise at least one include a sensor as part of a measurement system to measure a characteristic of the object table, the environment surrounding the lithographic apparatus or another component of the lithographic apparatus. The measured characteristic may be used to estimate the a deformation of the an object due to a varying loads load during operation of the lithographic apparatus, for example a varying loads load induced by a two-phase flow in a channel formed within of the object table. Additionally, or alternatively, the The lithographic apparatus comprises may include a predictor to estimate the deformation of the object based on a model. The positioning of the object table carrying the object can be controlled based on the estimated deformation.