Abstract: A method for training a deep learning model of a patterning process. The method includes obtaining (i) training data including an input image of at least a part of a substrate having a plurality of features and including a truth image, (ii) a set of classes, each class corresponding to a feature of the plurality of features of the substrate within the input image, and (iii) a deep learning model configured to receive the training data and the set of classes, generating a predicted image, by modeling and/or simulation with the deep learning model using the input image, assigning a class of the set of classes to a feature within the predicted image based on matching of the feature with a corresponding feature within the truth image, and generating, by modeling and/or simulation, a trained deep learning model by iteratively assigning weights using a loss function.

Abstract: An object holder for a lithographic apparatus has a main body having a surface. A plurality of burls to support an object is formed on the surface or in apertures of a thin-film stack. At least one of the burls is formed by laser-sintering. At least one of the burls formed by laser-sintering may be a repair of a damaged burl previously formed by laser-sintering or another method.

Abstract: A method for determining an overlapping process window (OPW) of an area of interest on a portion of a design layout for a device manufacturing process for imaging the portion onto a substrate, the method including: obtaining a plurality of features in the area of interest; obtaining a plurality of values of one or more processing parameters of the device manufacturing process; determining existence of defects, probability of the existence of defects, or both in imaging the plurality of features by the device manufacturing process under each of the plurality of values; and determining the OPW of the area of interest from the existence of defects, the probability of the existence of defects, or both.

Abstract: A method, system and program for determining a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes determining a contribution from a device out of a plurality of devices to a fingerprint of a parameter. The method includes obtaining parameter data and usage data, wherein the parameter data is based on measurements for multiple substrates having been processed by the plurality of devices, and the usage data indicates which of the devices out of the plurality of the devices were used in the processing of each substrate; and determining the contribution using the usage data and parameter data.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is described having a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and a substrate with liquid, a barrier member arranged to substantially contain the liquid within the space, and a heater.

Abstract: A method for providing a wear-resistant material on a body. A composite body that may be obtained by the method. The composite body may be a substrate holder or a reticle clamp for use in a lithographic apparatus. The method includes providing a body made of glass, ceramic or glass-ceramic; providing a wear-resistant material having a hardness of more than 20 GPa; and brazing or laser welding the wear-resistant material to the body.

Abstract: A laser focusing system (330) for use in an EUV radiation source is described, the laser focusing system comprising: •—a first curved mirror (330.1) configured to receive a laser beam from a beam delivery system (320) and generate a first reflected laser beam (316); •—a second curved mirror (330.2) configured to receive the first reflected laser beam (316) and generate a second reflected laser beam (317), wherein the laser focusing system (330) is configured to focus the second reflected laser beam (317) to a target location (340) in a vessel (350) of the EUV radiation source (360).

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a substrate table configured to support a substrate on a substrate supporting area and a heater and/or temperature sensor on a surface adjacent the substrate supporting area.

Abstract: An interferometer system including: an optical system arranged to split a radiation beam from a laser source into a first beam along a first optical path and a second beam along a second optical path, and recombine the first beam and the second beam to a recombined beam, a detector to receive the recombined beam and to provide a detector signal based on the received recombined beam, and a processing unit, wherein a first optical path length of the first optical path and a second optical path length of the second optical path have an optical path length difference, and wherein the processing unit is arranged to determine a mode hop of the laser source on the basis of a phase shift in the detector signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) optics (e.g., one or more mirrors of a VUV) of a substrate inspection system is disclosed. The cleaning system ionizes or disassociates hydrogen gas in a VUV optics environment to generate hydrogen radicals (e.g., H*) or ions (e.g., H+, H2+, H3+, which remove water or hydrocarbons from the surface of the one or more mirrors. The one or more VUV mirrors may include a reflective material, such as aluminum. The one or more VUV mirrors may have a protective coating to protect the reflective material from any detrimental reaction to the hydrogen radicals or ions. The protective coating may include a noble metal.

Abstract: A hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) assembly for converting input radiation to broadband radiation, the hollow core fiber assembly including: a micro-structured fiber with a hollow core extending along a length of the fiber from an input end configured to receive input radiation to an output end configured to output broadband radiation, wherein the hollow core of the fiber is configured to include a medium; and a density control system configured to control a density profile of the medium along at least a part of the length of the fiber to establish a desired zero dispersion wavelength profile along at least a part of the length of the fiber.

Abstract: A device manufacturing method using a lithographic apparatus having a localized immersion system for confining an immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a substrate to be exposed by the projection system, the method including: predicting a set of first locations on the substrate having a risk of residual liquid from the immersion system when exposed using an initial route for a substrate to expose a plurality of fields thereon; determining a set of modifications to the initial route to reduce the risk of residual loss; test exposing at least one test substrate using the initial route; obtaining a set of second locations of defects in the exposed test substrate; selecting a subset of the set of modifications by comparing the first locations and the second locations; and exposing a plurality of production substrates using the initial route modified by the selected subset of modifications.

Abstract: A method for determining a preferred control strategy relating to control of a manufacturing process for manufacturing an integrated circuit. The method includes: obtaining process data associated with a design of said integrated circuit; and obtaining a plurality of candidate control strategies configured to control the manufacturing process based on the process data, each candidate control strategy including an associated cost metric based on an associated requirement to implement the candidate control strategy. A quality metric related to an expected performance of the manufacturing process is determined for each candidate control strategies, and a preferred control strategy is selected based on the determined quality metrics and associated cost metrics for each candidate control strategy.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table to follow an exposure route and to control a liquid confinement structure, the controller configured to: predict whether liquid will be lost from an immersion space during at least one motion of the route in which an edge of the object passes under an edge of the immersion space, and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify the fluid flow such that a first fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a leading edge of the liquid confinement structure is different to a second fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a trailing edge of the liquid confinement structure during the motion of predicted liquid loss or a motion of the route subsequent to the motion of predicted liquid loss.

Abstract: A model-based tuning method for tuning a first lithography system utilizing a reference lithography system, each of which has tunable parameters for controlling imaging performance. The method includes the steps of defining a test pattern and an imaging model; imaging the test pattern utilizing the reference lithography system and measuring the imaging results; imaging the test pattern utilizing the first lithography system and measuring the imaging results; calibrating the imaging model utilizing the imaging results corresponding to the reference lithography system, where the calibrated imaging model has a first set of parameter values; tuning the calibrated imaging model utilizing the imaging results corresponding to the first lithography system, where the tuned calibrated model has a second set of parameter values; and adjusting the parameters of the first lithography system based on a difference between the first set of parameter values and the second set of parameter values.

Abstract: A method of aligning a substrate within an apparatus. The method includes determining a substrate grid based on measurements of a plurality of targets, each at different locations on a substrate. The determining includes repetitions of updating the substrate grid after each measurement of a target, and using the updated grid to align a measurement of a subsequent target.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system to produce a beam of radiation, a support to support a patterning device to impart a pattern on the beam, a projection system to project the patterned beam onto a substrate, and a metrology system that includes a radiation source to generate radiation, an optical element to direct the radiation toward a target, a detector to receive a first and second radiation scattered by the target and produce a first and second measurement respectively based on the received first and second radiation, and a controller. The controller determines a correction for the first measurement, an error between the correction for the first measurement and the first measurement, and a correction for the second measurement based on the correction for the first measurement, the second measurement, and the error. The lithographic apparatus uses the correction to adjust a position of a substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed.

Abstract: An object table configured to hold an object on a holding surface, the object table including: a main body; a plurality of burls extending from the main body, end surfaces of the burls defining the holding surface; an actuator assembly; and a further actuator assembly, wherein the actuator assembly is configured to deform the main body to generate a long stroke out-of-plane deformation of the holding surface based on shape information of the object that is to be held and the further actuator assembly is configured to generate a short stroke out-of-plane deformation of the holding surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to an object positioning system including: an actuator system and a measurement system. The actuator system comprises an actuator made of a material with predominantly electrostrictive properties and substantially no net polarization in absence of an electric field. The actuator system is configured to apply an electric field to the actuator, which electric field comprises a bias electric field and an actuation electric field superimposed on the bias electric field, a field strength of said actuation electric field being equal to or smaller than a field strength of the bias electric field. The measurement system is configured to measure an electrical property of the actuator which is representative for a mechanical state of the actuator. The measurement system comprises a bridge circuit including an actuator and a reference element having electrical properties matched to the electrical properties of the actuator.