Abstract: A vibration isolation system including a support, a forward actuator and a return device. The support is for supporting the body on a base. The support has a body engaging surface and a base engaging surface. The base engaging surface is arranged to couple to the base. The support couples the body engaging surface to the body in a coupled state. The support uncouples the body engaging surface from the body in an uncoupled state. The forward actuator moves the body and the body engaging surface together relatively to the base in a first direction from a first initial position to an end position in the coupled state. The return device is configured to move the body engaging surface relatively to the body opposite to the first direction from the end position to a second initial position in the uncoupled state.

Abstract: Methods for training a process model and determining ranking of simulated patterns (e.g., corresponding to hot spots). A method involves obtaining a training data set including: (i) a simulated pattern associated with a mask pattern to be printed on a substrate, (ii) inspection data of a printed pattern imaged on the substrate using the mask pattern, and (iii) measured values of a parameter of the patterning process applied during imaging of the mask pattern on the substrate; and training a machine learning model for the patterning process based on the training data set to predict a difference in a characteristic of the simulated pattern and the printed pattern. The trained machine learning model can be used for determining a ranking of hot spots. In another method a model is trained based on measurement data to predict ranking of the hot spots.

Abstract: The invention provides a stage apparatus comprising an object support, a plurality of support members, a gripper and a control unit. The object support comprises a surface for mounting an object on, the surface extending in a plane. The plurality of support members are for supporting the object, and are arranged to receive the object from a gripper and to arrange the object on the surface and/or vice versa. The support members are moveable in at least a first direction which is perpendicular to the plane. The control unit is arranged to receive shape information regarding an out-of-plane-shape of the object, and is arranged to control positions of the support members. The control unit is arranged to tilt the object while supported by the support members by controlling the positions so as to reduce a space consumption of the object in the first direction, based on the shape information.

Abstract: A method involving obtaining a simulation of a contour of a pattern to be formed on a substrate using a patterning process, determining a location of an evaluation point on the simulated contour of the pattern, the location spatially associated with a location of a corresponding evaluation point on a design layout for the pattern, and producing electronic information corresponding to a spatial bearing between the location of the evaluation point on the simulated contour and the location of the corresponding evaluation point on the design layout, wherein the information corresponding to the spatial bearing is configured for determining a location of an evaluation point on a measured image of at least part of the pattern, the evaluation point on the measured image spatially associated with the corresponding evaluation point on the design layout.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lithographic apparatus comprising: an actuation system for positioning an object; a control unit (CU) for controlling the actuation system; and a cooling system for cooling the actuation system, wherein the actuation system comprises a coil assembly (CA) including one or more coils (CO) as force generating members, wherein the cooling system comprises cooling element (CE) interacting with the coil assembly for cooling the coil assembly, and wherein the control unit is configured to control a temperature of the one or more coils to keep a magnitude of cyclic stress below a predetermined value.

Abstract: An inspection method for a substrate, the inspection method including: providing an electron beam having a first polarization state to a sample of the semiconductor substrate; detecting a first response signal of the sample caused by interaction of the electron beam having the first polarization state with the sample; providing an electron beam having a second polarization state to the sample of the semiconductor substrate; detecting a second response signal of the sample caused by interaction of the electron beam having the second polarization state with the sample; and determining a geometric or material property of the sample, based on the first response signal and the second response signal.

Abstract: An optical system delivers illuminating radiation and collects radiation after interaction with a target structure on a substrate. A measurement intensity profile is used to calculate a measurement of the property of the structure. The optical system may include a solid immersion lens. In a method, the optical system is controlled to obtain a first intensity profile using a first illumination profile and a second intensity profile using a second illumination profile. The profiles are used to derive a correction for mitigating the effect of, e.g., ghost reflections. Using, e.g., half-moon illumination profiles in different orientations, the method can measure ghost reflections even where a solid immersion lens would cause total internal reflection. The optical system may include a contaminant detection system to control a movement based on received scattered detection radiation. The optical system may include an optical component having a dielectric coating to enhance evanescent wave interaction.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method including: providing a stack including: at least one membrane layer supported by a planar substrate, wherein the planar substrate has an inner region and a border region around the inner region; and a first sacrificial layer between the planar substrate and the membrane layer; selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate such that the membrane assembly has: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer, and a border holding the membrane, the border having the border region of the planar substrate and the first sacrificial layer situated between the border region and the membrane layer, wherein the selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate includes using an etchant which has a similar etch rate for the membrane layer and its oxide and a substantially different etch rate for the first sacrificial layer.

Abstract: Measurements are obtained from locations across a substrate before or after performing a lithographic process step. Examples of such measurements include alignment measurements made prior to applying a pattern to the substrate, and measurements of a performance parameter such as overlay, after a pattern has been applied. A set of measurement locations is selected from among all possible measurement locations. At least a subset of the selected measurement locations are selected dynamically, in response to measurements obtained using a preliminary selection of measurement locations. Preliminary measurements of height can be used to select measurement locations for alignment. In another aspect, outlier measurements are detected based on supplementary data such as height measurements or historic data.

Abstract: A method of hot spot ranking for a patterning process. The method includes obtaining (i) a set of hot spots of a patterning process, (ii) measured values of one or more parameters of the patterning process corresponding to the set of hot spots, and (ii) simulated values of the one or more parameters of the patterning process corresponding to the set of hot spots; determining a measurement feedback based on the measured values and the simulated values of the one or more parameters of the patterning process; and determining, via simulation of a process model of the patterning process, a ranking of a hot spot within the set of hot spots based on the measurement feedback.

Abstract: A target for determining a performance parameter of a lithographic process, the target comprising a first sub-target formed by at least two overlapping gratings, wherein the underlying grating of the first sub-target has a first pitch and the top lying grating of the first sub-target has a second pitch, at least a second sub-target formed by at least two overlapping gratings, wherein the underlying grating of the second sub-target has a third pitch and the top lying grating of the second sub-target has a fourth pitch.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metrology device (1600) configured to produce measurement illumination comprising a plurality of illumination beams, each of said illumination beams being spatially incoherent or pseudo-spatially incoherent and comprising multiple pupil points in an illumination pupil of the metrology device. Each pupil point in each one of said plurality of illumination beams has a corresponding pupil point in at least one of the other illumination beams of said plurality of illumination beams thereby defining multiple sets of corresponding pupil points, and the pupil points of each set of corresponding pupil points are spatially coherent with respect to each other.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region of a lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure comprising an aperture formed therein for the passage therethrough of a radiation beam through the immersion fluid, the aperture defining an immersion space to be filled with the immersion fluid, and an inner part and an outer part; wherein the inner part and the outer part are arranged so as to form therebetween a variable space and a connecting space that connects the variable space to the immersion space, wherein the outer part is movable relative to the inner part in a first plane so as to change in shape the variable space but not the connecting space, and wherein the fluid handling structure is configured to contain the immersion fluid in the variable space.

Abstract: A system comprises a reflective optical element with a reflective surface that is configured to reflect a radiation beam. The reflective optical element also has a body. The system includes a thermal conditioning mechanism operative to thermally induce a deformation of the body under control of a controller. By means of controllably deforming the body, the shape of the reflective surface can be adjusted in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A metrology tool, an aplanatic singlet lens, and a method of designing an aplanatic singlet lens are provided. The metrology tool is for determining a characteristic of a structure on a substrate. The metrology tool comprises an optical detection system for detecting radiation over a wavelength range. The optical detection system comprises an aplanatic singlet lens for focusing the radiation on to a detector. The aplanatic singlet lens has a n aplanatic wavelength which is within the wavelength range.

Abstract: An apparatus including an illumination system to condition a radiation beam, a support to support a patterning device, the patterning device capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a control system configured to: receive pattern data characterizing a pattern distribution, receive radiation data characterizing the radiation beam, determine a dissipation distribution of the pattern based on the pattern data and the radiation data, determine deformation of the pattern by applying the dissipation distribution in a thermo-mechanical model of the patterning device, and determine a control signal to control a component of the apparatus based on the deformation of the pattern.

Abstract: A substrate holder for a lithographic apparatus has a main body having a thin-film stack provided on a surface thereof. The thin-film stack forms an electronic or electric component such as an electrode, a sensor, a heater, a transistor or a logic device, and has a top isolation layer. A plurality of burls to support a substrate are formed on the thin-film stack or in apertures of the thin-film stack.

Abstract: A pellicle having a metal oxysilicide layer. A pellicle having a molybdenum layer, a ruthenium layer and a silicon oxynitride layer, wherein the molybdenum layer is disposed between the ruthenium layer and the silicon oxynitride layer. A method of manufacturing a pellicle for a lithographic apparatus, the method including providing a metal oxysilicide layer. A lithographic assembly including a pellicle having a metal oxysilicide layer. The use of a pellicle having a metal oxysilicide layer in a lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: A radiation source includes: a hollow core optical fiber, a working medium; and a pulsed pump radiation source. The hollow core optical fiber has a body and has a hollow core. The working medium is disposed within the hollow core. The pulsed pump radiation source is arranged to produce pulsed pump radiation that is received by, and propagates through, the hollow core from an input end to an output end. One or more parameters of the pulsed pump radiation, the optical fiber and the working medium are configured to allow soliton self-compression of the pulsed pump radiation so as to change a spectrum of the pulsed pump radiation so as to form output radiation. In some embodiments, a length of the optical fiber is such that the output end substantially coincides with a position at which a temporal extent of the pulsed pump radiation is minimal.

Abstract: A defect pattern grouping method is disclosed. The defect pattern grouping method comprises obtaining a first polygon that represents a first defect from an image of a sample, comparing the first polygon with a set of one or more representative polygons of a defect-pattern collection, and grouping the first polygon with any one or more representative polygons identified based on the comparison.