Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus and device manufacturing method is disclosed in which a space between a projection system and an object on a substrate table, is at least partly filled with a liquid. A sensor is positioned to be illuminated by a beam of radiation once it has passed through the liquid. An edge seal member may be provided to at least partly surround an edge of the sensor and to provide a primary surface facing the projection system substantially co-planar with a primary surface of the sensor.

Abstract: A substrate stage is provided with an immersion liquid collection member that surrounds at least an alignment feature of the substrate stage used to align the substrate on the stage by engaging alignment structure of the substrate. The collection member is located at least partly below the periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holding member of the substrate stage. The collection member has an uppermost liquid-receiving surface that preferably is spaced below a lowermost surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the substrate holding member. The collection member collects liquid that flows along the alignment feature so as to prevent that immersion liquid from flowing along the under-surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a level sensor configured to determine a height level of a surface of a substrate, comprising a detection unit arranged to receive a measurement beam after reflection on the substrate, wherein the detection unit comprises an array of detection elements, wherein each detection element is arranged to receive a part of the measurement beam reflected on a measurement subarea of the measurement area, and is configured to provide a measurement signal based on the part of the measurement beam received by the respective detection element, and wherein the processing unit is configured to calculate, in dependence of a selected resolution at the measurement subarea, a height level of the measurement subarea, or to calculate a height level of a combination of multiple measurement subareas.

Abstract: A table for a lithographic apparatus, the table having an encoder plate located on the table, a gap between the encoder plate and a top surface of the table, the gap located radially inward of the encoder plate relative to the periphery of the table, and a fluid extraction system with an opening in the surface of the gap to extract liquid from the gap.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of clamping a substrate on a surface of a substrate support structure. First, a liquid is applied on a surface of the substrate support structure. The surface is provided with a plurality of contact elements. The liquid is applied such that the contact elements are fully covered by a liquid layer. Then the substrate is provided and placed onto the liquid layer. Finally, liquid underneath the substrate is removed such that the substrate rests on the plurality of contact elements and is clamped by means of a capillary clamping force exerted by a capillary layer of the liquid between the substrate and the surface of the substrate support structure.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate with an energy beam via a mask, and includes a substrate stage system that drives a movable body holding the substrate to move the substrate. A measurement system has an encoder system that irradiates a grating section with a beam and measures positional information of the movable body, and an interferometer system that measures positional information of the movable body. A control system controls a movement of the movable body based on measurement information of the measurement system. The positional information used for movement control of the movable body can be switched from the positional information of one of the encoder system and the interferometer system to the positional information of the other.

Abstract: In an exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with an energy beam via a projection optical system, a substrate stage system has a movable body that holds the substrate and is driven to move the substrate. An encoder system measures positional information of the movable body by irradiating each of four areas of a grating section with a beam via each of four heads. A controller controls driving of the movable body based on the positional information measured by the encoder system. As the movable body moves, a relationship between the grating section and the heads changes between a first state, in which the four heads respectively face the four areas, and a second state, in which only three of the heads respectively face three areas of the four areas. At least three areas of the four areas are always faced by three of the heads at least during substrate exposure.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. The lithographic apparatus includes an acoustical sensor to measure a first acoustic vibration in a sensor measurement area in the lithographic apparatus. An actuator is provided to generate a second acoustic vibration in at least an area of the lithographic apparatus. Further, a control device is provided having a sensor input to receive a sensor signal of the acoustical sensor and an actuator output to provide an actuator drive signal to the actuator. The control device is arranged to drive the actuator so as to let the second acoustic vibration at least partly compensate in the area the first acoustic vibration.

Abstract: In an exposure method of exposing a substrate with an energy beam via a projection optical system, a movable body that holds the substrate is driven to move the substrate. Positional information of the movable body is measured with an encoder system by irradiating each of four areas of a grating section with a beam via each of four heads. Driving of the movable body is controlled based on the positional information measured by the encoder system. As the movable body moves, a relationship between the grating section and the heads changes between a first state, in which the four heads respectively face the four areas, and a second state, in which only three of the heads respectively face three areas of the four areas. At least three areas of the four areas are always faced by three of the heads at least during substrate exposure.

Abstract: A support structure for positioning an exchangeable object in a lithographic apparatus. The support structure has a chuck to support and clamp the object and an actuating structure. The actuating structure may have a first actuating structure (e.g., spring) and a second actuating structure (e.g., linear actuator). The first actuating structure is moveable relative to the chuck and is configured to move the second actuating structure between a first position in contact with a side of the object and a second position out of contact with the side of the object. The second actuating structure is configured to move at least a portion thereof relative to the first actuating structure between a first position in contact with the side of the object and a second position out of contact with the side of the object and to apply a pushing force to the side of the object.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an arrangement for an optical device including a component of the optical device and a support structure supporting the component. The support structure includes at least one locking device connected to the component and including a first fixation device and an associated second fixation device. The first fixation device and the second fixation device are adapted to be, in a movable state, movable with respect to each other along a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom into a final position. The first fixation device and the second fixation device are further adapted to be, in a locked state, fixed in the final position by at least one locking device contacting the first fixation device and the second fixation device.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing an illumination source to print a desired pattern of features dividing a light source into pixels and determining an optimum intensity for each pixel such that when the pixels are simultaneously illuminated, the error in a printed pattern of features is minimized. In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a pattern of layout features by determining one or more periodic patterns of features that occurs in the layout database, defining a mathematical relationship between pixel intensities produced by a diffractive optical element and the selected pattern of features, where the mathematical relationship includes a heavier weighting for the periodic patterns of features, and assigning pixel intensities for the diffractive optical element using the mathematical relationship, where the pixel intensities are calculated to print the periodic features with greater image fidelity in proportion to the heavier weighting.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The illumination system includes a mirror arrangement which has a plurality of mirror units and at least one element arranged in front of the mirror arrangement in the light propagation direction to produce at least two different states of polarization incident on different mirror units. The mirror units are displaceable independently of each other for altering an angle distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement.

Abstract: An exposure method that uses a substrate (M) held by a holding member (28) to perform exposure processing, comprising a holding process, which holds a prescribed region (AR3) of the substrate as the holding region by means of the holding member, and a deformation process, which selectively deforms one side of the holding region of the substrate held by the holding process with respect to the other side. According to the present invention, a prescribed region of the substrate is held as a holding region by means of a holding member, and one side of the holding region of said held substrate is selectively deformed with respect to the other side, so it is possible to selectively eliminate the nonlinear deformation components attributable to holding of the substrate with respect to one side from among the two sides of the substrate using the holding region as a reference.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus comprises: a substrate stage movable from a first position to a second position; a conveyance arm movable from a third position to the second position; an elevating member transferring the substrate to the arm at the second position; and a controller. The controller judges whether the stage reaches a fourth position that shifts to a front side from the second position by a predetermined interval for avoiding a collision between the substrate and the arm and a collision between the elevating member and the substrate when the elevating operation ends. If the controller judges that the stage does not reach the fourth position, the controller controls the movements of the stage and the arm, and the elevation of the elevating member so that the arm starts to move toward the second position before the end of the elevating operation.

Abstract: A method of photolithography including coupling a first aperture to a lithography system, then performing a first illumination process to form a first pattern on a layer of a substrate using the first aperture, thereafter coupling a second aperture to the lithography system, and performing a second illumination process to form a second pattern on the layer of the substrate using the second aperture. The first aperture includes a first pair and a second pair of radiation-transmitting regions. The second aperture includes a second plate having a third pair and a fourth pair of radiation-transmitting regions.

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 lithographic apparatus configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate held on a substrate holder in an indent on a substrate table, the apparatus includes a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between a projection system and the substrate with liquid; a barrier structure configured to substantially contain the liquid within the space; and a heat pipe supplied, in use, with a temperature conditioned fluid and configured to thermally condition the substrate and/or the substrate holder at locations where localized cooling is likely to occur.

Abstract: A peripheral exposure method for performing an exposure treatment by illuminating light to a periphery of a resist film formed on a substrate to be processed is discussed. The method includes rotating the substrate to be processed on a horizontal plane, bringing a coolant gas into contact with the periphery of the resist film of the substrate to be processed which is being rotated, and cooling the substrate to be processed. Further, the method also includes measuring a temperature of the substrate to be processed, wherein when the temperature of the substrate to be processed is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature, the exposure treatment is performed.

Abstract: On the +X and ?X sides of a projection unit, a plurality of Z heads are arranged in parallel to the X-axis, by a predetermined distance half or less than half the effective width of the Y scale so that two Z heads each constantly form a pair and face a pair of Y scales. Of the pair of heads consisting of two Z heads which simultaneously face the scale, measurement values of a priority head is used, and when abnormality occurs in the measurement values of the priority head due to malfunction of the head, measurement values of the other head is used, and the positional information of the stage in at least the Z-axis direction can be measured in a stable manner and with high precision.