Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid immersion type exposure apparatus specifically arranged to maintain a liquid film between an exposure substrate and a terminal end portion of a projection optical system. In one preferred form, the liquid immersion type exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a mask onto a substrate, a liquid film forming system for forming a liquid film in a predetermined region between the projection optical system and the substrate, and a sensor for detecting disappearance of at least a portion of the liquid film in the predetermined region.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus contains a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system contains one or more optically active mirrors and heat shields located to intercept heat radiation to or from the mirrors and/or their support. The heat shields are actively cooled and the mirrors and the heat shields and the mirrors are supported separately on a support frame to reduce vibration of the mirrors due to active cooling. The heat shields may include heat shields that intercept heat radiation to or from the support and/or respective heat shields for individual mirrors that intercept heat radiation to or from the mirrors.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatus providing a patterned beam of radiation in which radiation that is linearly polarized in a first direction has a first pattern and radiation that is linearly polarized in an orthogonal direction has a second pattern.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical system having a first optical element, for directing light from a light source to a member to be exposed. The first optical element serves to separate first and second spaces inside the optical system, and the first optical element has a first notch formed at an end portion outside an effective light flux of light from the light source.

Abstract: A cleaning system for removing contamination from at least a part of a surface of a component in a lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The cleaning system includes an electric field generator that generates an electric field to provide cleaning particles near the surface of the component.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for microlithographic projection exposure at high aperture achieve a contrast increase by the polarization of the light perpendicular to the plane of incidence on the resist. Arrangements are provided which influence the tangential polarization or the linear polarization adapted to the dipole illumination in the illuminating system and in the reduction objective.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a radiation system for providing a beam of radiation and a substrate holder for supporting a substrate to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation. The substrate holder includes a plurality of first protrusions, the distal ends thereof defining a first contact surface for contacting the substrate, and a plurality of second protrusions, the distal ends thereof defining a second contact surface for supporting the substrate. The second protrusions are arranged for preventing sticking of the substrate to the first contact surface during release of a clamping pressure so that (1) the substrate contacts the first and second contact surfaces when the substrate is clamped against the substrate holder, and (2) the substrate is supported by the second contact surface and distanced from the first contact surface when the substrate is not clamped.

Abstract: A supporting structure for supporting an optical element includes a first supporting member for supporting the optical element, and a second supporting member for supporting the first supporting member. The value of a thermal expansion coefficient of the first supporting member is between those of the optical element and the second supporting member.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to light from a light source via a reticle. The exposure apparatus includes an optical system configured to expose the substrate to light from the light source via the reticle, and has a first optical element, a motor configured to move the first optical element, a first housing accommodating at least the first optical element and the motor, a second housing accommodated in the first housing, accommodating at least a part of the motor, and configured to isolate the part of the motor from the first optical element, a first exhaust system configured to exhaust a first space between the first housing and the second housing, and a second exhaust system configured to exhaust a second space in the second housing.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support structure adapted to clamp an object. The support structure and the object clamped thereon define a compartment. The supply structure is connected to the compartment and supplies a fluid to the compartment. The supply structure includes a meter to measure a change in at least one of flow velocity of the fluid and pressure of the fluid.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illumination system for providing a beam of radiation used to irradiate a patterning device, and a first support that supports the patterning device. The patterning device capable of patterning the beam of radiation. The apparatus also includes a second support that supports a substrate, a projection system for projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, and a projection system positioning module that controls at least one of a position and an orientation of the projection system based on at least one of a velocity and an acceleration of the projection system.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illuminator for conditioning a beam of radiation, and an article holder. The article holder includes a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation, and at least one clamping electrode for generating an electrostatic clamping force for clamping the article against the article holder. The clamping electrode includes an electric field changer for locally changing the electrostatic clamping force for leveling local height variations of the substrate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pixel arrangement may be configured for a maskless lithography application using at least two array tiles, where each array tile includes a two-dimensional array with substantially equally-spaced pixels. A preferred embodiment includes two 500×1000 pixel array tiles separated by a displacement in a first direction and by another displacement in a second direction. In this embodiment, the scanning direction is between the first and second directions so as to form a continuous swath. Additionally, embodiments of this invention can be applied to applications where array tiles of optical modulators are used to modulate electron beams which can subsequently expose electron beam sensitive media.

Abstract: An exposure method for exposing a pattern on a reticle onto plural shots on an object, includes the steps of measuring flatness information of each of the plural shots on the object, identifying a shot as a specific shot among the plural shots, the specific shot having flatness that is measured in the measuring step and outside a predetermined range, obtaining positional information by measuring plural measurement points on the object, the obtaining step obtaining more detailed positional information of the specific shot identified by the identifying step than that of a non-specific shot that is not the specific shot, and controlling at least one of a position and a tilt of the object using the positional information obtained by the obtaining step.

Abstract: A light source and a substrate are placed above and below a mask having a mask pattern thereon, respectively. Relative to the mask, the light source is moved in a first direction at a first speed, and the substrate is moved in a second direction at a second speed. The light of the light source transfers the mask pattern to a photoresist layer on the substrate, and forms a photoresist pattern thereof.

Abstract: A zero power identical pair of oppositely-oriented meniscus lens elements mounted in the projection light path, serves as curved mask support while compensating for optical anomalies such as beam shift and beam deviations produced by other transparent supports for the curved mask. The zero-power meniscus lens pair, without affecting the transmission beam characteristics, lets the beam diffract as efficiently as does a regular planar mask, thus preserving the partial coherence effects and resolution concepts of projection lithography. This simple but novel optics device is not only expected to clear several barriers for curved mask projection lithography but also find place in other applications where collimated or converging light beams have to travel extra paths without significant aberration.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including an illumination system for providing a beam of radiation and a support structure for supporting a patterning device. The patterning device serving to impart the beam with a pattern in its cross-section. The apparatus also having a substrate table for holding a substrate and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The lithographic apparatus further having a chuck for supporting an object and a frame which supports the chuck with respect to other parts of the lithographic apparatus. The chuck is thermally isolated from at least the frame.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a radiation system constructed and arranged to supply a projection beam of radiation, a support structure constructed and arranged to support a patterning structure, the patterning structure constructed and arranged to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern, a substrate support constructed and arranged to support a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The apparatus further includes a gas flushing system comprising radial gas flow outlets, said gas flushing system being constructed and arranged to generate a radial gas flow through said radial gas flow outlets in an intermediate space defined between said gas flushing system and said substrate, wherein the radial gas flow has a radial velocity directed outwards in said space with a magnitude larger than zero at every location in said space.

Abstract: A substrate holding device includes a base member capable of removably holding a plate having a contact member to come into contact with a substrate, and a sensor that identifies an identification sign provided on the plate.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a mask pattern onto an object by using a light with wavelength of approximately 11 nm, said exposure apparatus including a projection optical system that includes a reflection-type optical element that has a multilayer film including a Be layer, and a reflection-type mask including a multilayer film that includes a first layer that has a first refractive index, and a second layer that has a second refractive index that has a real part that is larger than a real part of the first refractive index, said reflection-type mask includes the mask pattern, wherein said the first layer includes a beryllium, chrome, cobalt, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, or tungsten, wherein said the second layer includes a lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, silicon, aluminum, titanium, scandium, iron, germanium, lanthanum, magnesium, tungsten, strontium, yttrium, or zirconium.