Abstract: A lithography apparatus has a plurality of processing units configured to respectively perform patternings on a plurality of substrates that belong to a lot, and a controller configured to perform, based on specific information that specifies one of the plurality of substrates, determination of one of the plurality of processing units that processes the one of the plurality of substrates, and control the plurality of processing units such that the patternings are performed on the plurality of substrates respectively with the plurality of processing units in parallel based on recipe information corresponding to the lot.

Abstract: A microlithography projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens at least one manipulator to change an optical effect of at least one optical element of the projection lens, and a travel establishing device for generating a travel command for the at least one manipulator.

Abstract: A surface position detection apparatus capable of highly precisely detecting the surface position of a surface to be detected without substantially being affected by relative positional displacement due to a polarization component occurring in a light flux having passed through a reflective surface. In the apparatus, a projection system has a projection side prism member having first reflective surfaces, and a light receiving system has a light receiving prism member having second reflective surfaces arranged in correspondence with the projection side prism member. The surface position detection apparatus further has a member for compensating relative positional displacement due to a polarization component of a light flux having passed through the first and second reflective surfaces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for position control of a component relative to a surface is disclosed. The method may include calculating an estimated effect of, or derived from, Casimir force acting between the component and the surface, and compensating positioning of the component relative to the surface using the estimated effect.

Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus is disclosed. It includes a projection system having a final element and a liquid immersion member that in turn includes a first member, which surrounds the final element and has a liquid supply port and a liquid suction port, and a second member, which is movable with respect to the first member and has a lower part under which a portion of a liquid immersion space is formed. During exposure of a plurality of shot regions of a substrate, the immersion space covers a portion of a surface of the substrate, and the first shot region is exposed while moving the substrate in a first scanning direction. After the exposure of the first shot region, the second shot region is exposed while moving the substrate in a second scanning direction.

Abstract: In a substrate stage, when a Y coarse movement stage moves in the Y-axis direction, an X coarse movement stage, a weight cancellation device, and an X guide move integrally in the Y-axis direction with the Y coarse movement stage, and when the X coarse movement stage moves in the X-axis direction on the Y coarse movement stage, the weight cancellation device move on the X guide in the X-axis direction integrally with the X coarse movement stage. Because the X guide is provided extending in the X-axis direction while covering the movement range of the weight cancellation device in the X-axis direction, the weight cancellation device is constantly supported by the X guide, regardless of its position. Accordingly, a substrate can be guided along the XY plane with good accuracy.

Abstract: An illumination optical assembly for projection lithography serves for illuminating an illumination field, in which an object field of a downstream imaging optical assembly is arrangeable, with illumination light of an EUV light source. The illumination optical assembly has a pupil illumination unit, on which the illumination light impinges and which includes facets for illuminating a pupil in the illumination beam path with the illumination light with a predefined pupil intensity distribution. The pupil illumination unit is embodied such that a plurality of illumination channels of the pupil illumination unit illuminate only a part of the entire object field. This results in an illumination optical assembly in which an excessively high illumination intensity on the facets of the pupil illumination unit can be reduced.

Abstract: An illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography serves for illuminating an illumination field in which an object field of a downstream imaging optical unit is arranged. An object displaceable in an object displacement direction is in turn arrangeable in the object field. A facet mirror of the illumination optical unit has a plurality of facets arranged alongside one another and serving for the reflective, superimposing guidance of partial beams of a beam of EUV illumination light to the object field. The facet mirror is arranged such that a position of the respective facet on the facet mirror and an impingement region of an illumination light partial beam on the respective facet of the facet mirror predefine an illumination direction for the field points of the object field.

Abstract: A movement area of a stage includes first-fifth areas. In the first area, three of four heads except for a first head respectively face three of four sections of a scale member except for a first section. In the second area, three of four heads except for a second head respectively face three of four sections except for a second section of the scale member. In the third area, three of four heads except for a third head respectively face three of four sections except for a third section of the scale member. In the fourth area, three of four heads except for a fourth head respectively face three of four sections of the scale member. In the fifth area, the four heads respectively face the four sections. During exposure, the stage is moved from one of the first-fourth areas to another of those areas via the fifth area.

Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes: a projection lens for imaging mask structures via an exposure radiation including at least one optical element and at least one manipulator; a read-in device for reading in application-specific structure information defining at least one property of an angular distribution of the exposure radiation upon entering the projection lens; and a travel establishing device for establishing a travel command defining a change to be made in an optical effect of the at least one optical element by manipulation of a property of the optical element via the at least one manipulator along a travel. The travel establishing device is configured to establish the travel command in an at least two-stage optimization.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including: a first object, a second object which is moveable relative to the first object in a moving direction, a set of cables and/or tubing arranged between the first object and the second object, a guiding drum to guide the set of cables and/or tubing, the guiding drum being rotatable about a rotation axis extending perpendicular to the moving direction, a drum positioning device to position the guiding drum such that it follows movement of the set of cables and/or tubing caused by movement of the second object relative to the first object and a guiding structure to guide movement of the guiding drum in the moving direction.

Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a light source operated in a pulsed fashion and an array of optical elements which are digitally switchable between two switching positions. The array may be produced using MEMS technology.

Abstract: A porous member is used in a liquid removal system of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus to smooth uneven flows. A pressure differential across the porous member may be maintained at below the bubble point of the porous member so that a single-phase liquid flow is obtained. Alternatively, the porous member may be used to reduce unevenness in a two-phase flow.

Abstract: An illumination optical unit for projection lithography serves for illuminating an object field. A first transmission optical unit serves to guide illumination light emanating from a light source. An illumination-predetermining facet mirror is disposed downstream of the first transmission optical unit and comprises a multiplicity of illumination-predetermining facets. The facet mirror generates a predetermined illumination of the object field via an arrangement of illuminated illumination-predetermining facets. This results in an illumination of an illumination pupil of the illumination optical unit, which predetermines an illumination angle distribution in the object field. The illumination pupil has an envelope deviating from a circular form. The illumination pupil is subdivided into sub-pupil regions, which are present arranged in a line-by-line and/or column-by-column manner.

Abstract: A micromirror array has the form of a sheared rectangle. In an arrangement in an illumination optical unit, one side is aligned perpendicular to a scanning direction.

Abstract: An optical projection unit includes first and second optical element modules. The first optical element module includes a first housing unit and a first optical element received within the first housing unit and having an optically used first region defining a first optical axis. The second optical element module is located adjacent to the first optical element module and includes a second optical element which defines a second optical axis of the optical projection unit. The first housing unit has a central first housing axis and an outer wall extending in a circumferential direction about the first housing axis. The first optical axis is laterally offset and/or inclined with respect to the first housing axis. The first housing axis is substantially collinear with the second optical axis.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a first outlet to provide a thermally conditioned fluid with a first flow characteristic to at least part of a sensor beam path, and a second outlet associated with the first outlet and to provide a thermally conditioned fluid with a second flow characteristic, different to the first flow characteristic, adjacent the thermally conditioned fluid from the first outlet.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus including an optical system to provide illumination radiation into a spot on a periodic structure and to receive radiation redirected by the periodic structure, the optical system including a first stop to block zero order radiation from the periodic structure and allow non-zero order radiation to pass, and a second stop to block zero order radiation passing the first stop and to allow the non-zero order radiation to pass, and a radiation detector, downstream of the optical system, to receive the non-zero order radiation.

Abstract: Optical modules used in exposure processes, in particular to optical modules of microlithography systems, are disclosed. Methods for deforming an optical element of an optical module as well as to optical imaging arrangements, optical imaging of methods and a method of manufacturing an optical element, are also disclosed. The disclosed technology may be used in the context of photolithography processes for fabricating microelectronic devices, in particular semiconductor devices, or in the context of fabricating devices, such as masks or reticles, used during such photolithography processes.

Abstract: An immersion-type exposure apparatus includes a measurement area for measuring a substrate, an exposure area, which differs from the measurement area, for exposing the substrate via a projection optical system, plural stages configured to hold the substrate and to be movable between the exposure area and the measurement area, and a controller configured to control the driving of the plural stages, wherein in a case that one stage of the plural stage is positioned in the exposure area, and immersion liquid that is supplied onto the one stage is retained in exposure area and delivered to another stage, the controller is configured to determine a delivery position of the immersion liquid for the other stage based on at least a first processing position of the other stage.