Abstract: An optical method for determining an orientation of surface texture of a mechanical part includes: i) acquiring data for a first areal surface topography image using a surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first image corresponds to a first field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument; ii) rotating the mechanical part with respect to a rotation axis provided by a rotatable mount used to secure the mechanical part to provide a second field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first and second fields of view overlap to provide image information about a common region of the mechanical part; iii) acquiring data for a second areal surface topography image using the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the second image corresponds to the second field of view; and iv) processing the data from the images.

Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection apparatus includes a spatial light modulator having a modulation surface including a plurality of micromirrors. Each micromirror includes a mirror surface having an orientation that can be changed individually for each micromirror. For at least one of the micromirrors, at least one parameter that is related to the mirror surface is measured. The orientation of the mirror surfaces is controlled depending on the at least one measured parameter. A light pattern is produced on the modulation surface, and an image of the light pattern is formed on an optical integrator that has a plurality of light entrance facets. Images of the light entrance facets are superimposed on a mask.

Abstract: A vessel having a seal that is protected from the liquid material within the vessel by a volume of gas. The vessel has a partition that divides the vessel into two volume spaces such that the seal that is in gaseous communication with the first volume space is protected from the liquid material in the second volume space by a volume of gas in the first volume space.

Abstract: A positioning system including: a first body; a second body; and an actuator arranged between the first body and the second body to position the first body relative to the second body, wherein the actuator includes a first piezoelectric actuator and a second piezoelectric actuator arranged in series, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator has a first hysteresis, wherein the second piezoelectric actuator has a second hysteresis smaller than the first hysteresis, and wherein the second piezoelectric actuator has a positioning range at least equal to the first hysteresis.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.

Abstract: A method to improve a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of the lithographic process; and reconfiguring one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied; wherein a bandwidth of a radiation source of the lithographic apparatus is allowed to change during the reconfiguration.

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: Implementations described herein relate to apparatus for post exposure processing. More specifically, implementations described herein relate to field-guided post exposure process chambers and cool down/development chambers used on process platforms. In one implementation, a plurality of post exposure process chamber and cool/down development chamber pairs are positioned on a process platform in a stacked arrangement and utilize a shared plumbing module. In another implementation, a plurality of post exposure process chamber and cool down/development chambers are positioned on a process platform in a linear arrangement and each of the chambers utilize an individually dedicated plumbing module.

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. The stage is moved from one of the first-fourth areas to another of those areas via the fifth area.

Abstract: A control system configured to control a parameter of a dynamic system, wherein the parameter depends on an output signal. The control system comprises a set-point generator and a feedforward, wherein the set-point generator is arranged to provide a set-point signal to the feedforward. The feedforward is arranged to provide the output signal based on the set-point signal, wherein the feedforward is arranged to perform a non-linear operation on the set-point signal. The non-linear operation is based on a non-linear functional relationship between the output signal and the parameter.

Abstract: A method involving measuring a first metrology target designed for a first range of values of a process parameter; measuring a second metrology target designed for a second range of values of the same process parameter, the second range different than the first range and the second metrology target having a different physical design than the first metrology target; and deriving process window data from a value of the process parameter in the first range determined from the measuring of the first metrology target, and from a value of the process parameter in the second range determined from the measuring of the second metrology target.

Abstract: A topography measurement system comprising a radiation source configured to generate a radiation beam, a spatially coded grating configured to pattern the radiation beam and thereby provide a spatially coded radiation beam, optics configured to form an image of the spatially coded grating at a target location on a substrate, detection optics configured to receive radiation reflected from the target location of the substrate and form an image of the grating image at a second grating, and a detector configured to receive radiation transmitted through the second grating and produce an output signal.

Abstract: In a method for predicting at least one illumination parameter for evaluating an illumination setting for illuminating an object field of a projection exposure apparatus, illumination parameters are measured at a number of calibration settings, correction terms for prediction values of the illumination parameters are determined from the measured values, and then at least one illumination parameter of at least one illumination setting, which is not contained in the set of n calibration settings, is predicted.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a bearing assembly for a lithography system, having an optical element, a base, and a bearing device that moveably supports the optical element relative to the base. The bearing device has at least one torsion decoupling element that reduces a transmission of torsional moments between the optical element and the base. The torsion decoupling element has at least two leaf springs which have respective opposing narrow sides and which bring about torsional moments about an axis perpendicular to the narrow sides. The at least two leaf springs are also positioned at an angle to one another and are coupled to one another in such a way that a force flow through the torsion decoupling element simultaneously flows through the at least two leaf springs.

Abstract: A carrier system and method carries a plate-like object to an object mounting member provided with an object mounting section. The system includes an adjustment device that changes a shape of the plate-like object into a predetermined shape before the plate-like object is mounted onto the object mounting section. The plate-like object whose shape is changed into the predetermined shape is mounted onto the object mounting section.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for processing one or more substrates, and more specifically to improved spatial light modulators for digital lithography systems and digital lithography methods using improved spatial light modulators. The spatial light modulator is configured such that there is a 180-degree phase shift between adjacent spatial light modulator pixels. The spatial light modulator is useful for pixel blending by forming a plurality of partially overlapping images, at least one of the plurality of partially overlapping images having at least two pixels formed by a first pair of adjacent spatial light modulator pixels having a 180-degree phase shift therebetween. The spatial light modulator results in improved resolution, depth of focus, and pixel blending.

Abstract: A control system configured to control a parameter of a dynamic system, wherein the parameter depends on an output signal. The control system comprises a set-point generator and a feedforward, wherein the set-point generator is arranged to provide a set-point signal to the feedforward. The feedforward is arranged to provide the output signal based on the set-point signal, wherein the feedforward is arranged to perform a non-linear operation on the set-point signal. The non-linear operation is based on a non-linear functional relationship between the output signal and the parameter.

Abstract: Provided is a development processing apparatus including a rotary holding unit configured to hold and rotate a wafer, a developer supply unit including a nozzle having a liquid contact surface facing a surface of the wafer and an ejection port opening to the liquid contact surface, and a controller. The controller is configured to: while the wafer rotates, execute a control of causing a developer to be ejected from the ejection port and moving the nozzle from an circumference side to a rotation center side of the wafer; after execution of the control, execute a control of moving the nozzle from the rotation center side to the outer circumference side of the wafer; and during execution of the control, execute a control of gradually reducing the rotation speed of the wafer as the center of the liquid contact surface approaches the outer circumference.

Abstract: Provided are an exposure apparatus and a prevention method and system for image offset of the exposure apparatus. The dust cover which is made of transparent material and arranged and arranged at one end of the bearing connected to the lifter enables to check whether the bearing is abraded via manual vision or machine vision, thereby enhancing the yield of the glass substrates achieved by photoetching in the photo process and thus improving the production efficiency of the photo process.