Abstract: An optical arrangement of an imaging device for microlithography, particularly for using light in the extreme UV range, includes an optical element and a holding device for holding the optical element. The optical element includes an optical surface and defines a plane of main extension, in which the optical element defines a radial direction and a circumferential direction. The holding device includes a base element and more than three separate holding units. The holding units are connected to the base element and arranged in a manner distributed along the circumferential direction and spaced apart from one another. The holding units hold the optical element with respect to the base element. Each of the holding units establishes a clamping connection between the optical element and the base element. The clamping connection for each holding unit is separate from the clamping connections of the other holding units.

Abstract: A method of configuring a step of scanning a beam of photons or particles across a patterning device for exposing a pattern onto a substrate, wherein the method includes determining a spatial resolution of a patterning correction configured to improve quality of the exposing, and determining a spatial dimension of the beam based on the determined spatial resolution of the patterning correction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bandwidth calculation system for determining a desired wavelength bandwidth for a measurement beam in a mark detection system, the bandwidth calculation system comprising a processing unit configured to determine the desired wavelength bandwidth based on mark geometry information, e.g. comprising mark depth information representing a depth of a mark. In an embodiment the desired wavelength bandwidth is based on a period and/or a variance parameter of a mark detection error function. The invention further relates to a mark detection system, a position measurement system and a lithographic apparatus comprising the bandwidth calculation system, as well as a method for determining a desired wavelength bandwidth.

Abstract: A method for controlling a scanning exposure apparatus configured for scanning an illumination profile over a substrate to form functional areas thereon. The method includes determining a control profile for dynamic control of the illumination profile during exposure of an exposure field including the functional areas, in a scanning exposure operation; and optimizing a quality of exposure of one or more individual functional areas. The optimizing may include a) extending the control profile beyond the extent of the exposure field in the scanning direction; and/or b) applying a deconvolution scheme to the control profile, wherein the structure of the deconvolution scheme is based on a dimension of the illumination profile in the scanning direction.

Abstract: Provided are an optical device capable of effectively preventing contamination and a method for preventing contamination of the same. An optical device according to an embodiment includes a light source that generates light containing EUV (Extreme UltraViolet) light or VUV (Vacuum UltraViolet) light, a chamber in which an object to be irradiated with the light is placed, an optical element placed inside the chamber to guide the light, an introduction unit that introduces hydrogen or helium into the chamber, a power supply that applies a negative voltage to the optical element in the chamber, an ammeter that measures an ion current flowing through the optical element, and a control unit that adjusts the amount of the hydrogen or the helium introduced according to a measurement result of the ammeter.

Abstract: A pellicle suitable for use with a patterning device for a lithographic apparatus. The pellicle comprising at least one breakage region which is configured to preferentially break, during normal use in a lithographic apparatus, prior to breakage of remaining regions of the pellicle. At least one breakage region comprises a region of the pellicle which has a reduced thickness when compared to surrounding regions of the pellicle.

Abstract: A system for and method of processing a wafer in which a scan signal is analyzed locally to extract information about alignment, overlay, mark quality, wafer quality, and the like.

Abstract: An illumination source apparatus (500), suitable for use in a metrology apparatus for the characterization of a structure on a substrate, the illumination source apparatus comprising: a high harmonic generation, HHG, medium (502); a pump radiation source (506) operable to emit a beam of pump radiation (508); and adjustable transformation optics (510) configured to adjustably transform the transverse spatial profile of the beam of pump radiation to produce a transformed beam (518) such that relative to the centre axis of the transformed beam, a central region of the transformed beam has substantially zero intensity and an outer region which is radially outwards from the centre axis of the transformed beam has a non-zero intensity, wherein the transformed beam is arranged to excite the HHG medium so as to generate high harmonic radiation (540), wherein the location of said outer region is dependent on an adjustment setting of the adjustable transformation optics.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a supply passage through which fluid supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detector including a channel forming part forming a portion of the supply passage, a light projector irradiating light to the channel forming part, and a light receiver receiving light emitted from the channel forming part as a result of irradiating light to the channel forming part by the light projector, the foreign substance detector being configured to detect a foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal obtained by the light that the light receiver receives, wherein the light projector and the light receiver in the foreign substance detector are disposed in areas that are not opposite to each other in areas in upper, lower, left, right, front and rear directions of the channel forming part.

Abstract: A method of determining a correction for a process parameter related to a lithographic process, wherein the lithographic process includes a plurality of runs during each one of which a pattern is applied to one or more substrates. The method of determining includes obtaining pre-exposure metrology data describing a property of a substrate; obtaining post-exposure metrology data comprising one or more measurements of the process parameter having been performed on one or more previously exposed substrates; assigning, based on the pre-exposure metrology data, a group membership status from one or more groups to the substrate; and determining the correction for the process parameter based on the group membership status and the post-exposure metrology data.

Abstract: An illumination optical system for projection lithography includes a pupil facet mirror having pupil facets. For at least some of the pupil facets which are designed as selectively reflecting pupil facets, the selectively reflecting pupil facet has a reflective coating for the illumination light, wherein a first coating area on a first part of the selectively reflecting pupil facet has a first reflectivity, a second coating area on a second part of the selectively reflecting pupil facet has a second reflectivity, the first coating area is different from the second coating area, and the first reflectivity is different from the second reflectivity. In combination or as an alternative, for at least some of the pupil facets which are designed as broadbands reflecting pupil facets, the broadband reflecting facets have a broadband reflective coating for the illumination light.

Abstract: An apparatus, which may form part of a lithographic apparatus, comprises a substrate table, a projection system, a gas lock and a gas flow guide. The substrate table is suitable for supporting a substrate. The projection system has a body which defines an interior and an opening. The projection system is configured and arranged to project a radiation beam through the opening onto a substrate supported by the substrate table. The gas lock is suitable for providing a gas flow from the opening away from the interior. The gas flow guide is configured to guide at least a portion of the gas flow away from the substrate supported by the substrate table.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes at least one component which is provided with a damping arrangement for dissipating mechanical vibration energy. The damping arrangement includes a ferromagnetic element, through which a magnetic field passes at least partly. The magnetic flux density is inhomogeneous at least regionally. The ferromagnetic element is mounted in such a way that it is movable with a movement component in the direction of the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field.

Abstract: A method of grouping data associated with substrates undergoing a process step of a manufacturing process is disclosed. The method includes obtaining first data associated with substrates before being subject to the process step and obtaining a plurality of sets of second data associated with substrates after being subject to the process step, each set of second data being associated with a different value of a characteristic of the first data. A distance metric is determined which describes a measure of distance between the sets of second data, and the second data is grouped based on a property of the distance metric.

Abstract: An optical path adjusting mechanism including a rotating base, an optical element, a coil, a first spring and a second spring is provided. A first area and a second area are diagonally disposed on the rotating base. The optical element is disposed in the rotating base. The coil is disposed around a periphery of the rotating base. One terminal of the first spring is connected to the first area of the rotating base. One terminal of the second spring is connected to the second area of the rotating base.

Abstract: Certain aspects relate to a method for improving a lithography configuration. In the lithography configuration, a source illuminates a mask to expose resist on a wafer. A processor determines a defect-based focus exposure window (FEW). The defect-based FEW is an area of depth of focus and exposure latitude for the lithography configuration with an acceptable level of defects on the wafer. The defect-based FEW is determined based on a predicted probability distribution for occurrence of defects on the wafer. A processor also determines a critical dimension (CD)-based FEW. The CD-based FEW is an area of depth of focus and exposure latitude for the lithography configuration with an acceptable level of CD variation on the wafer. It is determined based on predicted CDs on the wafer. The lithography configuration is modified based on increasing an area of overlap between the defect-based FEW and the CD-based FEW.

Abstract: A reticle pod having a positioning member includes a base, a lid and a plurality of positioning members. The lid shuts relative to the base to form a substantially cuboid case. The case has a storing space for receiving a reticle. The positioning members are arranged in a shutting direction and disposed on at least two edges of the lid or at least two edges of the base, respectively. The positioning members each include a connecting portion, a correcting portion and a guiding slope portion. The connecting portion connects the edges of the lid. The correcting portion has one end connected to the connecting portion and extending in a shutting direction and an opposing end connected to the guiding slope portion. The guiding slope portion has a slope extending outward. The reticle pod having a positioning member is error-free, allowing the lid to shut precisely relative to the base.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to obtain a height map of a substrate having alignment marks, the method comprising the steps: determining a height of one or more locations or areas of the substrate, and determining the height map of the substrate on the basis of the determined height of the one or more locations or areas of the substrate and a shape model of the substrate.

Abstract: A microlithographic arrangement, for example using light in the extreme UV range, includes a supporting structure for supporting an optical unit, the mass of which can be 4 t to 14 t. The supporting structure includes a number of separate supporting units for supporting the optical unit. Each of the supporting units includes an air bearing unit by way of which a supporting force which counteracts the weight of the optical unit can be generated. The number of supporting units is at least four, at least two of the supporting units being coupled via a coupling device to form a supporting unit pair in such a way that the coupling device counteracts a deviation from a predeterminable ratio of the supporting forces of the two supporting units of the supporting unit pair.

Abstract: A catoptric system having a reference axis and including a reflective pattern-source (carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern) and a combination of two optical reflectors disposed sequentially to transfer EUV radiation incident onto the first optical component to the pattern-source the substantially one-dimensional pattern of which is disposed in a curved surface. In one case, such combination includes only two optical reflectors (each may contain multiple constituent components). The combination is disposed in a fixed spatial and optical relationship with respect to the pattern-source, and represents an illumination unit (IU) of a 1D EUV exposure tool that additionally includes a projection optical sub-system configured to form an optical image of the pattern-source on an image plane with the use of only two beams of radiation. These only two beams of radiation originate at the pattern-source from the EUV radiation transferred onto the pattern-source.