Abstract: A mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has an optically effective surface (11), a mirror substrate (12), a reflection layer stack (21) for reflecting electromagnetic radiation that is incident on the optical effective surface, and at least two piezoelectric layers (16a, 16b, 16c), which are arranged successively between the mirror substrate and the reflection layer stack in the stack direction of the reflection layer stack and to which an electric field can be applied to produce a locally variable deformation, wherein at least one intermediate layer (22a, 22b) made of crystalline material is arranged between the piezoelectric layers (16a, 16b, 16c), wherein the intermediate layer is designed to leave an electric field, which is present in the region of the piezoelectric layers (16a, 16b, 16c) that adjoin the intermediate layer (22a, 22b) in the stack direction of the reflection layer stack (21), substantially uninfluenced.

Abstract: A stage system includes a movable stage, and an encoder for measuring a position of the stage, wherein the encoder includes an emitter for emitting an encoder beam, a grating for interacting with the encoder beam, and a detector for detecting the encoder beam having interacted with the grating, the encoder beam in use propagating along an optical path; a purging cap at least partly enclosing the optical path; and a purging medium supply device for supplying a purging medium into the purging cap.

Abstract: An illumination optical unit for microlithography illuminates an object field with illumination light. The unit includes a first facet mirror that has a plurality of first facets, and a second facet mirror that has a plurality of second facets. The unit has facet pairs which include respectively a facet of the first facet mirror and a facet of the second facet mirror which predefine a plurality of illumination channels for illuminating the object field. At least some of the illumination channels have in each case an assigned polarization element for predefining an individual polarization state of the illumination light guided in the respective illumination channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus including a projection optical system configured to project light from a reticle onto a substrate, a processor configured to estimate a variation in imaging characteristic of the projection optical system, based on a model determined in advance, and an adjusting device configured to adjust the imaging characteristic of the projection optical system based on the variation estimated by the processor, wherein the processor is configured, if an error of the imaging characteristic of the projection optical system adjusted by the adjusting device based on the variation which is estimated based on a first number of models, for estimating the variation, determined in advance without the reticle, does not fall within a tolerance, to generate a second number of models for estimating the variation, the second number being larger than the first number.

Abstract: The disclosure pertains to an optical apparatus, in particular for microlithography, that includes an optical module, a support structure and a connection apparatus. The connection apparatus includes at least one connection unit which includes a first connector part and a second connector part. The first connector part is connected to the optical module, and the second connector part is connected to the support structure.

Abstract: An actuator includes a housing, a movable part, and an advancing unit that is at least temporarily connected to the movable part. The advancing unit includes a deformation unit and a deformer configured to deform the deformation unit with a vector component perpendicular to an effective direction of the actuator so that a total length of the deformation unit changes in the effective direction of the actuator as a result of the deformation. The movable part is configured to move in the effective direction of the actuator upon a removal of the vector component on the deformation unit and the deformation unit is disposed along the effective direction of the actuator upon the removal of the vector component on the deformation unit.

Abstract: Metrology methods and systems are provided, which measure metrology targets during the exposure stage using reflected or diffracted exposure illumination or additional simultaneous illumination having longer wavelengths than the exposure illumination. The metrology measurements are used to correct the lithographic process in a short loop, enabling realtime and even predictive error correction. The metrology methods, tools and systems also include defect detection during the exposure stage.

Abstract: A projector that projects an image includes a communication section that sends a projection request command that requests another projector connected to the projector to project a test image, an imaging section that captures an image of the test image projected in response to the projection request command by the another projector, and a layout recognition section that recognizes a relative layout relationship between the projector and the another projector based on the image captured by the imaging section.

Abstract: A humidifier has a housing that holds humidifying equipment and an image projector. The image projector is set on the top portion of the housing and includes a light source, a removable projector cover and a projector lens. Light from the light source shines through the projector lens and projector cover to project an image onto a surface of the room, such a ceiling. The humidifying equipment may be conventional in nature, including for example a fan, a water tank, a water reservoir, a filter, a filter tray or combinations thereof. The image projector may also include a rotating mechanism that causes the projected image or images to rotate. The light source may also provide different colors of light. One or more optical characteristics of the projected image, such as image size, shape, color and brightness can be changed by changing the projector lens, projector cover or both.

Abstract: A front projection display device is provided including an image-generating source configured to generate an image, a wide angle lens system adapted to receive the image, and a screen. The wide angle lens system may be configured to increase distortion of the image in a first stage and decrease distortion of the image in a second stage. The screen may be configured to receive the image from the wide angle lens system on a first side and reflect the image back to a viewer on the first side. In another embodiment, a screen is provided for a front projection system, the screen may be configured to receive light from a steep angle and may include any number of surface topographies configured to reflect light back to the viewer along a desired viewing plane.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present application is directed to a method and system for process control of a lithography tool. The method transfers a reference pattern to exposure fields of a reference workpiece to form pairs of overlapping reference layers. Misalignment between the overlapping reference layers is measured to form first and second baseline maps, and a ? baseline map is formed from the first and second baseline maps. A production pattern is transferred to exposure fields of a production workpiece to form second production layers arranged over and aligned to first production layers. Misalignment between the first and second production layers is measured to form a production map. The ? baseline map is transformed and subsequently added to the production map, to form a final production map. Parameters of a process tool are updated based on the final production map.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator imaging system is disclosed. The system comprises an illumination module configured to provide illumination light representing data patterns to be imaged by the spatial light modulator imaging system, a projection module configured to project the illumination light to a substrate, and an illumination-projection beam separator coupled between the illumination module and the projection module, where the illumination-projection beam separator is configured to receive the illumination light along an illumination optical axis and transmit the illumination light received to the projection module along a projection optical axis, and where the illumination optical axis and the projection optical axis are substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: A projector includes an image formation apparatus that forms an image, a lens barrel that accommodates a projection lens that projects the formed image, and a light blocking portion that is configured as a member separate from the lens barrel, is located in a position between the image formation apparatus and the lens barrel, and blocks light to be incident on the lens barrel. The configuration of the projector allows blockage of light incident on the lens barrel and hence prevention of distortion of the lens barrel.

Abstract: A discharge lamp driver includes a discharge lamp drive unit that supplies a drive current to the discharge lamp, and a control unit that controls the discharge lamp drive unit according to a drive current waveform, wherein the drive current waveform has a mixed frequency drive period including a unit drive period containing a first drive period in which a first drive current is supplied to the discharge lamp and a second drive period provided immediately after the first drive period, in which a second drive current is supplied to the discharge lamp, the first drive current is a half-period alternating current having a frequency higher than 10 Hz and not higher than 300 Hz, the second drive current is an alternating current having a frequency higher than 1000 Hz, and a length of the second drive period is equal to or longer than a length of the first drive period.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a touch substrate; a waveguide layer arranged on the touch substrate, the waveguide layer including a plurality of waveguides; an optical output structure arranged on the waveguide layer and configured to output light propagating in the plurality of waveguides at touched locations on the touch substrate; a gap layer arranged to provide a predetermined gap between the waveguide layer and the optical output structure; and an optical system, which projects light output by the optical output structure.

Abstract: A multi-DMD projection system uses an extended X-cube color splitting/recombining prism to implement splitting and recombining functions at different sections of the cube. Light directed from a white light source is split into red, green and blue components in a lower section of the cube. The components are directed to respective first, second and third DMDs for separate modulations and reentered into the X-cube prism by TIR prism for recombining at an upper section of the cube.

Abstract: The invention concerns a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus designed for EUV, for imaging an object plane illuminated in operation of the projection exposure apparatus into an image plane. The projection objective has at least one mirror segment arrangement comprising a plurality of separate mirror segments. Associated with the mirror segments of the same mirror segment arrangement are partial beam paths which are different from each other and which respectively provide for imaging of the object plane (OP) into the image plane (IP). The partial beam paths are superposed in the image plane (IP). At least two partial beams which are superposed in the same point in the image plane (IP) were reflected by different mirror segments of the same mirror segment arrangement.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system has a final element. The apparatus also includes a barrier member surrounding a space between the projection system and, in use, the substrate, to define in part with the final element a reservoir for liquid. The barrier member is spaced from the final element to define a gap therebetween. The apparatus further includes a deformable seal between a radially outer surface of the final element and a radially outer surface of the barrier member. The deformable seal is configured to substantially prevent a gas from flowing past the seal towards or away from the reservoir of liquid.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a driven object having compliant dynamics; a plurality of actuators configured to act on the driven object, wherein the plurality of actuators are over-determined in an actuator degree of freedom; a control system including a transformation matrix configured to generate controller output signals for each of the plurality of actuators in response to a setpoint, wherein the transformation matrix is configured such that the controller output signals do not excite the compliant dynamics of the driven object in at least one degree of freedom.

Abstract: A lithography tool is calibrated using a calibration substrate having a set of first marks distributed across its surface in a known pattern. The tool is operated to apply a pattern comprising a plurality of second marks at various positions on the substrate, each second mark overlying one of the first marks and being subject to an overlay error dependent on an apparatus-specific deviation. The second marks are applied by multiple exposures while the substrate remains loaded in the tool. An operating parameter of the apparatus is varied between the exposures. An overlay error is measured and used to calculate parameter-specific, apparatus-specific calibration data based on knowledge of the parameter variation used for each exposure.