Abstract: A lithography system may include a wafer stage. The wafer stage may include a wafer mounting part configured to carry a wafer and configured to oscillate along a plane that is parallel to a top surface of the wafer in a wafer exposure process. The wafer stage may further include a driving device configured to affect an oscillatory movement of the wafer mounting part in the wafer exposure process.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to calibration systems usable for distortion characterization in cameras. An example embodiment includes a calibration system. The calibration system includes a first calibration target that includes a first mirror, a plurality of fiducials positioned on or adjacent to the first mirror, and an indexing fiducial positioned on or adjacent to the first mirror. The calibration system also includes a second calibration target that includes one or more second mirrors and has an aperture defined therein. The first mirror and the one or more second mirrors are separated by a distance. The first mirror faces the one or more second mirrors. The indexing fiducial is visible through the aperture in the second calibration target. Reflections of the plurality of fiducials are visible through the aperture defined in the second calibration target. The reflections of the plurality of fiducials are iterated reflections.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography has a mirror arrangement that is exposed to thermal loads in operation. The mirror arrangement includes a mirror carrier having an optically active surface arranged on a top surface of the mirror carrier. A cooling system is integrated into the mirror carrier. The cooling system has cooling lines through which a cooling fluid circulates. The cooling system is designed so that the thermal load introduced into the mirror carrier via the optically active surface is dissipated at least partially into a rear region remote from the top surface of the mirror carrier.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to lithography devices comprising an image projection system. The image projection system comprises a fiber bundle coupled to a first homogenizer and a second homogenizer. The first homogenizer is offset from the second homogenizer along a scan direction. The first homogenizer is optically aligned with a first digital micromirror device, and the second homogenizer is optically aligned with a second digital micromirror device. The first digital micromirror device is offset from the second digital micromirror device along the scan direction within an optical field of view of a projection lens. A scan field of the first digital micromirror device overlaps or aligns with a scan field of the second digital micromirror device to eliminate a gap between the scan field of the first digital micromirror device and the scan field of the second digital micromirror device.

Abstract: A substrate table to support a substrate on a substrate supporting area, the substrate table having a heat transfer fluid channel at least under the substrate supporting area, and a plurality of heaters and/or coolers to thermally control the heat transfer fluid in the channel at a location under the substrate supporting area.

Abstract: Methods of optimizing a metrology process are disclosed. In one arrangement, measurement data from a plurality of applications of the metrology process to a first target on a substrate are obtained. Each application of the metrology process includes illuminating the first target with a radiation spot and detecting radiation redirected by the first target. The applications of the metrology process include applications at a) plural positions of the radiation spot relative to the first target, and/or b) plural focus heights of the radiation spot. The measurement data includes, for each application of the metrology process, a detected pupil representation of an optical characteristic of the redirected radiation in a pupil plane. The method includes determining an optimal alignment and/or an optimal focus height based on comparisons between the detected pupil representations in the measurement data and a reference pupil representation.

Abstract: A stage assembly (10) that moves a device (15) includes a stage (14) that retains the device (15), a base (12), a stage mover assembly (16), and a supply system (20A). The supply system (20A) is secured to and positioned on the stage (14). The supply system (20A) includes a circulation system (24) that circulates a circulation fluid (22) through a circulation conduit (14D) in the stage (14) to control the temperature of the stage (14) and the device (15).

Abstract: A catadioptric projection objective for images an object field onto an image field via imaging radiation. The projection objective includes at least one reflective optical component and a measuring device. The reflective optical component, during the operation of the projection objective, reflects a first part of the imaging radiation and transmits a second part of the imaging radiation. The reflected, first part of the imaging radiation at least partly contributes to the imaging of the object field. The transmitted, second part of the imaging radiation is at least partly fed to a measuring device. This allows a simultaneous exposure of the photosensitive layer at the location of the image field with the imaging radiation and monitoring of the imaging radiation with the aid of the measuring device.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an assembly in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, with an optical element and at least one weight compensating device, which includes at least one magnetic circuit. A magnetic field generated by this magnetic circuit brings about a force for compensating at least partially for the force of the weight acting on the optical element. The apparatus also includes a coil arrangement with a plurality of coils. The arrangement is energizable with electrical current to generate a compensating force acting on the optical element. This compensating force compensates at least partially for a parasitic force that is exerted by the magnetic circuit when there is movement of the optical element and does not contribute to the compensation for the force of the weight acting on the optical element.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus that scans and exposes each of a plurality of areas on a glass substrate, by irradiating the substrate with an illumination light via a projection optical system and relatively driving the substrate with respect to the illumination light, is equipped with: a substrate holder that levitates and supports a first area of the substrate; a substrate carrier that holds the glass substrate levitated and supported by the substrate holder; an X coarse movement stage that drives the substrate holder; an X voice coil motor that drives the substrate carrier; and a controller that controls the X coarse movement stage and the X voice coil motor so that the substrate holder and the substrate carrier are driven, respectively, in scanning exposure. Accordingly, an exposure apparatus with improved position controllability of an object can be provided.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a support structure constructed to support a mask having a patterned area which is capable of imparting an EUV radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, wherein the support structure is movable in a scanning direction, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, wherein the substrate table is movable in the scanning direction, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto an exposure region of the substrate, wherein the projection system has a demagnification in the scanning direction which is greater than a demagnification in a second direction which is perpendicular to the scanning direction and wherein the demagnification in the second direction is greater than 4×.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a stage on which a substrate is placed, a plurality of light irradiation units configured to emit light independently of each other to different positions in a right and left direction on a surface of the substrate, so as to form a strip-like irradiation area extending from one end of the surface of the substrate to the other end of the substrate, a stage moving mechanism configured to move the stage in a back and forth direction relative to the irradiation area, such that the whole surface of the substrate is exposed, and a light receiving unit configured move in the irradiation area between one end and the other end of the irradiation area in order to detect an illuminance distribution of the irradiation area in a longitudinal direction of the irradiation area.

Abstract: A method for aligning a reaction ring in an analyzer system using a gauge vertical reaction ring comprising at least one end slot includes inserting a light beam gauge into an aperture operable to hold the light beam gauge at a height corresponding to a photometer included in the analyzer system. The gauge vertical reaction ring is rotated on the reaction ring until the light beam gauge engages the end slot to confirm alignment of the reaction ring with the photometer.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus has a controller configured to control a substrate table to move along an exposure route including in order: an entry motion in which the substrate moves from an off-substrate position at which the immersion space does not overlap the substrate to an on-substrate position at which the immersion space at least partially overlaps the substrate, a transfer motion in which the substrate table changes speed and/or direction and moves for at least a transfer time after the substrate moves to the on-substrate position, and an expose motion in which the substrate is scanned and the patterned beam is projected onto the substrate, wherein throughout the transfer motion at least a part of the immersion space overlaps the substrate and wherein the patterned beam is not projected onto the substrate during the entry motion and the transfer motion.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for fabricating and utilizing optically opaque non-planar alignment structures in non-die areas (e.g., kerf areas) of a wafer to align photomasks to die areas on the wafer. For example, an insulating layer is formed over non-die and die areas of the wafer. A non-planar alignment feature is formed in the insulating layer in the non-die area. An optically opaque layer stack is formed in the die and non-die areas of the wafer, which conformally covers the non-planar alignment feature to form an optically opaque non-planar alignment structure in the non-die area. A lithographic patterning process is performed to pattern the optically opaque layer stack in the die area, wherein the optically opaque non-planar alignment structure in the non-die area is utilized to align a photomask to the die area. The optically opaque non-planar alignment structure can include any type of non-planar structure having a stepped sidewall surface.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a substrate table on which a substrate is positioned, and an alignment sensor used to measure the alignment of the substrate. In an exemplary processing method, the alignment sensor is used to perform one or more edge measurements in a first step. In a second step, one or more edge measurements are performed on the notch of the substrate. The edge measurements are then used to align the substrate in the lithographic apparatus. In a particular example, the substrate is arranged relative to the alignment sensor such that a portion of the edge surface is positioned at the focal length of the lens. When the alignment sensor detects radiation scattered by the edge surface at the focal length of the lens, the presence of the edge of the substrate is detected.

Abstract: An illuminance distribution response amount as the change amount of the illuminance distribution pattern, associating the position in the irradiation region in the lengthwise direction with the change amount of the illuminance with respect to the change in the drive current, has previously been acquired and stored in a storage unit for each light-emitting block. There is provided an arithmetic processing unit that determines (estimates) a current command value of each of the light-emitting blocks based on a present current command value of each of the light-emitting blocks and the change amount of the illuminance distribution pattern of each light-emitting block in order to bring a present illuminance distribution pattern in the irradiation region in a lengthwise direction close to a target illuminance distribution pattern.

Abstract: Lithography methods and corresponding lithography apparatuses are disclosed herein for improving throughput of lithography exposure processes. An exemplary lithography method includes generating a plurality of target material droplets and generating radiation from the plurality of target material droplets based on a dose margin to expose a wafer. The dose margin indicates how many of the plurality of target material droplets are reserved for dose control. In some implementations, the plurality of target material droplets are grouped into a plurality of bursts, and the lithography method further includes performing an inter-compensation operation that designates an excitation state of target material droplets in one of the plurality of bursts to compensate for an energy characteristic of another one of the plurality of bursts.

Abstract: The illumination optical system for illuminating an illumination target surface with light from a light source is provided with a polarization converting member which converts a polarization state of incident light to form a pupil intensity distribution in a predetermined polarization state on an illumination pupil of the illumination optical system; and a phase modulating member which is arranged in the optical path on the illumination target surface side with respect to the polarization converting member and which transmits light from the pupil intensity distribution so as to convert linearly polarized light thereof polarized in a first direction, into required elliptically polarized light and maintain a polarization state of linearly polarized light polarized in a second direction (X-direction or Y-direction) obliquely intersecting with the first direction, in order to reduce influence of retardation caused by a subsequent optical system between the polarization converting member and the illumination targe

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus (10) and method for preventing exposure of a peripheral portion (P) of a substrate (S). An edge mask (M) has a radial concave edge (E) that extends over less than half a circle arch. The edge mask (M) is connected to a mask carrier (4) that circumnavigates the projection system (2) to adjust a tangential coordinate (?) and a radial coordinate (R) of the edge mask (M) with respect to the optical axis (A) of the projection system (2) for inserting the edge mask (M) at a variable distance into the beam of radiation (B). The tangential and radial positions (?,R) of the edge mask (M) are coordinated with a changing position (X,Y) of the substrate (S) to prevent exposure of the peripheral portion (P) of the substrate (S) during exposure of the target region (T).