Abstract: A pellicle for a lithographic apparatus, the pellicle including nitridated metal silicide or nitridated silicon as well as a method of manufacturing the same. Also disclosed is the use of a nitridated metal silicide or nitridated silicon pellicle in a lithographic apparatus. Also disclosed is a pellicle for a lithographic apparatus including at least one compensating layer selected and configured to counteract changes in transmissivity of the pellicle upon exposure to EUV radiation as well as a method of controlling the transmissivity of a pellicle and a method of designing a pellicle.

Abstract: A liquefier tube for an additive manufacturing system, including a body provided with a feed channel including a feeding portion having a first diameter, an outlet portion having a second diameter, the first diameter being larger than the second diameter, and a transitional portion interconnecting the feeding portion and the outlet portion. The transitional portion has a decreasing third diameter from the first diameter to the second diameter, and an inner surface of the transitional portion is provided with a plurality of ribs. Methods of manufacturing the liquefier tube.

Abstract: A method of predicting thermally induced aberrations of a projection system for projecting a radiation beam, the method comprising: calculating an irradiance profile for at least one optical element of the projection system from a power and illumination source pupil of the radiation beam, estimating a temperature distribution as a function of time in the at least one optical element of the projection system using the calculated irradiance profile for the at least one optical element of the projection system; calculating the thermally induced aberrations of the projection system based on the estimated temperature distribution and a thermal expansion parameter map associated with the at least one optical element of the projection system, wherein the thermal expansion parameter map is a spatial map indicating spatial variations of thermal expansion parameters in the at least one optical element of the projection system or a uniform map.

Abstract: A substrate with a backside surface configured to provide a friction switch when the substrate is loaded onto a substrate holder in a substrate-loading cycle, wherein the substrate backside surface has a molecular assembly including at least one high-interaction region and at least one low-interaction region. Further, there is provided methods using such a substrate and methods for creating such a substrate.

Abstract: A substrate with a backside surface configured to provide a friction switch when the substrate is loaded onto a substrate holder in a substrate-loading cycle, wherein the substrate backside surface has a molecular assembly including at least one high-interaction region and at least one low-interaction region. Further, there is provided methods using such a substrate and methods for creating such a substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam to form an exposure area on a substrate, a cooling apparatus located in use above the substrate adjacent to the exposure area, the cooling apparatus being configured to remove heat from the substrate during use, a plasma vessel located below the cooling apparatus with its opening facing towards the cooling apparatus, and a gas supply for supplying gas to the plasma vessel and an aperture for receipt of a radiation beam. In use, supplied gas and a received radiation beam react to form a plasma within the plasma vessel that is directed towards a surface of the cooling apparatus which faces the opening of the plasma vessel.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for cloud-based monitoring and control of physical environments. A system comprises a computing cloud with at least one processor configured to execute one or more application modules and a data analytics module for analyzing diagnostic and environmental metric data. The system further comprises a building server communicatively coupled with the computing cloud, at least one gateway communicatively coupled with the building server, and at least one system device communicatively coupled with the at least one gateway. The at least one system device generates environmental metric data for further analysis and display, and the data is communicated to the computing cloud by way of the at least one gateway and the at least one building server.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam to form an exposure area on a substrate, a cooling apparatus located in use above the substrate adjacent to the exposure area, the cooling apparatus being configured to remove heat from the substrate during use, a plasma vessel located below the cooling apparatus with its opening facing towards the cooling apparatus, and a gas supply for supplying gas to the plasma vessel and an aperture for receipt of a radiation beam. In use, supplied gas and a received radiation beam react to form a plasma within the plasma vessel that is directed towards a surface of the cooling apparatus which faces the opening of the plasma vessel.

Abstract: A reflector for EUV radiation, the reflector comprising a reflector substrate and a reflective surface, the reflector substrate having a plurality of coolant channels formed therein, the coolant channels being substantially straight, substantially parallel to each other and substantially parallel to the reflective surface and configured so that coolant flows in parallel through the coolant channels and in contact with the reflector substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam to form an exposure area on a substrate held on a substrate table, the lithographic apparatus further comprising a cooling apparatus for cooling the substrate, wherein the cooling apparatus comprises a cooling element located above the substrate table and adjacent to the exposure area, the cooling element being configured to remove heat from the substrate.

Abstract: An anilox roll is provided, having at least one channel on its surface, each channel being limited by a first wall and a second wall opposing said first wall, said first wall having a meandering shape which touches a first straight virtual line at one or more points but does not intersect said first straight virtual, said first virtual line being at the channel side and parallel to said course direction; said second wall having a meandering shape which touches a second straight virtual line at one or more points but does not intersect said second straight virtual line, said second straight virtual line being at the channel side and being parallel to said first straight virtual line; said first straight virtual line being separated from said second straight virtual line by a distance D, wherein either said distance D=0 or ?12 ?m<D<12 ?m, preferably, ?5 ?m<D<5 ?m, and most preferably, ?2 ?m<D<2 ?m.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for cloud-based monitoring and control of physical environments. A system comprises a computing cloud with at least one processor configured to execute one or more application modules and a data analytics module for analyzing diagnostic and environmental metric data. The system further comprises a building server communicatively coupled with the computing cloud, at least one gateway communicatively coupled with the building server, and at least one system device communicatively coupled with the at least one gateway. The at least one system device generates environmental metric data for further analysis and display, and the data is communicated to the computing cloud by way of the at least one gateway and the at least one building server.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for cloud-based monitoring and control of physical environments. A system comprises a computing cloud with at least one processor configured to execute one or more application modules and a data analytics module for analyzing diagnostic and environmental metric data. The system further comprises a building server communicatively coupled with the computing cloud, at least one gateway communicatively coupled with the building server, and at least one system device communicatively coupled with the at least one gateway. The at least one system device generates environmental metric data for further analysis and display, and the data is communicated to the computing cloud by way of the at least one gateway and the at least one building server.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam to form an exposure area on a substrate held on a substrate table, the lithographic apparatus further comprising a cooling apparatus for cooling the substrate, wherein the cooling apparatus comprises a cooling element located above the substrate table and adjacent to the exposure area, the cooling element being configured to remove heat from the substrate.

Abstract: A support apparatus for a lithographic apparatus has an object holder and an extraction body radially outward of the object holder. The object holder is configured to support an object. The extraction body includes an extraction opening configured to extract fluid from a top surface of the support apparatus. The extraction body is spaced from the object holder such that the extraction body is substantially decoupled from the object holder. The extraction body comprises a projection configured such that it surrounds the object holder and such that, in use, a layer of liquid is retained on the projection and in contact with an object supported on the object holder.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam to form an exposure area on a substrate, a cooling apparatus located in use above the substrate adjacent to the exposure area, the cooling apparatus being configured to remove heat from the substrate during use, a plasma vessel located below the cooling apparatus with its opening facing towards the cooling apparatus, and a gas supply for supplying gas to the plasma vessel and an aperture for receipt of a radiation beam. In use, supplied gas and a received radiation beam react to form a plasma within the plasma vessel that is directed towards a surface of the cooling apparatus which faces the opening of the plasma vessel.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that includes an imprint template holder arranged to hold an imprint template, and a plurality of position sensors configured to measure change of the size and/or shape of the imprint template, wherein the position sensors are mechanically isolated from the imprint template. Also disclosed is a lithography method that includes using an imprint template to imprint a pattern onto a substrate, and measuring changes of the size and/or shape of the imprint template while imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam to form an exposure area on a substrate held on a substrate table, the lithographic apparatus further comprising a cooling apparatus for cooling the substrate, wherein the cooling apparatus comprises a cooling element located above the substrate table and adjacent to the exposure area, the cooling element being configured to remove heat from the substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a clamp (406) configured to receive an object (402). The clamp defines at least one channel (408) configured to pass a fluid at a first fluid temperature. The lithographic apparatus also includes a chuck (404) coupled to the clamp. The chuck (404) defines at least one void (464) configured to thermally insulate the chuck from the clamp.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising includes an object table which carries an object. The lithographic apparatus may further comprise at least one include a sensor as part of a measurement system to measure a characteristic of the object table, the environment surrounding the lithographic apparatus or another component of the lithographic apparatus. The measured characteristic may be used to estimate the a deformation of the an object due to a varying loads load during operation of the lithographic apparatus, for example a varying loads load induced by a two-phase flow in a channel formed within of the object table. Additionally, or alternatively, the The lithographic apparatus comprises may include a predictor to estimate the deformation of the object based on a model. The positioning of the object table carrying the object can be controlled based on the estimated deformation.