Abstract: An object table including: a holding surface for holding an object; and an actuator arrangement configured to exert a holding force on the object for holding the object to the holding surface, wherein the actuator arrangement is further configured to decrease a strain in the object caused by the holding force by sequentially detaching and re-attaching portions of the object from the holding surface, while the object is held to the holding surface.

Abstract: A method for unloading a substrate from a support table configured to support the substrate, the method including: supplying gas to a gap between a base surface of the support table and the substrate via a plurality of gas flow openings in the support table, wherein during an initial phase of unloading the gas is supplied through at least one gas flow opening in an outer region of the support table and not through any gas flow opening in a central region of the support table radially inward of the outer region, and during a subsequent phase of unloading the gas is supplied through at least one gas flow opening in the outer region and at least one gas flow opening in the central region.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.

Abstract: A method for unloading a substrate from a support table configured to support the substrate, the method including: supplying gas to a gap between a base surface of the support table and the substrate via a plurality of gas flow openings in the support table, wherein during an initial phase of unloading the gas is supplied through at least one gas flow opening in an outer region of the support table and not through any gas flow opening in a central region of the support table radially inward of the outer region, and during a subsequent phase of unloading the gas is supplied through at least one gas flow opening in the outer region and at least one gas flow opening in the central region.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining surface parameters of a patterning device, comprising the steps of: positioning the patterning device with respect to a path of an exposure radiation beam using a first measurement system, providing the patterning device at a first focal plane of a chromatic lens arranged in a second measurement system, illuminating a part of a surface of the patterning device with radiation through the chromatic lens, wherein the radiation comprises a plurality of wavelengths, determining a position of the illuminated part of the patterning device in a first and second direction, collecting at least a portion of radiation reflected by the patterning device through the chromatic lens, measuring an intensity of the collected portion of radiation as a function of wavelength, to obtain spectral information of the illuminated area, and determining the surface parameters of the patterning device at the determined position from the spectral information.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.

Abstract: A support apparatus configured to support an object, the support apparatus includes a support body including an object holder to hold an object; an opening in the support body adjacent to an edge of the object holder; a channel in fluid communication with the opening via each of a plurality of passageways in the support body; and a passageway liner mounted in at least one of the plurality of passageways, the passageway liner being thermally insulating to substantially thermally decouple the support body from fluid in the at least one of the plurality of passageways.

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 support structure constructed to support a patterning device and associated pellicle, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein the support structure is located in a housing and wherein pressure sensors are located in the housing.

Abstract: A clear-out tool is described, the clear-out tool being configured to at least partially remove a masking layer from a target area of an object using a laser beam. The clear-out tool includes a barrier member configured to be arranged above a surface of the object containing the target area and configured to contain a liquid in a space next to the target area or surrounding the target area.

Abstract: A method for revealing sensor targets on a substrate covered with a layer, the method including: obtaining locations of first areas on the substrate with yielding target portions and of second areas on the substrate with non-yielding target portions; at least partially removing feature regions of the layer covering sensor targets in the second areas to reveal sensor targets in the second areas; measuring a location of the revealed sensor targets in the second areas; determining a location of sensor targets in the first areas based on the measured location of the revealed sensor targets in the second areas; and at least partially removing sensor target regions of the layer covering the sensor targets in the first areas using the determined location of the sensor targets in the first areas.

Abstract: A support apparatus configured to support an object, the support apparatus includes a support body including an object holder to hold an object; an opening in the support body adjacent to an edge of the object holder; a channel in fluid communication with the opening via each of a plurality of passageways in the support body; and a passageway liner mounted in at least one of the plurality of passageways, the passageway liner being thermally insulating to substantially thermally decouple the support body from fluid in the at least one of the plurality of passageways.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising a support structure constructed to support a patterning device and associated pellicle, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein the support structure is located in a housing and wherein pressure sensors are located in the housing.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a support structure constructed to support a patterning device and associated pellicle, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein the support structure is located in a housing and wherein pressure sensors are located in the housing.

Abstract: A support apparatus configured to support an object, the support apparatus includes a support body including an object holder to hold an object; an opening in the support body adjacent to an edge of the object holder; a channel in fluid communication with the opening via each of a plurality of passageways in the support body; and a passageway liner mounted in at least one of the plurality of passageways, the passageway liner being thermally insulating to substantially thermally decouple the support body from fluid in the at least one of the plurality of passageways.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.

Abstract: A method of forming at least one lithography feature, the method including: providing at least one lithography recess on a substrate, the or each lithography recess having at least one side-wall and a base, with the at least one side-wall having a width between portions thereof; providing a self-assemblable block copolymer having first and second blocks in the or each lithography recess; causing the self-assemblable block copolymer to self-assemble into an ordered layer within the or each lithography recess, the ordered layer including at least a first domain of first blocks and a second domain of second blocks; causing the self-assemblable block copolymer to cross-link in a directional manner; and selectively removing the first domain to form lithography features of the second domain within the or each lithography recess.