Abstract: A liquid immersion lithography system includes projection optics and a showerhead. The projection optics are configured to expose a substrate with a patterned beam. The showerhead includes a first nozzle and a second nozzle that are configured to be at different distances from a surface of the substrate during an exposure operation.

Abstract: In a lithographic projection apparatus, a structure surrounds a space between the projection system and a substrate table of the lithographic projection apparatus. Gas is used between the structure and the surface of the substrate to contain liquid in the space.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dual stage lithographic apparatus, wherein to substrate stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement for bringing the lithographic apparatus from a first situation, wherein immersion liquid is confined between a first substrate held by the first stage of the said stages and a final element of a projection system of the apparatus, towards a second situation, wherein the said liquid is confined between a second substrate held by the second stage of the two stages and the final element, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within said space with respect to the final element.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a displacement measuring system configured to measure the position of a substrate table in at least three degrees of freedom. The displacement measuring system includes a first x-sensor configured to measure the position of the substrate table in a first direction and a first and a second y-sensor configured to measure the position of the substrate table in a second direction. Said displacement measuring system further comprises a second x-sensor. The first and second x-sensor and first and second y-sensors are encoder type sensors configured to measure the position of each of the sensors with respect to at least one grid plate. The displacement measuring system is configured to selectively use, depending on the position of the substrate table, three of the first and second x-sensors and the first and second y-sensors to determine the position of the substrate table in three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing an aggregate intensity of a light within an illumination field of a photolithography system having a blade structure and a first actuator. The blade structure is configured to be positioned along an optical path of the photolithography system between an illumination system and a reticle stage so that, when the illumination system provides the light having the illumination field, the blade structure is substantially at a center of the illumination field and a first portion of the light within the illumination field impinges upon the blade structure. The first actuator is coupled between a first portion of the blade structure and a frame of the photolithography system and is configured to move at least the first portion of the blade structure in a first direction so that a second portion of the light within the illumination field impinges upon the blade structure.

Abstract: A radiation sensor for use with a lithographic apparatus is disclosed, the radiation sensor comprising a radiation-sensitive material which converts incident radiation of wavelength ?1 into secondary radiation; and sensing means capable of detecting the secondary radiation emerging from said layer.

Abstract: An imprinting method is disclosed that involves, in an embodiment, redistributing a volume of imprintable medium in a flowable state over a target portion of a surface of a substrate into regions of differing volume corresponding to regions of differing pattern density of an imprint pattern of a template, contacting the medium while in the flowable state with the template to form the imprint pattern in the medium, subjecting the medium to conditions to change the medium into a substantially non-flowable state, and separating the template from the medium while in the substantially non-flowable state.

Abstract: In a lithographic projection apparatus, a liquid supply system provides liquid in a space between the final element of the projection system and the substrate of the lithographic projection apparatus. A shutter member is provided to contain liquid in the liquid supply system during, for example, substrate exchange.

Abstract: An imprinting method is disclosed, in which an embodiment involves subjecting an imprintable medium on a substrate to conditions such that the medium is at a first temperature so that it is in a flowable state, the imprintable medium comprising an imprint material selected from a group consisting of: a crystalline material and a polycrystalline material, pressing a template into the medium to form an imprint in the medium, cooling the medium to a second temperature such that the medium is in a substantially non-flowable state while the medium is contacted by the template, and separating the template from the medium while in the substantially non-flowable state.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a deformable lens element through which a patterned radiation beam is arranged to pass before reaching a substrate and having a deformable lens actuator configured to transmit a combination of a force substantially parallel to the optical axis of the projection system and a localized torque about an axis substantially perpendicular to the optical axis independently at a plurality of sub-regions on the deformable lens element.

Abstract: In an immersion lithographic apparatus, a final element is disclosed having, on a surface nearest the substrate, a layer bonded to the surface and having an edge barrier, of the same material as the layer, extending from the layer away from the substrate to shield the final element from a liquid. In an embodiment, the final element is attached to the apparatus via the layer and/or edge barrier, which may be made of a material with a coefficient of thermal expansion lower than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the final element.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes an optics compartment that contains a patterned surface of the patterning device and an optical element, and a substrate compartment connected to the optics compartment by a connection that is arranged to pass a patterned beam of radiation from the optical element to the substrate. The apparatus also includes a first flush gas inlet arranged to supply a first flush gas into the connection, a second flush gas inlet adjacent to the patterned surface and arranged to supply a second flush gas into the optics compartment and to create a region adjacent the patterned surface in which the second flush gas flows in a direction with a component normal to and away from the patterned surface, and a gas pump arranged to pump the flush gases from the optics compartment.

Abstract: A uniformity correction module for improving the uniformity of a radiation distribution in a rectangular illumination slit having two longer sides and two shorter sides, including a plurality of movable blades arranged along each long side of the illumination slit and a chamber containing a fluid wherein said movable blades are at least partly immersed in said fluid, and wherein the difference between the refractive index of each blade and the refractive index of said fluid is sufficiently small to prevent significant reflection and refraction at the surface of each blade.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lithographic apparatus, a device manufacturing method and a device thus manufactured. The lithographic apparatus is of the scanning type, in which a target portion of a substrate is scanned through a patterned radiation beam. Inhomogeneities in the radiation beam may become visible in the form of stripes on the substrate. By imparting an additional movement to the substrate table and optionally to the patterning device of the apparatus, during scanning, in a direction at an angle with the scanning movement, such inhomogeneities are smeared out, and the overall homogeneity of the illumination may be improved.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to provide a beam of radiation, a support configured to support a patterning device, a substrate table and a projection system. Furthermore, the lithographic apparatus includes a plurality of EUV sources for providing EUV radiation to the illumination system and a distributor which is arranged to convert the EUV radiation from each of the EUV sources into an intermediate beam of radiation. The intermediate beam of radiation is directed from the distributor in a first direction by a mirror surface. The distributor may include a rotationally driven mirror arrangement, the axis of rotation being non-parallel to the mirror surface.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to provide a beam of radiation and projection system configured to project the radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. At least one of the illumination system and the projection system includes a focusing element for reflecting or refracting the beam. A plurality of stop discs is provided, each having an aperture therethrough, together with a disc positioner configured to place one of the stop discs adjacent the focusing element to control the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection system or illumination system. The apparatus further includes a disc changer configured to select one of the stop discs and provide the selected stop disc to the disc positioner, the disc changer being external to the projection system or illumination system.

Abstract: An active faceted mirror system is disclosed. The active faceted mirror system includes a set of active facet mirror devices, a base plate and a set of pins for mounting the active facet mirror devices to the base plate. Each of the active facet mirror devices includes a mirror substrate with a reflective surface and a bearing hole on the reverse side for mounting. Additionally, each of the active facet mirror devices includes at least three actuator targets located on the back side of the mirror substrate, a jewel bearing and a flexure for supporting the mirror substrate. The base plate includes a series of bearing holes for mounting the active facet mirror devices and at least three actuators for each of the active facet mirror devices. A set of facet controllers located on the base plate can be used to control the positioning of the active facet mirror devices to produce a desired illumination effect.

Abstract: A system and method are used to protect a mask from being contaminated by airborne particles. They include providing a reticle secured in a two-part cover. The two part cover includes a removable protection device used to protect the reticle from contaminants. The cover can be held inside a pod or box that can be used to transport the cover through a lithography system from an atmospheric section to a vacuum section. While in the vacuum section, the removable cover can be moved during an exposure process during which a pattern on the reticle can be formed on a wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing an aggregate intensity of a light within an illumination field of a photolithography system comprising a blade structure and a first actuator. The blade structure is configured to be positioned along an optical path of the photolithography system between an illumination system of the photolithography system and a reticle stage of the photolithography system so that, when the illumination system provides the light having the illumination field, the blade structure is substantially at a center of the illumination field and a first portion of the light within the illumination field impinges upon the blade structure. The blade structure is either translucent to a wavelength of the light or opaque to the wavelength. The first portion of the light has a first area.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus has a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partly confine liquid to a space between a projection system and a substrate, the confinement structure having a buffer surface, when in use, positioned in close proximity to a plane substantially comprising the upper surface of the substrate and of a substrate table holding the substrate, to define a passage having a flow resistance. A recess is provided in the buffer surface, the recess, when in use, being normally full of immersion liquid to enable rapid filling of a gap between the substrate and substrate table as the gap moves under the buffer surface. The recess may be annular or radial and a plurality of recesses may be provided.