Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having: a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a substrate surface actuator including a fluid opening for fluid flow therethrough from/onto a facing surface facing the substrate surface actuator to generate a force between the substrate surface actuator and the facing surface, the facing surface being a top surface of the substrate or a surface substantially co-planar with the substrate; and a position controller to control the position and/or orientation of a part of the facing surface by varying fluid flow through the fluid opening to displace the part of the facing surface relative to the projection system.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for reducing overlay errors by controlling gas flow around a patterning device of a lithographic apparatus. The lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam. The lithographic apparatus further includes a movable stage comprising a support structure that may be configured to support a patterning device. The patterning device may be configured to impart the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. In addition, the lithographic apparatus comprises a plate (410) positioned between the movable stage (401) and the projection system (208). The plate includes an opening (411) that comprises a first sidewall (411a) and a second sidewall (411b). The plate may be configured to provide a gas flow pattern (424) in a region between the movable stage and the projection system that is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the illumination system.

Abstract: A patterning device support (1100) for controlling a temperature of a patterning device (1102) can include a movable component (1104). The movable component can include a gas inlet (1108) for supplying a gas flow across a surface of the patterning device and a gas outlet (1110) for extracting the gas flow. The patterning device support can also include a gas flow generator (1118) coupled to a duct (1114, 1116) for recirculating the gas flow from the gas outlet to the gas inlet.

Abstract: A system for controlling temperature of a patterning device in a lithographic apparatus is discussed. The system includes a patterning device support configured to support a patterning device and a reticle cooling system configured to provide substantially uniform temperature distribution across the patterning device. The reticle cooling system includes a first and second array of gas inlets configured to provide a first and second gas flow along a first and second direction across a surface of the patterning device, respectively, where first and second directions are opposite to each other. The reticle cooling system further includes a switching control system configured to control operation of the first and second arrays of gas inlets.

Abstract: An apparatus, in an embodiment, having a patterning device support including a first planar element having a first flow-restricting surface; a second planar element including a second flow-restricting surface facing the first flow-restricting surface; a support driver to linearly move the support along a certain direction relative to the second planar element, wherein the first and/or second flow-restricting surface has one or more projections and/or recesses between the first and second flow-restricting surfaces, and wherein the projection and/or recess on the first and/or second flow-restricting surface is arranged to provide a flow resistance, per unit width of the first and/or second flow-restricting surface perpendicular to the flow, that is lower against flow that is parallel to the certain direction than against flow that is perpendicular to the certain direction. The flow-restricting surfaces may direct gas flow onto a driver part that generates heat.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a support structure configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device serving to pattern a radiation beam according to a desired pattern and having a planar main surface through which the radiation beam passes; an outlet opening configured to direct a flow of a gas onto the patterning device; and an inlet opening configured to extract the gas which has exited the outlet opening, wherein the outlet opening and inlet opening are in a facing surface facing the planar main surface of the patterning device.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a component that moves in a first direction, the component including a passive gas flow system. The passive gas flow system has a gas inlet to drive gas into the passive gas flow system when the component moves in the first direction and a gas outlet, connected to the gas inlet by a gas conduit, to direct the gas that is driven into the passive gas flow system in a certain direction.

Abstract: A gas curtain is provided to separate a component of a lithographic apparatus from contaminated gas. The gas curtain is supplied by an opening. The opening is at a boundary of a protection environment with which a surface of the component comes into contact. The gas curtain may separate the component from a moving part of the apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (2) for transferring longitudinally supplied elongate food products (4), such as for instance sausages. The sausages are placed here in a recess (10) of a rotatable holder body (9) and subsequently set down in lateral direction. The invention further relates to an assembly (1) of such a transfer device and a feed conveyor (3) for sausages connecting to the transfer device. The invention moreover relates to a method for transferring elongate food products such as sausages.

Abstract: A gas manifold to direct a gas flow between two parallel plates of an optical component of a lithographic apparatus, the gas manifold having an inlet to provide a gas flow to the gas manifold, a lattice comprising a plurality of through holes to homogenize the gas flow, a contractor downstream of the lattice to reduce the cross sectional area through which the gas flow flows, and an outlet downstream of the contractor to provide the gas flow to the two parallel plates.

Abstract: A gas manifold to direct a gas flow between two plates of an optical component of a lithographic apparatus, the gas manifold having an inlet, a diffuser downstream of the inlet, a flow straightener downstream of the inlet, a contractor downstream of the flow straightener, and an outlet downstream of the contractor.

Abstract: An extraction system, including a pump to pump gas along a conduit to a check valve configured to open at an upstream pressure over a certain magnitude, a pressure sensor to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve, and a controller configured to generate a stop signal if a signal from the pressure sensor indicates that the pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve is below a certain magnitude.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having: a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a substrate surface actuator including a fluid opening for fluid flow therethrough from/onto a facing surface facing the substrate surface actuator to generate a force between the substrate surface actuator and the facing surface, the facing surface being a top surface of the substrate or a surface substantially co-planar with the substrate; and a position controller to control the position and/or orientation of a part of the facing surface by varying fluid flow through the fluid opening to displace the part of the facing surface relative to the projection system.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a component and a local cooler to apply a local cooling load to the component. The local cooler has a gas passageway including a flow restriction upstream of the component and configured to direct a flow of gas exiting the flow restriction to cool a surface of the component.

Abstract: A substrate table assembly, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method are disclosed. The substrate table assembly includes a substrate table to support a substrate; and a gas handling system to provide a gas to a region between the substrate table and a substrate mounted on the substrate table, wherein the gas provided by the gas handling system has a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 100 mW/(m.K) at 298 K.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a component that moves in a first direction, the component including a passive gas flow system. The passive gas flow system has a gas inlet to drive gas into the passive gas flow system when the component moves in the first direction and a gas outlet, connected to the gas inlet by a gas conduit, to direct the gas that is driven into the passive gas flow system in a certain direction.

Abstract: An apparatus, in an embodiment, having a patterning device support including a first planar element having a first flow-restricting surface; a second planar element including a second flow-restricting surface facing the first flow-restricting surface; a support driver to linearly move the support along a certain direction relative to the second planar element, wherein the first and/or second flow-restricting surface has one or more projections and/or recesses between the first and second flow-restricting surfaces, and wherein the projection and/or recess on the first and/or second flow-restricting surface is arranged to provide a flow resistance, per unit width of the first and/or second flow-restricting surface perpendicular to the flow, that is lower against flow that is parallel to the certain direction than against flow that is perpendicular to the certain direction. The flow-restricting surfaces may direct gas flow onto a driver part that generates heat.

Abstract: Various configurations of a projection system, of a lithographic apparatus, and of a device manufacturing method are disclosed. According to a disclosed configuration, the projection system is configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system includes an optical element having a first face and a second face. The first face is configured to be exposed to an external gaseous environment connected to the outside of the lithographic apparatus. The second face is configured to be exposed to an internal gaseous environment, the internal gaseous environment being substantially isolated from the external gaseous environment. The projection system further includes a pressure compensation system configured to adjust the pressure in the internal gaseous environment in response to a change in pressure in the external gaseous environment or a pressure differential between the internal gaseous environment or the external gaseous environment.

Abstract: A gas manifold to direct a gas flow between two parallel plates of an optical component of a lithographic apparatus, the gas manifold having an inlet to provide a gas flow to the gas manifold, a lattice comprising a plurality of through holes to homogenize the gas flow, a contractor downstream of the lattice to reduce the cross sectional area through which the gas flow flows, and an outlet downstream of the contractor to provide the gas flow to the two parallel plates.

Abstract: A gas manifold to direct a gas flow between two plates of an optical component of a lithographic apparatus, the gas manifold having an inlet, a diffuser downstream of the inlet, a flow straightener downstream of the inlet, a contractor downstream of the flow straightener, and an outlet downstream of the contractor.