Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a patterning subsystem for transferring a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate controlled in accordance with recorded measurements of level variations across a surface of the substrate. A level sensor is provided for projecting a level sensing beam of radiation to reflect from a location on the substrate surface and for detecting the reflected sensing beam to record the surface level at said location. The level sensor incorporates at least one moving optical element to scan the substrate surface by optical movement in at least one dimension to obtain measurements of surface level at different locations without mechanical movement between the level sensor and the substrate. Optical path length equalization measures may be employed, using shaped reflectors and/or additional moving mirrors, to avoid focus variation during the scan.

Abstract: Movements of a lithographic apparatus include dynamic positioning errors on one or more axes which cause corresponding errors which can be measured in the applied pattern. A test method includes operating the apparatus several times while deliberately imposing a relatively large dynamic positioning error at different specific frequencies and axes. Variations in the error in the applied pattern are measured for different frequencies and amplitudes of the injected error across a frequency band of interest for a given axis or axes. Calculation using said measurements and knowledge of the frequencies injected allows analysis of dynamic positioning error variations in frequency bands correlated with each injected error frequency.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image for detection of an aerial pattern comprising spatial differences in radiation intensity in a cross section of a beam of radiation in a lithographic apparatus for exposing a substrate. The image sensor comprises a lens (5) arranged to form a detection image of the aerial pattern and an image detector (6) arranged to measure radiation intensities in a plurality, of positions in the detection image.

Abstract: A method of measuring a lithographic projection apparatus is described. The method includes imaging a verification mark of a patterning device onto a radiation-sensitive layer held by a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus, wherein the verification mark includes at least a first, a second and a third verification structure that have a mutually different sensitivity profile for a dose setting, a focus setting and a contrast setting.

Abstract: A method of positioning a target portion of a substrate with respect to a focal plane of a projection system uses a level sensor to perform height measurements of at least part of the substrate to generate height data. Specified and/or predetermined correction heights are used to compute corrected height data. The predetermined correction heights may be at least partially based on process stack data. The position of a substrate table is controlled using the correction heights which are partially based on the process stack data, in particular the process stack layer of the target area.

Abstract: In a lithographic apparatus, a control system is provided to automatically reduce throughput in the event that lens-heating aberrations exceed a certain threshold. The determination of whether lens-heating aberrations will exceed the threshold may be based upon a prediction, e.g. using a lens-heating model, or on measurements taken from a previously exposed substrate. Reduction of throughput of the device manufacture may be effected by reducing beam power or the duty cycle of the apparatus. In a particular embodiment, the time taken for substrate movement between exposure portions is increased.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a level sensor for use in positioning a target portion of the substrate with respect to a focal plane of the projection system, a pair of actuators, configured to move a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus, and a controller for moving the substrate relative to the level sensor by controlling the actuators. The controller combines motions of the first and second actuators to produce a combined movement having a speed higher than a maximum speed of at least one of the actuators individually.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for determining exposure settings for a target field on a substrate in a lithographic exposure process, including providing calibration data by determining the position of a calibration field in a first direction at a plurality of calibration positions in a second and third direction relative to the position of the calibration field. The method also includes providing production data by establishing the position on the substrate of the target field in the second and third direction and by measuring the position of the exposure field in the first direction at least one measurement position relative to the position of the exposure field in the second and third direction.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system to condition a radiation beam; a patterning device support to support a patterning device, the patterning device capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system to project the patterned radiation beam in a scanning exposure along a scanning direction onto a target portion of the substrate. The illumination system is configured to form in a plane of the patterning device a slit shaped image. The slit shaped image has a curved shape with a slit curvature in the scanning direction, with a length in the scanning direction and a width perpendicular to the scanning direction. The slit shaped image is configured to create a curved pattern image portion of the patterned radiation beam in an image plane of the projection system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image sensor for detection of an aerial image formed by a beam of radiation in a lithographic projection apparatus for exposing a pattern onto a substrate held in a substrate plane by a substrate holder. The image sensor has an image detector and a lens. The lens is arranged to project at least part of the aerial image onto the image detector. The image sensor is positioned such within the substrate holder that the lens is positioned proximate the substrate plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a level sensor for use in a lithographic apparatus that determines a surface height of a substrate. The level sensor includes an emitter and a receiver, wherein the emitter is arranged to emit a signal directed to a predetermined position on the surface of the substrate, such that the signal is at least partially reflected by the substrate to render a reflected signal. The receiver is arranged to receive at least part of the reflected signal, and the level sensor is arranged to determine the surface height of the substrate with respect to the level sensor based on the emitted and received signal. The signal includes a pressure wave.

Abstract: The invention relates to the detection of, among others, tumor-specific fusion proteins. Provided is a method for detecting a fusion protein in a sample, the fusion protein comprising an amino-terminal fragment and a carboxy-terminal fragment that each correspond to a native protein. The method comprises contacting the sample with at least one binding molecule specifically reactive with a part of the native protein that is not present in the fusion protein, under conditions that allow for the formation of a complex between at least one binding molecule and the native protein, removing the complex from the sample to deplete the sample of the native protein but not of the fusion protein; and detecting the fusion protein in the sample using at least one antibody probe directed against the fusion protein. Also provided is a diagnostic kit for carrying out a method of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a level sensor for use in a lithographic apparatus that determines a surface height of a substrate. The level sensor includes an emitter and a receiver, wherein the emitter is arranged to emit a signal directed to a predetermined position on the surface of the substrate, such that the signal is at least partially reflected by the substrate to render a reflected signal. The receiver is arranged to receive at least part of the reflected signal, and the level sensor is arranged to determine the surface height of the substrate with respect to the level sensor based on the emitted and received signal. The signal includes a pressure wave.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of calibrating level sensors of at least two lithographic projection apparatus to correct machine to machine level sensor process dependency includes using a first lithographic projection apparatus to measure a first set of leveling data for a reference substrate and a second set of leveling data for a substrate processed according to a selected process, and using a second lithographic projection apparatus to measure a third set of leveling data for the reference substrate and a fourth set of leveling data for the processed substrate. The method also includes calculating, based on the first, second, third and fourth sets of leveling data, a set of level sensor parameters corresponding to machine to machine level sensor differences for the selected process, wherein the machine to machine level sensor differences are measured and stored as intrafield values.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of detecting interacting molecules. The invention provides a set of a first and a second probe, each such probe provided with a dye allowing energy transfer; at least one probe provided with a reactive group allowing juxtaposing the first and second probe. A method is provided for detecting at least two interacting molecules at the single cell level using of a set of probes according to the invention.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of calibrating level sensors of at least two lithographic projection apparatus to correct machine to machine level sensor process dependency includes using a first lithographic projection apparatus to measure a first set of leveling data for a reference substrate and a second set of leveling data for a substrate processed according to a selected process, and using a second lithographic projection apparatus to measure a third set of leveling data for the reference substrate and a fourth set of leveling data for the processed substrate. The method also includes calculating, based on the first, second, third and fourth sets of leveling data, a set of level sensor parameters corresponding to machine to machine level sensor differences for the selected process, wherein the machine to machine level sensor differences are measured and stored as intrafield values.