Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has an illumination system that conditions a radiation beam and a patterning device support that supports a patterning device. The patterning device patterns the radiation beam. The lithographic apparatus also has a substrate support that supports a substrate, a machine frame that supports the substrate support, a projection system that projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a substrate support drive that moves the substrate support in at least one direction. The lithographic apparatus can have a reaction mass, a balance mass, a base frame, where the substrate support drive is configured to generate a force in the at least one direction between the substrate support and the reaction mass, the balance mass, or the support frame.

Abstract: A lithographic method and apparatus comprises an illumination system that supplies a beam of radiation, a patterning device that patterns the beam, and a projection system that projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate. A metrology system is provided adjacent the projection system for aligning the substrate with the projection system. Two or more movable chucks are each arranged to support a substrate and move between a loading device and the projection system. The chucks are independently movable so that one substrate can be passed through the metrology system and patterned beam while the other substrates are moved between the loading system and projection system.

Abstract: To enable high acceleration and high moving speed of a pattern support or a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus, one of the pattern support and the substrate table is supported by an actuator for relatively large displacements, whereas an actuator for accurately positioning is omitted. The other one of the pattern support and the substrate table is supported by an actuator assembly including an actuator for accurate positioning and an actuator for relatively large displacements. An alignment accuracy of a patterning device and a substrate is achieved by providing a control system that is adapted to position the other one of the pattern support and the substrate table such that a positioning error of the one of the pattern support and the substrate table is compensated by the positioning of the other one.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of correcting thermally-induced field deformations of a lithographically exposed substrate, is presented herein. In one embodiment, the method includes exposing a pattern onto a plurality of fields of a substrate in accordance with pre-specified exposure information and measuring attributes of the fields to assess deformation of the fields induced by thermal effects of the exposing process. The method further includes determining corrective information based on the measured attributes, and adjusting the pre-specified exposure information, based on the corrective information, to compensate for the thermally-induced field deformations. Other embodiments include the use of predictive models to predict thermally-induced effects on the fields and thermographic imaging to determine temperature variations across a substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a conduit shuttle used to at least partly support conduits which provide utilities to moveable objects. The conduit shuttle has an actuator which is positionable with six degrees of freedom. The actuator comprises a 2-phase or 3-phase motor with one degree of freedom and a Lorentz actuator with five degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A movable carriage for moving an article support member in a lithographic apparatus is provided. The article support member is constructed and arranged to move and support an article to be placed in a beam path of the lithographic apparatus. The carriage includes a compartmented composite structure.

Abstract: Lorentz actuators generate heat due to electrical dissipation in the field coils. As the field through the coils changes, eddy currents are induced in cooling elements leading to undesirable damping forces and heating. The present invention provides an improved design that reduces eddy currents by incorporating slits in the cooling element. Slits are preferably perpendicular to the induced electric field and parallel to each other, and reduce the magnitude of the eddy currents by forcing them to take paths of higher electrical resistance.

Abstract: A carrier for carrying a lithographic substrate or a lithographic patterning means. The carrier comprises a first member provided with an open hollow structure that is open to at least one side of the member. The carrier further comprises a second member connected to the first member, such that a closed hollow internal structure is formed between the carrier members.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an illumination system that conditions a beam of radiation, an article support member that supports an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation on the article support, and a movable carriage for moving the article support member. The carriage includes a compartmented composite structure provided with a non-composite mounting interface and/or cooling interface With such an arrangement, conventional interfacing using, for example metal or ceramic materials, can be applied in combination with the advantages of composite structures, such as a low specific weight, a high Young's modulus at places and directions where required, high strength, high stability, and high electrical resistivity.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an illumination system that conditions a beam of radiation, an article support member that supports an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation on the article support, and a movable carriage for moving the article support member. The carriage includes a compartmented composite structure provided with a non-composite mounting interface and/or cooling interface With such an arrangement, conventional interfacing using, for example metal or ceramic materials, can be applied in combination with the advantages of composite structures, such as a low specific weight, a high Young's modulus at places and directions where required, high strength, high stability, and high electrical resistivity.

Abstract: A linear seal seals over a slot formed in a wall of a vacuum chamber of a lithographic projection apparatus. The linear seal includes an elongate sealing member which is locally displaced from the slot at a selectable position such that conduits may pass from outside of the vacuum chamber to the inside of the vacuum chamber at the local displacement of the elongate sealing member.

Abstract: A Lorentz actuator provides a force between a first part and a second part of the apparatus, comprising a main magnet system, attached to a first part of the apparatus and providing a first magnetic field; a subsidiary magnet system, attached to the first part and arranged in a Halbach configuration, providing a second magnetic field; and an electrically conductive element attached to a second part of the apparatus and arranged so as to produce a force between the first and second parts of the apparatus by interaction of an electric current carried by the electrically conductive element and the combination of the first and second magnetic fields.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a conduit that supplies utilities to a movable component in a vacuum chamber such as an object table, associated motor or sensor. The conduit comprises flexible metal bellows preventing out-gassing of the conduit due to the vacuum in the vacuum chamber while allowing movement of the movable component in at least a first degree of freedom.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a conduit shuttle used to at least partly support conduits which provide utilities to moveable objects. The conduit shuttle has an actuator which is positionable with six degrees of freedom. The actuator comprises a 2-phase or 3-phase motor with one degree of freedom and a Lorentz actuator with five degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus, in which movement of a substrate table in a plane is accomplished by a planar magnetic positioning device, has a mechanical limiter that limits rotation of the substrate table about a direction orthogonal to the plane.

Abstract: Lorentz actuators generate heat due to electrical dissipation in the field coils. As the field through the coils changes, eddy currents are induced in cooling elements leading to undesirable damping forces and heating. The present invention provides an improved design that reduces eddy currents by incorporating slits in the cooling element. Slits are preferably perpendicular to the induced electric field and parallel to each other, and reduce the magnitude of the eddy currents by forcing them to take paths of higher electrical resistance.

Abstract: A Lorentz actuator provides a force between a first part and a second part of the apparatus, comprising a main magnet system, attached to a first part of the apparatus and providing a first magnetic field; a subsidiary magnet system, attached to the first part and arranged in a Halbach configuration, providing a second magnetic field; and an electrically conductive element attached to a second part of the apparatus and arranged so as to produce a force between the first and second parts of the apparatus by interaction of an electric current carried by the electrically conductive element and the combination of the first and second magnetic fields.

Abstract: A linear seal seals over a slot formed in a wall of a vacuum chamber of a lithographic projection apparatus. The linear seal includes an elongate sealing member which is locally displaced from the slot at a selectable position such that conduits may pass from outside of the vacuum chamber to the inside of the vacuum chamber at the local displacement of the elongate sealing member.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a conduit that supplies utilities to a movable component in a vacuum chamber such as an object table, associated motor or sensor. The conduit comprises flexible metal bellows preventing out-gassing of the conduit due to the vacuum in the vacuum chamber while allowing movement of the movable component in at least a first degree of freedom.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus, in which movement of a substrate table in a plane is accomplished by a planar magnetic positioning device, has a mechanical limiter that limits rotation of the substrate table about a direction orthogonal to the plane.