Abstract: A displacement measurement system, in particular for measuring the displacement of a substrate table in a lithographic apparatus relative to a reference frame is presented. The displacement measure system includes a plurality of displacement sensors mounted to the substrate table and a target associated with each displacement sensor mounted to the reference frame.

Abstract: A moveable member is provided which extends the top surface of a substrate table, in plan, beyond a bumper which protects the substrate table during collision. The moveable member may be retracted to a retracted position in which it no longer extends beyond the bumper. In this way it is possible to move two substrate tables together and to allow the retractable member to pass under a liquid supply system which normally provides liquid between the projection system and a substrate without turning off of the liquid supply system.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a shutter member is employed to block a liquid supply system during substrate swap to ensure that liquid remains in contact with anl element of the projection system during substrate swap. The shutter member is connected to a metrology frame which also supports the projection system. In this way the position of the shutter member is always known.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relates to a substrate handler for handling a substrate, including a conditioning device for conditioning the substrate. In an embodiment, the substrate handler includes a displacing device configured to displace the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the support surface, wherein the displacing device is configured to displace the substrate during the conditioning process from one conditioning position to one or more other conditioning positions. According to another embodiment of the invention, the substrate handler includes a float device for providing an air bed above a support surface of the substrate handler, the substrate handler being configured to support the substrate on an air bed during conditioning of the substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system, an array of individually controllable elements, a substrate table, a projection system, a position encoder, an imaging device, and an image processing unit. The illumination system conditions a radiation beam. The array of individually controllable elements modulates the cross-section of the radiation beam. The substrate table supports a substrate. The projection system projects the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, thereby applying a pattern to the target portion of the substrate. The pattern comprises a first line and a second line. The first line is offset from the second line. The position encoder determines a position of the substrate table. The position encoder comprises a position sensor and a scale. The scale comprises a plurality of lines intended to be straight and parallel to one another. The imaging device obtains an image of the first line and the second line.

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 substrate handler for moving a substrate relative to a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus. The substrate handler comprises at least one support surface or platform adapted to carry a plurality of independent substrates simultaneously. The substrate handler adapted to load substrates onto and unload substrates from the substrate table before and after exposure.

Abstract: A substrate handler for moving a substrate relative to a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus. The substrate handler comprises at least one support surface or platform adapted to carry a plurality of independent substrates simultaneously. The substrate handler adapted to load substrates onto and unload substrates from the substrate table before and after exposure.

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: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system to supply a beam of radiation, a patterning system serving to impart the beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section, a substrate table to support a substrate, and a projection system to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a support member having an upper support surface for supporting at least part of the target portion of the substrate on a fluid cushion. The apparatus further includes a fluid supply system arranged to supply fluid to the upper support surface so as to provide the cushion, and an actuator system arranged to act on the support member. The actuator system is controllable to provide adjustment of a topography of the upper support surface relative to a reference plane. Compensation can thus be made for substrate thickness irregularities, to achieve correct focusing of the beam onto the target surface.

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 lithographic apparatus includes at least one object support structure in a high vacuum chamber. The object support structure includes a carrier device in which a number of dividing walls are provided forming a number of compartments in the carrier device. At least one of the compartments is shielded from the high vacuum chamber and is provided with separate gas evacuating structures.

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 is disclosed. The apparatus includes a radiation system for providing a beam of radiation, a first support structure for supporting a patterning device, a second support structure for supporting a substrate, and a projection system. At least one of the first and second support structures includes a planar base, a movable stage that can be moved over the planar base, and an actuator for moving the stage. The apparatus also includes a contactless position measuring device for measuring a position of the stage, and a first pump for generating a conditioned gas flow in a volume between the measuring device and the stage. The base includes a plurality of gas channels that provide a path for the conditioned gas to flow through the base.