Abstract: A load lock is constructed and arranged to transfer a substrate between a first environment and a second environment and to maintain each of the first environment and the second environment therein. The load lock includes a load lock chamber provided with at least two mutually distinct substrate supports positioned one above the other. Each of the substrate supports includes a substrate displacement element. The load lock also includes an evacuation device constructed and arranged to evacuate the load lock chamber, and a door constructed and arranged to close the load lock chamber during evacuation and for opening the load lock chamber.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a chuck having a plurality of protrusions constructed and arranged to support corresponding parts of a bottom surface of a wafer. The top surface of at least one of the protrusions includes a plurality of elements that define a reduced contact area between the substrate and the top surface of the protrusion.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a chuck having a plurality of protrusions constructed and arranged to support corresponding parts of a bottom surface of a wafer. The top surface of at least one of the protrusions includes a plurality of elements that define a reduced contact area between the substrate and the top surface of the protrusion.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for maintaining a machine part arranged in an interior space of a machine, where the interior space is kept at a first pressure and is separated from an environment having a second pressure via a load lock. The method includes transporting a machine part via the load lock out of the interior space and transporting via the load lock into the interior space one of the maintained machine part and a separate replacement machine part.

Abstract: An exemplary substrate processing apparatus has a vacuum chamber and a load lock for gas removal. The load lock has a support table to support a substrate. A cover plate may be provided in the load lock, the cover plate having a lower surface facing the upper surface of the support table. Openings may be provided in the lower surface of the cover plate to allow removal of gas from over the substrate in a direction substantially normal to the lower surface. In an embodiment, a gas pressure between the upper surface of the support table and the substrate is initially reduced through the opening to a certain pressure below a concurrent load lock pressure. When the remainder of the load lock pressure has dropped below the certain, gas pressure between the upper surface of the support table and the substrate is reduced together with the remainder load lock pressure.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a plurality of projections constructed and arranged to support corresponding parts of a bottom section of the substrate, and an actuator constructed and arranged to excite a shockwave in the substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a chuck having a plurality of protrusions constructed and arranged to support corresponding parts of a bottom surface of a wafer. The top surface of at least one of the protrusions includes a plurality of elements that define a reduced contact area between the substrate and the top surface of the protrusion.

Abstract: A load lock for a lithographic apparatus is arranged to transfer an object, like a substrate, into and from the lithographic apparatus. The load lock outer wall defining at least part of a load lock volume accommodating a support unit for supporting the object when in the load lock. The load lock also has a temperature conditioned structure to control the temperature of the object to a desired temperature at least before the object is transferred from the load lock towards the lithographic projection apparatus.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a plurality of projections constructed and arranged to support corresponding parts of a bottom section of the substrate, and an actuator constructed and arranged to excite a shockwave in the substrate.

Abstract: A load lock is constructed and arranged to transfer a substrate between a first environment and a second environment and to maintain each of the first environment and the second environment therein. The load lock includes a load lock chamber provided with at least two mutually distinct substrate supports positioned one above the other. Each of the substrate supports includes a substrate displacement element. The load lock also includes an evacuation device constructed and arranged to evacuate the load lock chamber, and a door constructed and arranged to close the load lock chamber during evacuation and for opening the load lock chamber.

Abstract: A robot arm is configured to insert and remove an object from a conditioned environment using a carrier connected to the robot arm. The robot arm is positioned in a conditionable vessel, a wall of which vessel may deform when the interior is conditioned. Since the trajectory of the robot arm needs to be accurate, the robot arm is flexibly coupled to the vessel wall such that an orientation of the robot arm is independent from an orientation of the vessel wall. Further, a docking system is disclosed for use in a device including a robot arm having a carrier connected thereto.

Abstract: Lithographic projection assembly, including at least one load lock for transferring objects, in particular substrates, between a first environment and a second environment, the second environment preferably having a lower pressure than the first environment; an object handler including a handler chamber in which the second environment prevails; and a lithographic projection apparatus including a projection chamber. The handler chamber and projection chamber can communicate for transferring the objects. The load lock includes a load lock chamber; evacuation device for evacuating the load lock chamber; and door device for closing the load lock chamber during evacuation and for opening the load lock chamber to enter an object in or remove an object from the load lock chamber. The load lock chamber may be provided with at least two mutually distinct object support positions.

Abstract: To enable differentiation between a particle and a ghost particle, a detector system is presented. The detector system is configured to output at least two detector signals corresponding to an intensity of radiation being incident on the detector system. If radiation is received from a ghost particle, not all of the at least two detector signals has a level above a predetermined threshold level, whereas radiation received from a contaminating particle results in all signals having a level above a threshold level. Thus, it may be determined with a high accuracy whether a particle or a ghost particle is redirecting radiation towards the detector system.

Abstract: To enable differentiation between a particle and a ghost particle, a detector system resolves radiation from a ghost particle from radiation from an actual particle. The detector system outputs at least two detector signals corresponding to intensities of radiation being incident on different parts of the detector system or the detector system outputs at least two detector signals corresponding to intensities of radiation with different wavelengths being incident on the detector system. If radiation is received from a ghost particle, not each of the at least two detector signals has a level above a predetermined threshold level, whereas radiation received from a particle results in the signals having substantially a same level above a threshold level.

Abstract: Lithographic projection assembly, including at least one load lock for transferring objects, in particular substrates, between a first environment and a second environment, the second environment preferably having a lower pressure than the first environment; an object handler including a handler chamber in which the second environment prevails; and a lithographic projection apparatus including a projection chamber. The handler chamber and projection chamber can communicate for transferring the objects. The load lock includes a load lock chamber; evacuation device for evacuating the load lock chamber; and door device for closing the load lock chamber during evacuation and for opening the load lock chamber to enter an object in or remove an object from the load lock chamber. The load lock chamber may be provided with at least two mutually distinct object support positions.