Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator includes a coil assembly including a coil; a magnet assembly including a first and a second magnet unit, each magnet unit including a magnetic yoke and a plurality of permanent magnets mounted to the magnetic yoke, the first and second magnet unit forming a magnetic circuit for receiving the coil assembly and, upon energizing the coil, generating a force in a first direction; and a holder for holding the magnet units, wherein a weight ratio of the magnet assembly over the coil assembly is smaller than the weight ratio of the magnet assembly over the coil assembly when the ratio of force over electrical power is maximized.

Abstract: A sensor for use in lithographic apparatus of an immersion type and which, in use, comes into contact with the immersion liquid is arranged so that the thermal resistance of a first heat path from a transducer of the sensor to a temperature conditioning device is less than the thermal resistance of a second heat flow path from the transducer to the immersion liquid. Thus, heat flow is preferentially towards the temperature conditioning device and not the immersion liquid so that temperature-induced disturbance in the immersion liquid is reduced or minimized.

Abstract: A sensor for use in lithographic apparatus of an immersion type and which, in use, comes into contact with the immersion liquid is arranged so that the thermal resistance of a first heat path from a transducer of the sensor to a temperature conditioning device is less than the thermal resistance of a second heat flow path from the transducer to the immersion liquid. Thus, heat flow is preferentially towards the temperature conditioning device and not the immersion liquid so that temperature-induced disturbance in the immersion liquid is reduced or minimized.

Abstract: A component for a lithography tool, the component including a member having a primary surface; a conduit defined within the member and configured to receive a fluid under pressure; a compressible region within the member and located between the conduit and the primary surface; and a deformable region between the compressible region and the conduit, wherein the compressible region and the deformable region are configured to accommodate local deformation of the member resulting from the pressure of the fluid.

Abstract: A sensor for use in lithographic apparatus of an immersion type and which, in use, comes into contact with the immersion liquid is arranged so that the thermal resistance of a first heat path from a transducer of the sensor to a temperature conditioning device is less than the thermal resistance of a second heat flow path from the transducer to the immersion liquid. Thus, heat flow is preferentially towards the temperature conditioning device and not the immersion liquid so that temperature-induced disturbance in the immersion liquid is reduced or minimized.

Abstract: The current invention relates to a patient support table, comprising a frame that is mounted to the floor, an upright column with a table top support system and mounted to the frame and supporting a table top that is movable longitudinally with respect to the column and to accommodate a person. The patient table further comprises a tilt actuator and a control device to control the at least one tilt actuator, and comprising an inclinometer, a data storage and a processing unit that in use compares data from the inclinometer with data from the data storage. The control device comprises a force sensor to determine a load supported by the table top and/or a position sensor to determine the longitudinal position of the table top with respect to a reference, wherein the control device in use calculates a set point for the at least one tilt actuator and actuates the tilt actuator to move or maintain the table top to the set tilted position.

Abstract: A method for driving a component placement device, the component placement device having a machine frame, component pickup units and a subframe, the first and second component pickup units configured to be movable in a direction of travel, the method comprising: moving at least one of the component pickup unit in the direction of movement relative to the subframe, the component pickup units and the subframe configured for a reactive force to be exerted on the subframe by the moving of the at least one of the component pickup units; determining a counterforce to be exerted against the subframe substantially opposite a direction of the reactive force, the counterforce determined by an auxiliary control unit, wherein the counterforce at least partially counteracts the reactive force; and applying the counterforce to the subframe substantially in the opposite direction of the reactive force by at least one drive unit.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator includes a coil assembly including a coil; a magnet assembly including a first and a second magnet unit, each magnet unit including a magnetic yoke and a plurality of permanent magnets mounted to the magnetic yoke, the first and second magnet unit forming a magnetic circuit for receiving the coil assembly and, upon energizing the coil, generating a force in a first direction; and a holder for holding the magnet units, wherein a weight ratio of the magnet assembly over the coil assembly is smaller than the weight ratio of the magnet assembly over the coil assembly when the ratio of force over electrical power is maximized.

Abstract: A displacement device with a first and second part which are displaceable relative to one another, the first part being provided with a system of magnets, the second part being provided with a set of coil block units including: at least three first coil block units having current conductors oriented parallel to a second direction, at least two second coil block units having current conductors oriented parallel to a first direction, wherein the displacement device includes a controller configured to control the position of the second part relative to the first part, and wherein when the second part mainly moves in the second direction the controller is configured to levitate the second part from the first part in the third direction by using first coil block units only.

Abstract: A method is provided for placing a component on a substrate. The method uses a component feeding device and a component pick-and-place device to place a component on a substrate.

Abstract: A sensor for use in lithographic apparatus of an immersion type and which, in use, comes into contact with the immersion liquid is arranged so that the thermal resistance of a first heat path from a transducer of the sensor to a temperature conditioning device is less than the thermal resistance of a second heat flow path from the transducer to the immersion liquid. Thus, heat flow is preferentially towards the temperature conditioning device and not the immersion liquid so that temperature-induced disturbance in the immersion liquid is reduced or minimized.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate on a central area; and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate in a first direction. The apparatus further includes a positioning device to position the substrate table, wherein the positioning device includes a plurality of actuators arranged to, in use, exert forces to position the substrate table, the forces substantially being directed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first direction and wherein the plurality of actuators are arranged outside a central volume of the substrate table, the central volume being obtained by projecting the central area along the first direction.

Abstract: A method is provided for placing a component on a substrate. The method uses a component feeding device and a component pick-and-place device to place a component on a substrate.

Abstract: A device suitable for placing a component on a substrate is provided with a component feeding device, a component pick-and-place device comprising a nozzle, a substrate carrier, means for moving the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa. A global measuring system is provided for determining the position of the component pick-and-place device during movement of the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa. The device is further provided with a local measuring system, remote from the global measuring system, for almost continually determining, in the proximity of a desired position of the component on the substrate, the position of the component pick-and-place device with respect to the substrate. The local measuring system is located closer to the substrate carrier than the global measuring system.

Abstract: A displacement device with a first and second part which are displaceable relative to one another, the first part being provided with a system of magnets, the second part being provided with a set of coil block units including: at least three first coil block units having current conductors oriented parallel to a second direction, at least two second coil block units having current conductors oriented parallel to a first direction, wherein the displacement device includes a controller configured to control the position of the second part relative to the first part, and wherein when the second part mainly moves in the second direction the controller is configured to levitate the second part from the first part in the third direction by using first coil block units only.

Abstract: A device suitable for placing a component on a substrate is provided with a component feeding device, a component pick-and-place device comprising a nozzle, a substrate carrier, means for moving the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa, as well as a global measuring system for determining the position of the component pick-and-place device during movement of the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa. The device is further provided with a local measuring system, remote from the global measuring system, for almost continually determining, in the proximity of a desired position of the component on the substrate, the position of the component pick-and-place device with respect to the substrate, which local measuring system is located closer to the substrate carrier than the global measuring system.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate on a central area; and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate in a first direction. The apparatus further includes a positioning device to position the substrate table, wherein the positioning device includes a plurality of actuators arranged to, in use, exert forces to position the substrate table, the forces substantially being directed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first direction and wherein the plurality of actuators are arranged outside a central volume of the substrate table, the central volume being obtained by projecting the central area along the first direction.

Abstract: A displacement device is provided with a linear motor which comprises a first part comprising magnetic strips and a second part comprising a coil block. The parts are connected via a linear guide. The second part is movable with respect to the first part in a conveying direction extending parallel to the guide. The displacement device further comprises an connected to said second part, which is located on a side of the first part remote from the second part. The displacement device can be used is a component placement device.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming an image in a radiation sensitive layer (6) and comprising an array (16) of light valves (18-22) and a corresponding array (40) of converging elements (46) the positions of radiation spots (204) formed by these arrays (16,40) are monitored and their positions determined by means of a sensing module, which is arranged below the plane of the spots. The module is provided with a slit plate (182) showing pair of slits (186,188) and with position encoders (190,192,194,196) and the plate carrying the converging elements is provided with tracking configurations (171,173,175,177) and alignment marks (198).

Abstract: An optical image is formed in a resist layer (5) by a number of subilluminations, in each of which an array of light valves (21 25) and a corresponding array (40) of light converging elements are used to form a pattern of spots in the resist layer according to a sub image Between the sub illuminations, the resist layer (5) is displaced relative to the arrays (21 25, 40) The scale of the optical image in the resist layer (5) is measured and this scale is compared with the scale of the image required to be written If there is a difference, the spacing between the light converging elements (43) is physically altered to adjust the substrate scale.